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A  SPIRITED  CONTACT  WITH  A  GHOST. 

Charles  O'Malleij,  rol.  II.    Page  57 


CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


By  CHARLES  LEVER. 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  PHIZ. 


COMPLETE  IN  ONE  VOLUME. 


NEW  YORK: 

A.  L.  BUKT,  PUBLISHER, 


PREFACE. 

The  success  of  Harry  Lorrequer  was  the  reason  for  writing 
Charles  O'Malley.  That  I  myself  was  in  no  wise  prepared  for 
the  favor  the  public  bestowed  on  my  first  attempt  is  easily 
enough  understood.  The  ease  with  which  I  strung  my  stories 
together — and  in  reality  the  Confessions  of  Harry  Lorrequer 
are  little  other  than  a  note-book  of  absurd  and  laughable  inci- 
dents— led  me  to  believe  that  I  could  draw  on  this  vein  of  com- 
position without  any  limit  whatever.  I  felt,  or  thought  I  felt, 
an  inexhaustible  store  of  fun  and  buoyancy  within  me,  and  I 
began  to  have  a  misty,  half  confused  impression  that  English- 
men generally  labored  under  a  sad-colored  temperament,  took 
depressing  views  of  life,  and  were  proportionately  grateful  to 
any  one  who  would  rally  them  even  passingly  out  of  their  de- 
spondency, and  give  them  a  laugh  without  much  trouble  for 
going  in  search  of  it. 

When  I  set  to  work  to  write  Charles  O'Malley  I  was,  as  I 
have  ever  been,  very  low  with  fortune,  and  the  success  of  a 
new  venture  was  pretty  much  as  eventful  to  me  as  the  turn  of 
the  right  color  at  rouge  et  noir.  At  the  same  time  I  had  then 
an  amount  of  spring  in  my  temperament,  and  a  power  of  en-> 
joying  life  which  I  can  honestly  say  I  never  found  surpassed. 
The  world  had  for  me  all  the  interest  of  an  admirable  comedy, 
in  which  the  part  alloted  myself,  if  not  a  high  or  a  foreground 
one,  was  eminently  suited  to  my  taste,  and  brought  me,  besides, 
sufficiently  often  on  the  stage  to  enable  me  to  follow  all  the 
fortunes  of  the  piece.  Brussels,  where  I  was  then  living,  was 
adorned  at  the  period  by  a  most  agreeable  English  society. 
Some  leaders  of  the  fashionable  world  of  London  had  come 
3 


4  PREFACE. 

there  to  refit  and  recruit,  both  in  body  and  estate.  There 
were  several  pleasant  and  a  great  number  of  pretty  people 
among  them ;  and,  so  far  as  I  could  judge,  the  fashionable 
dramas  of  Belgrave  Square  and  its  vicinity  were  being  per- 
formed in  the  Rue  Royale  and  the  Boulevard  de  Waterloo  with 
very  considerable  success.  There  were  dinners,  balls,  dejeu- 
ners and  picnics  in  the  Bois  de  Cambre,  excursions  to  Water- 
loo, and  select  little  parties  to  Bois-fort,  a  charming  little  resort 
in  the  forest,  whose  intense  cockneyism  became  perfectly  inof- 
fensive as  being  in  a  foreign  land,  and  remote  from  the  inva- 
sion of  home-bred  vulgarity.  I  mention  all  these  things  to 
show  the  adjuncts  by  which  I  was  aided,  and  the  rattle  of 
gaiety  by  which  I  was,  as  it  were,  "  accompanied,"  when  I  next 
tried  my  voice. 

The  soldier  element  tinctured  strongly  our  society,  and  I  will 
say  most  agreeably.  Amongst  those  whom  I  remember  best 
were  several  old  Peninsulars.  Lord  Combermere  was  of  this 
number,  and  another  of  our  set  was  an  officer  who  accom- 
panied, if  indeed  he  did  not  command,  the  first  boat  party  who 
crossed  the  Douro.  It  is  needless  to  say  how  I  cultivated  a 
society  so  full  of  all  the  storied  details  I  was  eager  to  obtain, 
and  how  generously  disposed  were  they  to  give  me  all  the  in- 
formation I  needed.  On  topography  especially  were  they  valu- 
able to  me,  and  with  such  good  result  that  I  have  been  more 
than  once  complimented  on  the  accuracy  of  my  descriptions 
of  places  which  I  have  never  seen  and  whose  features  I  have 
derived  entirely  from  the  narratives  of  my  friends. 

When,  therefore,  my  publishers  asked  me  could  I  write  a 
story  in  the  Lorrequer  vein,  in  which  active  service  and  mili- 
tary adventure  could  figure  more  prominently  than  mere  civil- 
ian life,  and  where  the  achievements  of  a  British  army  might 
form  the  staple  of  the  narrative  ?  When  this  question  was  pro- 
pounded me,  I  was  ready  to  reply — Not  one,  but  fifty.  Do 
not  mistake  me,  and  suppose  that  any  overweening  confidence 
in  my  literary  powers  would  have  emboldened  me  to  mak§  thi§ 


PREFACE.  f 

reply ;  my  whole  strength  lay  in  the  fact  that  I  could  not  rec- 
ognize anything  like  literary  effort  in  the  matter.  If  the  world 
would  only  condescend  to  read  that  which  I  wrote  precisely  as 
I  was  in  the  habit  of  talking,  nothing  could  be  easier  than  for 
me  to  occupy  them.  Not  alone  was  it  very  easy  to  me,  but  it 
was  intensely  interesting  and  amusing  to  myself,  to  be  so  en- 
gaged. 

The  success  of  Harry  Lorrequer  had  been  freely  wafted 
across  the  German  Ocean,  but  even  in  its  mildest  accents  it 
was  very  intoxicating  incense  to  me ;  and  I  set  to  work  on  my 
second  book  with  a  thrill  of  hope  as  regards  the  world's  favor 
which — and  it  is  no  small  thing  to  say  it — I  can  yet  recall. 

I  can  recall,  too,  and  I  am  afraid  more  vividly  still,  some  of 
the  difficulties  of  my  task  when  I  endeavored  to  form  anything 
like  an  accurate  or  precise  idea  of  some  campaigning  incident, 
or  some  passage  of  arms  from  the  narratives  of  two  distinct 
and  separate  "eye-witnesses."  What  mistrust  I  conceived  for 
all  eye-witnesses  from  my  own  brief  experience  of  their  testi- 
monies !  What  an  impulse  did  it  lend  me  to  study  the  nature 
and  the  temperament  of  the  narrator,  as  indicative  of  the  pe- 
culiar coloring  he  might  lend  his  narrative  ;  and  how  it  taught 
me  to  know  the  force  of  the  French  epigram  that  has  declared 
how  it  was  entirely  the  alternating  popularity  of  Marshal  Soult 
that  decided  whether  he  won  or  lost  the  battle  of  Toulouse  ! 

While,  however,  I  was  sifting  these  evidences,  and  separat- 
ing, as  well  as  I  might,  the  wheat  from  the  chaff,  I  was  in  a 
measure  training  myself  for  what,  without  my  then  knowing  it, 
was  to  become  my  career  in  life.  This  was  not  therefore  alto- 
gether without  a  certain  degree  of  labor,  but  so  light  and  pleas- 
ant withal,  so  full  of  picturesque  peeps  at  character,  and 
humorous  views  of  human  nature,  that  it  would  be  the  very 
rankest  ingratitude  of  me  if  I  did  not  own  that  I  gained  all  my 
earlier  experiences  of  the  world  in  very  pleasant  company — 
highly  enjoyable  at  the  time,  and  with  matter  for  charming 
souvenirs  lone:  after. 


6  PREFACE. 

That  certain  traits  of  my  acquaintances  found  themselves 
embodied  in  some  of  the  characters  of  this  story  I  do  not  seek 
to  deny.  The  principle  of  natural  selection  adapts  itself  to 
novels  as  to  nature,  and  it  would  have  demanded  an  effort 
above  my  strength  to  have  disabused  myself  at  the  desk  of 
all  the  impressions  of  the  dinner  table,  and  to  have  forgotten 
features  which  interested  or  amused  me. 

One  of  the  personages  of  my  tale  I  drew,  however,  with  very 
little  aid  from  fancy.  I  would  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  I  took 
him  from  the  life,  if  my  memory  did  not  confront  me  with  the 
lamentable  inferiority  of  my  picture  to  the  great  original  it 
was  meant  to  portray. 

With  the  exception  of  the  quality  of  courage,  I  never  met  a 
man  who  contained  within  himself  so  many  of  the  traits  of 
Falstaff,  as  the  individual  who  furnished  me  with  Major  Mon- 
soon. But  the  Major — I  must  call  him  so,  though  that  rank  was 
far  beneath  his  own — was  a  man  of  unquestionable  bravery. 
His  powers  as  a  story-teller  were  to  my  thinking  unrivalled,  the 
peculiar  reflections  on  life  which  he  would  passingly  introduce — 
the  wise  apothegms — were  after  a  morality  essentially  of  his  own 
invention,  that  he  would  indulge  in  the  unsparing  exhibition  of 
himself  in  situations  such  as  other  men  would  never  have 
confessed  to,  all  blended  up  with  a  racy  enjoyment  of  life, 
dashed  occasionally  with  sorrow  that  our  tenure  of  it  was 
short  of  patriarchal.  All  these  accompanied  by  a  face  redol- 
ent of  intense  humor,  and  a  voice  whose  modulations  were 
managed  with  the  skill  of  a  consummate  artist,  all  these  I 
say  were  above  me  to  convey,  nor  indeed  as  I  re-read  any  of 
the  adventures  in  which  he  figures,  am  I  other  than  ashamed 
at  the  weakness  of  my  drawing  and  the  poverty  of  my  coloring. 

That  I  had  a  better  claim  to  personify  him  than  is  always 
the  lot  of  a  novelist — that  I  possessed,  so  to  say,  a  vested 
interest  in  his  life  and  adventures,  I  will  relate  a  little  in- 
cident in  proof ;  and  my  accuracy,  if  necessary,  can  be  attested 
by  another  actor  in  the  scene  who  yet  survives. 


PREFACE.  1 

I  was  living  a  bachelor  life  at  Brussels,  my  family  being 
at  Ostend  for  the  bathing  during  the  summer  of  1840.  The 
city  was  comparatively  empty ;  all  the  so-called  society  being 
absent  at  the  various  spas  or  baths  of  Germany.  One  member 
of  the  British  Legation,  who  remained  at  his  post  to  represent 
the  mission,  and  myself  making  common  cause  of  our  desola- 
tion and  ennui,  spent  much  of  our  time  together,  and  dined 
ttte-a-tite  every  day. 

It  chanced  that  one  evening,  as  we  were  hastening  through 
the  park  on  our  way  to  dinner,  we  espied  the  Major — for  as 
Major  I  must  speak  of  him — lounging  along  with  that  half  care- 
less, half  observant  air  we  had  both  of  us  remarked  as  indicat- 
ing a  desire  to  be  somebody's,  anybody's  guest,  rather  than 
surrender  himself  to  the  homeliness  of  domestic  fare. 

"  There's  that  confounded  old  Monsoon,"  cried  my  diplo- 
matic friend.  "  It's  all  up  if  he  sees  us,  and  I  can't  endure  him." 
Now  I  must  remark  that  my  friend,  though  very  far  from 
insensible  to  the  humoristic  side  of  the  Major's  character,  was 
not  always  in  the  vein  to  enjoy  it,  and  when  so  indisposed  he 
could  invest  the  object  of  his  dislike  with  something  little  short 
of  antipathy.  "  Promise  me,"  said  he,  as  Monsoon  came  to- 
wards us,  "promise  me,  you'll  not  ask  him  to  dinner,"  Before 
I  could  make  any  reply,  the  Major  was  shaking  a  hand  of  either 
of  us,  and  rapturously  expatiating  over  his  good  luck  at  meeting 
us.  "  Mrs.  M.,"  said  he,  "  has  got  a  dreary  party  of  old 
ladies  to  dine  with  her,  and  I  have  come  out  here  to  find  some 
pleasant  fellow  to  join  me,  and  take  our  mutton  chop  together." 

"  We're  behind  our  time.  Major,"  said  my  friend,  "  sorry  to 
leave  you  so  abruptly,  but  must  push  on.  Eh,  Lorrequer  ? " 
added  he,  to  evoke  corroboration  on  my  part. 

"  Harry  says  nothing  of  the  kind,"  replied  Monsoon,  "  he 
says,  or  he's  going  to  say,  '  Major,  I  have  a  nice  bit  of  dinner 
waiting  for  me  at  home,  enough  for  two,  will  feed  three,  or  if 
there  be  a  shortcoming,  nothing  easier  than  to  eke  out  the 
deficiency  by  another  bottle  of  Multon ;  come  along  with  us 


8  PREFACE. 

then,  Monsoon,  and  we  shall  be  all  the  merrier  for  your  com- 
pany/ " 

Repeating  his  last  words,  "come  along.  Monsoon,"  etc.,  I 
passed  my  arm  within  his,  and  away  we  went.  For  a  moment 
my  friend  tried  to  get  free  and  leave  me,  but  I  held  him  fast 
and  carried  him  along  in  spite  of  himself.  He  was,  however, 
so  chagrined  and  provoked  that  till  the  moment  we  reached 
my  door  he  never  uttered  a  word,  nor  paid  the  slightest  atten- 
tion to  Monsoon,  who  talked  away  in  a  vein  that  occasionally 
made  gravity  all  but  impossible. 

Our  dinner  proceeded  drearily  enough,  the  diplomatist's  stiff- 
ness never  relaxed  for  a  moment,  and  my  own  awkwardness 
damped  all  my  attempts  at  conversation.  Not  so,  however, 
Monsoon,  he  ate  heartily,  approved  of  everything,  and  pro- 
nounced my  wine  to  be  exquisite.  He  gave  us  a  perfect  dis- 
course on  sherry,  and  Spanish  wines  in  general,  told  us  the 
secret  of  the  Amontillado  flavor,  and  explained  that  process  of 
browning  by  boiling  down  wine,  which  some  are  so  fond  of  in 
England,  At  last,  seeing  perhaps  that  the  protection  had 
little  charm  for  us,  with  his  accustomed  tact,  he  diverged  into 
anecdote.  "  I  was  once  fortunate  enough,"  said  he,  "  to  fall 
upon  some  of  that  choice  sherry  from  the  St.  Lucas  Luentas, 
which  is  always  reserved  for  royalty.  It  was  a  pale  wine,  de- 
licious in  the  drinking,  and  leaving  no  more  flavor  in  the  mouth 
than  a  faint  dryness  that  seemed  to  say — another  glass.  Shall 
I  tell  you  how  I  came  by  it  ?  "  And  scarcely  pausing  for  reply 
he  told  the  story  of  having  robbed  his  own  convoy,  and  stolen 
the  wine  he  was  in  charge  of  for  safe  conveyance. 

I  wish  I  could  give  any— even  the  weakest  idea  of  how  he 
narrated  that  incident,  the  struggle  that  he  portrayed  between 
duty  and  temptation,  and  the  apologetic  tone  of  his  voice  in 
which  he  explained  that  the  frame  of  mind  that  succeeds  to 
any  yielding  to  seductive  influences,  is  often  in  the  main  more 
profitable  to  a  man  than  is  the  vainglorious  sense  of  having 
resisted  a  temptation.     "  Meekness  is  the  mother  of  all  the 


PREFACE.  9 

virtues,"  said  he,  "and  there  is  no  being  meek  without  frailty." 
The  story,  told  as  he  told  it,  was  too  much  for  the  diploma- 
tist's gravity,  he  resisted  all  signs  of  attention  as  long  as  he 
was  able,  and  at  last  fairly  roared  out  with  laughter. 

As  soon  as  I  myself  recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  drol- 
lery, I  said,  "  Major,  I  have  a  proposition  to  make  you.  Let 
me  tell  the  story  in  print,  and  I'll  give  you  five  naps." 

"  Are  you  serious,  Harry  ?  "  asked  he.     "  Is  this  on  honor  ?  " 

"On  honor,  assuredly,"  I  replied. 

"  Let  me  have  the  money  down,  on  the  nail,  and  I'll  give 
you  leave  to  have  me  and  my  whole  life,  every  adventure  that 
ever  befell  me,  aye,  and,  if  you  like,  every  moral  reflection  that 
my  experiences  have  suggested." 

"  Done  !  "  cried  I,  "  I  agree." 

"  Not  so  fast,"  cried  the  diplomatist,  "  we  must  make  a  proto- 
col of  this,  the  high  contracting  parties  must  know  what  they 
give  and  what  they  receive.     I'll  draw  out  the  treaty." 

He  did  so  at  full-length  on  a  sheet  of  that  solemn  blue  tinted 
paper,  so  dedicated  to  despatch  purposes^he  duly  set  forth 
the  concession  and  the  consideration.  We  each  signed  the 
document,  he  witnessed  and  sealed  it,  and  Monsoon  pocketed 
my  five  napoleons,  filling  a  bumper  to  any  success  the  bargain 
might  bring  me,  and  of  which  I  have  never  had  reason  to  ex- 
press deep  disappointment. 

This  document,  along  with  my  University  degree,  my  com- 
mission in  a  Militia  regiment,  and  a  vast  amount  of  letters 
very  interesting  to  me,  were  seized  by  the  Austrian  authorities 
on  the  way  from  Como  to  Florence  in  the  August  of  1847,  be- 
ing deemed  part  of  a  treasonable  correspondence — probably 
purposely  allegorical  in  form — and  never  restored  to  me.  I 
fairly  own  that  I'd  give  all  the  rest  willingly  to  repossess  my- 
self of  the  Monsoon  treaty,  not  a  little  for  the  sake  of  that 
quaint  old  autograph,  faintly  shaken  by  the  quiet  laugh  with 
which  he  wrote  it. 

That  I  did  not  entirely  fail  in  giving  my  Major  some  faint 


lO  PREFACE. 

resemblance  to  the  great  original  from  whom  I  copied  him,  I 
may  mention  that  he  was  speedily  recognized  in  print  by  the 
Marquis  of  Londonderry,  the  well-known  Sir  Charles  Stuart  of 
the  Peninsular  campaign,  "  I  know  that  fellow  well,"  said  he, 
"  he  once  sent  me  a  challenge,  and  I  had  to  make  him  a  very 
humble  apology.  The  occasion  was  this :  I  had  been  out 
with  a  single  aide-de-camp,  to  make  a  reconnaissance  in  front 
of  Victor's  division  ;  and  to  avoid  attracting  any  notice,  we 
covered  over  our  uniform  with  two  common  gray  overcoats 
which  reached  to  the  feet,  and  effectually  concealed  our  rank 
as  officers.  Scarcely,  however,  had  we  topped  a  hill  which 
commanded  the  view  of  the  French,  than  a  shower  of  shells 
flew  over  and  around  us.  Amazed  to  think  how  we  could 
have  been  so  quickly  noticed,  I  looked  around  me,  and  dis- 
covered, quite  close  in  my  rear,  your  friend  Monsoon,  with 
what  he  called  his  staff,  a  popinjay  set  of  rascals,  dressed  out 
in  green  and  gold,  and  with  more  plumes  and  feathers  than 
the  general  staff  ever  boasted.  Carried  away  by  momentary 
passion  at  the  failure  of  my  reconnaissance,  I  burst  out  with 
some  insolent  allusion  to  the  harlequin  assembly  which  had 
drawn  the  French  fire  upon  us.  Monsoon  saluted  me  respect- 
fully, and  retired  without  a  word ;  but  I  had  scarcely  reached 
my  quarters  when  a  *  friend '  of  his  waited  on  me  with  a  mes- 
sage, a  very  categorical  message  it  was,  too,  '  it  must  be  a 
meeting  or  an  ample  apology.'  I  made  the  apology,  a  most 
full  one,  for  the  Major  was  right,  and  I  had  not  a  fraction  of 
reason  to  sustain  me  in  my  conduct,  and  we  have  been  the 
best  of  friends  ever  since." 

I  myself  had  heard  the  incident  before  this  from  Monsoon, 
but  told  amongst  other  adventures  whose  exact  veracity  I  was 
rather  disposed  to  question,  and  did  not  therefore  accord  it 
all  the  faith  that  was  its  due;  and  I  admit  that  the  accidental 
corroboration  of  this  one  event  very  often  served  to  puzzle  me 
afterwards,  when  I  listened  to  stories  in  which  the  Major 
seemed  a  second  Munchausen,  but  might,  like  in  this  of  the 


PREFACE.  H 

duel,  have  been  amongst  the  truest  and  most  matter-of-fact  of 
historians.  May  the  reader  be  not  less  embarrassed  than  my- 
self, is  my  sincere,  if  not  very  courteous,  prayer. 

I  have  no  doubt  myself,  that  often  in  recounting  some  strange 
incident,  a  personal  experience  it  always  was,  he  was  himself 
more  amused  by  the  credulity  of  the  hearers,  and  the  amount 
of  interest  he  could  excite  in  them,  than  were  they  by  the  story. 
He  possessed  the  true  narrative  gusto,  and  there  was  a  mar- 
vellous instinct  in  the  way  in  which  he  would  vary  a  tale  to 
suit  the  tastes  of  an  audience ;  while  his  moralizings  were  al- 
most certain  to  take  the  tone  of  a  humoristic  quiz  on  the  com- 
pany. 

Though  fully  aware  that  I  was  availing  myself  of  the  con- 
tract that  delivered  him  into  my  hands,  and  dining  with  me 
two  or  three  days  a  week,  he  never  lapsed  into  any  allusion 
to  his  appearance  in  print,  and  the  story  had  been  already  some 
weeks  published  before  he  asked  me  to  lend  him  "  that  last 
thing — he  forgot  the  name  of  it — I  was  writing." 

Of  Frank  Webber  I  have  said,  in  a  former  notice,  that  he 
was  one  of  my  earliest  friends,  my  chum  in  college,  and  in  the 
very  chambers  where  I  have  located  Charles  O'Malley,  in  Old 
Trinity.  He  was  a  man  of  the  highest  order  of  abilities,  and 
with  a  memory  that  never  forgot,  but  ruined  and  run  to  seed 
by  the  idleness  that  came  of  a  discursive,  uncertain  tempera- 
ment. Capable  of  anything,  he  spent  his  youth  in  follies  and 
eccentricities ;  every  one  of  which,  however,  gave  indications 
of  a  mind  inexhaustible  in  resources,  and  abounding  in  devices 
and  contrivances  that  none  other  but  himself  would  have 
thought  of.  Poor  fellow,  he  died  young;  and  perhaps  it  is 
better  it  should  have  been  so.  Had  he  lived  to  a  later  day, 
he  would  most  probably  have  been  found  a  foremost  leader  of 
Fenianism,  and  from  what  I  knew  of  him,  I  can  say  he  would 
have  been  a  more  dangerous  enemy  to  English  rule  than  any 
of  those  dealers  in  the  petty  larceny  of  rebellion  we  have  lately 
seen  amongst  us. 


12  PREFACE. 

I  have  said  that  of  Mickey  Free  I  had  not  one,  but  one 
thousand — types.  Indeed  I  am  not  quite  sure  that  in  my  last 
visit  to  Dublin,  I  did  not  chance  on  a  living  specimen  of  the 
"  Free  "  family,  much  readier  in  repartee,  quicker  with  an  apro- 
pos, and  droller  in  illustration  than  my  own  Mickey.  This 
fellow  was  "  boots  "  at  a  great  hotel  in  Sackville  Street ;  and  I 
owe  him  more  amusement  and  some  heartier  laughs  than  it  has 
been  always  my  fortune  to  enjoy  in  a  party  of  wits.  His  criti- 
cisms on  my  sketches  of  Irish  character  were  about  the  shrewdest 
and  the  best  I  ever  listened  to  ;  and  that  I  am  not  bribed  to 
this  by  any  flattev/,  I  may  remark  that  they  were  more  often 
severe  than  complimentary,  and  that  he  hit  every  blunder  of 
image,  every  mistake  in  figure,  of  my  peasant  characters,  with 
an  acuteness  and  correctness,  which  made  me  very  grateful  to 
know  that  his  daily  occupations  were  limited  to  blacking  boots, 
and  not  polishing  off  authors. 

I  believe  I  have  now  done  with  my  confessions,  except  I 
should  like  to  own  that  this  story  was  the  means  of  according 
me  a  more  heartfelt  glow  of  satisfaction,  a  more  gratifying  sense 
of  pride,  than  anything  I  ever  have  or  ever  shall  write,  and  in 
this  wise.  My  brother,  at  that  tiriie  the  rector  of  an  Irish  parish, 
once  forwarded  to  me  a  letter  from  a  lady  unknown  to  him, 
but  who  had  heard  he  wa^  the  brother  of  "  Harry  Lorrequer," 
and  who  addressed  him,  not  knowing  where  a  letter  might  be 
directed  to  myself.  The  letter  was  the  grateful  expression  of 
a  mother,  who  said :  "  I  am  the  widow  of  a  field  officer,  and 
with  an  only  son,  for  whom  I  obtained  a  presentation  to  Wool- 
wich ;  but  seeing  in  my  boy's  nature  certain  traits  of  nervous- 
ness and  timidity,  which  induced  me  to  hesitate  on  embarking 
him  in  the  career  of  a  soldier,  I  became  very  unhappy  and 
uncertain  which  course  to  decide  on. 

"  While  in  this  state  of  uncertainty,  I  chanced  to  make  him 
a  birthday  present  of  '  Charles  O'Malley,'  the  readirig  of  which 
seemed  to  act  like  a  charm  on  his  whole  character,  inspiring  him 
with  a  passion  for  movement  and  adventure,  and  spiriting  hirn 


Preface.  13 

to  an  eager  desire  for  military  life.  Seeing  that  this  was  no 
passing  enthusiasm,  but  a  decided  and  determined  bent,  I  ac- 
cepted the  cadetship  for  him,  and  his  career  has  been  not  alone 
distinguished  as  a  student,  but  one  which  has  marked  him  out 
for  an  almost  hare-brained  courage,  and  for  a  dash  and  heroism 
that  give  high  promise  for  his  future. 

"  Thank  your  brother  for  me,"  wrote  she,  "  a  mother's 
thanks  for  the  welfare  of  an  only  son,  and  say  how  I  wish  that 
my  best  wishes  for  him  and  his  could  recompense  him  for  what 
I  owe  him." 

I  humbly  hope  that  it  may  not  be  imputed  to  me  as  unpardon- 
able vanity — the  recording  of  this  incident.  It  gave  me  an 
intense  pleasure  when  I  heard  it ;  and  now,  as  I  look  back  on 
it,  it  invests  this  story  for  myself  with  an  interest  which  noth- 
ing else  that  I  have  written  can  afford  me. 

I  have  now  but  to  repeat  what  I  have  declared  in  former 
editions,  my  sincere  gratitude  for  the  favor  the  public  still  con- 
tinues to  bestow  on  me — a  favor  which  probably  associates  the 
memory  of  this  book  with  whatever  I  have  since  done  success- 
fully, and  compels  me  to  remember  that  to  the  popularity  of 
"  Charles  O'Malley  "  I  am  indebted  for  a  great  share  of  that 
kindliness  in  criticism,  and  that  geniality  in  judgment,  which 
— for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century — my  countrymen  have 
graciously  bestowed  on  their  faithful  friend  and  servant, 

CHARLES  LEVER. 

Trieste,  1872. 


CHARLES   O'MALLEY, 

THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Daly's  club  house. 

The  rain  was  dashing  in  torrents  against  the  window-panes, 
and  the  wind  sweeping  in  heavy  and  fitful  gusts  along  the 
dreary  and  deserted  streets,  as  a  party  of  three  persons  sat  over 
their  wine,  in  that  stately  old  pile  which  once  formed  the  resort 
of  the  Irish  Members,  in  College  Green,  Dublin,  and  went  by 
the  name  of  Daly's  Club  House.  The  clatter  of  falling  tiles 
and  chimney-pots — the  jarring  of  the  window-frames  and  howl- 
ing of  the  storm  without,  seemed  little  to  affect  the  spirits  of 
those  within,  as  they  drew  closer  to  a  blazing  fire,  before  which 
stood  a  small  table  covered  with  the  remains  of  a  dessert,  and 
an  abundant  supply  of  bottles,  whose  characteristic  length  of 
neck  indicated  the  rarest  wines  of  France  and  Germany;  while 
the  portly  magnum  of  claret — the  wine  par  excelkfice  of  every 
Irish  gentleman  of  the  day — passed  rapidly  from  hand  to  hand, 
the  conversation  did  not  languish,  and  many  a  deep  and  hearty 
laugh  followed  the  stories  which  every  now  and  then  were  told, 
as  some  reminiscence  of  early  days  was  recalled,  or  some  trait 
of  a  former  companion  remembered. 

One  of  the  party,  however,  was  apparently  engrossed  by  other 
thoughts  than  those  of  the  mirth  and  merriment  around  ;  for,  in 
>S 


l6  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

the  midst  of  all,  he  would  turn  suddenly  from  the  others,  and 
devote  himself  to  a  number  of  scattered  sheets  of  paper,  upon 
which  he  had  written  some  lines,  but  whose  crossed  and  blotted 
sentences  attested  how  little  success  had  waited  upon  his  lit- 
erary labors.  This  individual  was  a  short,  plethoric-looking, 
white-haired  man,  of  about  fifty,  with  a  deep,  round  voice,  and 
a  chuckling,  smothering  laugh,  which,  whenever  he  indulged, 
not  only  shook  his  own  ample  person,  but  generally  created  a 
petty  earthquake  on  every  side  of  him.  For  the  present,  I 
shall  not  stop  to  particularize  him  more  closely  ;  but  when  I 
add  that  the  person  in  question  was  a  well-known  member  of 
the  Irish  House  of  Commons,  whose  acute  understanding  and 
practical  good  sense  were  veiled  under  an  affected  and  well- 
dissembled  habit  of  blundering,  that  did  far  more  for  his  party 
than  the  most  violent  and  pointed  attacks  of  his  more  accurate 
associates,  some  of  my  readers  may  anticipate  me  in  pronounc- 
ing him  to  be  Sir  Harry  Boyle.  Upon  his  left  sat  a  figure  the 
most  unlike  him  possible ;  he  was  a  tall,  thin,  bony  man,  with 
a  bolt-upright  air,  and  a  most  saturnine  expression ;  his  eyes 
were  covered  by  a  deep  green  shade,  which  fell  far  over  his 
face,  but  failed  to  conceal  a  blue  scar  that,  crossing  his  cheek, 
ended  in  the  angle  of  his  mouth,  and  imparted  to  that  feature, 
when  he  spoke,  an  apparently  abortive  attempt  to  extend  to- 
wards his  eyebrow  ;  his  upper  lip  was  covered  with  a  grizzly 
and  ill-trimmed  moustache,  which  added  much  to  the  ferocity 
of  his  look,  while  a  thin  and  pointed  beard  on  his  chin  gave 
an  apparent  length  to  the  whole  face  that  completed  its  rueful 
character.  His  dress  was  a  single-breasted,  tightly-buttoned 
frock,  in  one  button-hole  of  which  a  yellow  ribbon  was  fastened 
the  decoration  of  a  foreign  service,  which  conferred  upon  its 
wearer  the  title  of  Count ;  and  though  Billy  Considine,  as  he 
was  familiarly  called  by  his  friends,  was  a  thorough  Irishman 
in  all  his  feelings  and  affections,  yet  he  had  no  objection  to 
the  designation  he  had  gained  in  the  Austrian  army.  The 
Count  was  certainly  no  beauty,  but,  somehow,  very  few  men 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  i^ 

of  his  day  had  a  fancy  for  telling  him  so  ;  a  deadlier  hand  and 
a  steadier  eye  never  covered  his  man  in  the  Phoenix ;  and 
though  he  never  had  a  seat  in  the  House,  he  v^^as  always  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  government  party,  who  more  than  once 
had  damped  the  ardor  of  an  opposition  member,  by  the  very 
significant  threat  of  "  setting  Billy  at  him."  The  third  figure 
of  the  group  was  a  large,  powerfully-built,  and  handsome  man, 
older  than  either  of  the  others,  but  not  betraying  in  his  voice 
or  carriage  any  touch  of  time.  He  was  attired  in  the  green 
coat  and  buff  vest  which  formed  the  livery  of  the  club ;  and  in 
his  tall,  ample  forehead,  clear,  well-set  eye,  and  still  handsome 
mouth,  bore  evidence  that  no  great  flattery  was  necessary  at 
the  time  which  called  Godfrey  O'Malley  the  handsomest  man 
in  Ireland. 

"  Upon  my  conscience,"  said  Sir  Harry,  throwing  down  his 
pen  with  an  air  of  ill-temper,  "  I  can  make  nothing  of  it ;  I 
have  got  into  such  an  infernal  habit  of  making  bulls,  that  I 
can't  write  sense  when  I  want  it." 

"  Come,  come,"  said  O'Malley,  "  try  again,  my  dear  fellow. 
If  you  can't  succeed,  I'm  sure  Billy  and  I  have  no  chance." 

"  What  have  you  written  ?  Let  us  see,"  said  Considine, 
drawing  the  paper  towards  him,  and  holding  it  to  the  light. 
"  Why,  what  the  devil  is  all  this  ?  you  have  made  him  '  drop 
down  dead  after  dinner  of  a  lingering  illness  brought  on  by  the 
debate  of  yesterday.' " 

"  Oh,  impossible." 

"  Well,  read  it  yourself ;  there  it  is  ;  and,  as  if  to  make  the 
thing  less  credible,  you  talk  of  his  '  Bill  for  the  Better  Recovery 
of  Small  Debts.'  I'm  sure,  O'Malley,  your  last  moments  were 
not  employed  in  that  manner." 

"  Come,  now,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  I'll  set  all  to  rights  with  a 
postscript.  '  Any  one  who  questions  the  above  statement  is 
politely  requested  to  call  on  Mr.  Considine,  i6  Kildare  Street, 
who  will  feel  happy  to  afford  him  every  satisfaction  upon  Mr. 
O'Malley's  decease,  or  upon  miscellaneous  matters."* 
a 


1 8  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  Worse  and  worse,"  said  O'Malley.  "  Killing  another  man 
will  never  persuade  the  world  that  I'm  dead." 

"  But  we'll  wake  you,  and  have  a  glorious  funeral." 

"  And  if  any  man  doubt  the  statement,  I'll  call  him  out," 
said  the  Count. 

"  Or,  better  still,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  O'Malley  has  his  action 
at  law  for  defamation." 

"  I  see  I'll  never  get  down  to  Galway  at  this  rate,"  said 
O'Malley,  "  and  as  the  new  election  takes  place  on  Tuesday 
week,  time  presses.  There  are  more  writs  flying  after  me  this 
instant,  than  for  all  the  government  boroughs." 

"  And  there  will  be  fewer  returns  I  fear,"  said  Sir  Harry. 

"  Who  is  the  chief  creditor  ? "  asked  the  Count. 

"  Old  Stapleton,  the  attorney  in  Fleet  Street,  has  most  of 
the  mortgages." 

"  Nothing  to  be  done  with  him  in  this  way  ?  "  said  Considine, 
balancing  the  cork-screw  like  a  hair  trigger. 

"  No  chance  of  it." 

"  May  be,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  he  might  come  to  terms  if  I 
were  to  call  and  say — You  are  anxious  to  close  accounts,  as 
your  death  has  just  taken  place.     You  know  what  I  mean." 

"  I  fear  so  should  he,  were  you  to  say  so.  No,  no,  Boyle, 
just  try  a  plain,  straightforward  paragraph  about  my  death. 
We'll  have  it  in  Falkner's  paper  to-morrow ;  on  Friday  the 
funeral  can  take  place,  and,  with  the  blessing  o'  God,  I'll 
come  to  life  on  Saturday  at  Athlone,  in  time  to  canvass  the 
market." 

*'  I  think  it  wouldn't  be  bad  if  your  ghost  were  to  appear  to 
old  Timins  the  tanner,  in  Naas,  on  your  way  down  ;  you  know 
he  arrested  you  once  before." 

"  I  prefer  a  night's  sleep,"  said  O'Malley  ;  "  but  come,  finish 
the  squib  for  the  paper." 

"  Stay  a  little,"  said  Sir  Harry,  musing;  "  it  just  strikes  me 
that,  if  ever  the  matter  gets  out,  I  may  be  in  some  confounded 
scrape.     Who  knows  if  it  is  not  a  breach  of  privilege  to  report 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  '  10 

the  death  of  a  member  ?  And  to  tell  you  truth,  I  dread  the 
Serjeant  and  the  Speaker's  warrant  with  a  very  lively  fear," 

"  Why,  when  did  you  make  his  acquaintance  ? "  said  the 
Count. 

"  Is  it  possible  you  never  heard  of  Boyle's  committal  ?  "  said 
O'Malley  ;  "  you  surely  must  have  been  abroad  at  the  time  ; 
but  it's  not  too  late  to  tell  it  yet. 

"  Well,  it's  about  two  years  since  old  Townsend  brought  in 
his  Enlistment  Bill,  and  the  whole  country  was  scoured  for  all 
our  voters,  who  were  scattered  here  and  there,  never  anticipat- 
ing another  call  of  the  House,  and  supposing  that  the  session 
was  just  over.  Among  others,  up  came  our  friend  Harry,  here, 
and,  the  night  he  arrived,  they  made  him  a  '  Monk  of  the 
Screw,'  and  very  soon  made  him  forget  his  senatorial  dignities. 

"  On  the  evening  after  his  reaching  town,  the  bill  was  brought 
in,  and  at  two  in  the  morning  the  division  took  place — a  vote 
was  of  too  much  consequence  not  to  look  after  it  closely — and 
a  Castle  messenger  was  in  waiting  in  Exchequer  Street,  who, 
when  the  debate  was  closing,  put  Harry,  with  three  others,  into 
a  coach,  and  brought  them  down  to  the  House.  Unfortunately, 
however,  they  mistook  their  friends,  voted  against  the  bill,  and 
amidst  the  loudest  cheering  of  the  opposition,  the  government 
party  were  defeated.  The  rage  of  the  ministers  knew  no 
bounds,  and  looks  of  defiance  and  even  threats  were  exchanged 
between  the  ministers  and  the  deserters.  Amid  all  this  poor 
Harry  fell  fast  asleep,  and  dreamed  that  he  was  once  more  in 
Exchequer  Street,  presiding  among  the  monks,  and  mixing 
another  tumbler.  At  length  he  awoke  and  looked  about  him 
— the  clerk  was  just  at  the  instant  reading  out,  in  his  usual 
routine  manner,  a  clause  of  the  new  bill,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  House  was  in  dead  silence.  Harry  looked  again  around 
on  every  side,  wondering  where  was  the  hot  water,  and  wiiat 
had  become  of  the  whisky  bottle,  and  above  all,  why  the  com- 
pany were  so  extremely  dull  and  ungcnial.  At  length  with  a 
half-shake  he  roused  up  a  little,  and  giving  a  look  of  unequiv- 


20  CHAkLES  &M ALLEY, 

ocal  contempt  on  every  side,  called  out,  *  Upon  my  soul,  you're 
pleasant  companions — but  I'll  give  you  a  chant  to  enliven  you/ 
So  saying,  he  cleared  his  throat  with  a  couple  of  short  coughs, 
and  struck  up,  with  the  voice  of  a  Stentor,  the  following  verse 
of  a  popular  ballad  : 

"  '  And  they  nibbled  away,  both  night  and  day. 
Like  mice  in  a  round  of  Glo'ster ; 
Great  rogues  they  were  all,  both  great  and  small ; 
From  Flood  to  Leslie  Foster. 

"  '  Great  rogues  all.' 

"  '  Chorus,  boys  ! ' 
If  he  was  not  joined  by  the  voices  of  his  friends  in  the  song,  it 
was  probably  because  such  a  roar  of  laughing  never  was  heard 
since  the  walls  were  roofed  over.  The  whole  House  rose  in  a 
mass,  and  my  friend  Harry  was  hurried  over  the  benches  by 
the  Serjeant-at-Arms,  and  left  for  three  weeks  in  Newgate,  to 
practise  his  melody." 

"  All  true,"  said  Sir  Harry,  "  and  worse  luck  to  them  for  not 
liking  music  ;  but  come  now,  will  this  do  ? — '  It  is  our  melan- 
choly duty  to  announce  the  death  of  Godfrey  O'Malley,  Esq., 
late  member  for  the  county  of  Galway,  which  took  place  on 
Friday  evening  at  Daly's  Club  House.  This  esteemed  gentle- 
man's family — one  of  the  oldest  in  Ireland,  and  among  whom 
it  was  hereditary  not  to  have  any  children '  " 

Here  a  burst  of  laughter  from  Considine  and  O'Malley  in- 
terrupted the  reader,  who  with  the  greatest  difficulty  could  be 
persuaded  that  he  was  again  bulling  it. 

"  The  devil  fly  away  with  it,"  said  he,  "  I'll  never  succeed." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  O'Malley  ;  "  the  first  part  will  do  ad- 
mirably ;  and  let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  other  matters." 

A  fresh  magnum  was  called  for,  and  over  its  inspiring  con- 
tents all  the  details  of  the  funeral  were  planned  ;  and,  as  the 
clock  struck  four,  the  party  separated  for  the  night,  well  satis- 
fied with  the  result  of  their  labors. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  21 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    ESCAPE. 

When  the  dissolution  of  Parliament  was  announced  the  fol- 
lowing morning  in  Dublin,  its  interest  in  certain  circles  was 
manifestly  increased  by  the  fact  that  Godfrey  O'Malley  was  at 
last  open  to  arrest ;  for  as,  in  olden  times,  certain  gifted  individ- 
uals possessed  some  happy  immunity  against  death  by  fire 
or  sword,  so  the  worthy  O'Malley  seemed  to  enjoy  a  no  less 
valuable  privilege,  and  for  many  a  year  had  passed,  among  the 
myrmidons  of  the  law,  as  writ-proof.  Now,  however,  the  charm 
seemed  to  have  yielded,  and  pretty  much  with  the  same  feel- 
ing as  a  storming  party  may  be  supposed  to  experience  on  the 
day  that  a  breach  is  reported  as  practicable,  did  the  honest 
attorneys,  retained  in  the  various  suits  against  him,  rally  round 
each  other  that  morning  in  the  Four  Courts. 

Bonds,  mortgages,  post-obits,  promissory  notes — in  fact, 
every  imaginable  species  of  invention  for  raising  the  O'Malley 
exchequer  for  the  preceding  thirty  years — were  handed  about 
on  all  sides,  suggesting  to  the  mind  of  an  uninterested  observer 
the  notion  that,  had  the  aforesaid  O'Malley  been  an  independ- 
ent and  absolute  monarch,  instead  of  merely  being  the  mem- 
ber for  Galvvay,  the  kingdom  over  whose  destinies  he  had  been 
called  to  preside  would  have  suffered  not  a  little  from  a  de- 
preciated currency  and  an  extravagant  issue  of  paper.  Be  that 
as  it  might,  one  thing  was  clear  ;  the  whole  estates  of  the 
family  could  not  possibly  pay  one-fourth  of  the  debt,  and  the 
only  question  was  one  which  occasionally  arises  at  a  scanty 
dinner  on  a  mail-coach  road — who  was  to  be  the  lucky  individ- 
ual to  carve  the  joint,  where  so  many  were  sure  to  go  off 
hungry. 


32  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

It  was  now  a  trial  of  address  between  these  various  and 
highly-gifted  gentlemen  who  should  first  pounce  upon  the 
victim,  and  when  the  skill  of  their  caste  is  taken  into  consider- 
ation, who  will  doubt  that  every  feasible  expedient  for  securing 
him  was  resorted  to?  While  writs  were  struck  against  him  in 
Dublin,  emissaries  were  despatched  to  the  various  surround- 
ing countries  to  procure  others  in  the  event  of  his  escape.  Ne 
exeats  were  sworn,  and  water-bailiffs  engaged  to  follow  him  on 
the  high  seas ;  and,  as  the  great  Nassau  balloon  did  not  exist 
in  those  days,  no  imaginable  mode  of  escape  appeared  possible, 
and  bets  were  offered  at  long  odds  that,  within  twenty-four 
hours,  the  late  member  would  be  enjoying  his  otiiim  cum  dig- 
jiitate  in  his  Majesty's  jail  of  Newgate. 

Expectation  was  at  the  highest — confidence  hourly  increas- 
ing— success  all  but  certain — when,  in  the  midst  of  all  this 
high-bounding  hope,  the  dreadful  rumor  spread  that  O'Malley 
was  no  more.  One  had  seen  it  just  five  minutes  before  in  the 
evening  edition  of  Falkner's  paper — another  heard  it  in  the 
courts — a  third  overheard  the  Chief  Justice  stating  it  to  the 
Master  of  the  Rolls — and,  lastly,  a  breathless  witness  arrived 
from  College  Green  with  the  news  that  Daly's  Club  House 
was  shut  up,  and  the  shutters  closed.  To  describe  the  conster- 
nation the  intelligence  caused  on  every  side  is  impossible ; 
nothing  in  history  equals  it,  except,  perhaps,  the  entrance  of 
the  French  army  into  Moscow,  deserted  and  forsaken  by  its 
former  inhabitants.  While  terror  and  dismay,  therefore,  spread 
amid  that  wide  and  respectable  body  who  formed  O'Malley's 
creditors,  the  preparations  for  his  funeral  were  going  on  with 
every  rapidity  ;  relays  of  horses  were  ordered  at  every  stage 
of  the  journey,  and  it  was  announced  that,  in  testimony 
of  his  worth,  a  large  party  of  his  friends  were  to  accom- 
pany his  remains  to  Portumna  Abbey — a  test  much  more 
indicative  of  resistance  in  the  event  of  any  attempt,  to  arrest 
the  body,  than  of  anything  like  reverence  for  their  departed 
friend- 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  23 

Such  was  the  state  of  matters  in  Dublin,  when  a  letter 
reached  me  one  morning  at  O'Malley  Castle,  whose  contents 
will  at  once  explain  the  writer's  intention,  and  also  serve  to 
introduce  my  unworthy  self  to  my  reader.     It  ran  thus : 

"  Dear  Charley, 

"Your  uncle  Godfrey,  whose  debts  [God  pardon  him]  are  more 
numerous  than  the  hairs  of  his  wig,  was  ol)liged  to  die  here  last  night. 
We  did  the  thing  for  him  completely  ;  and  all  doubts  as  to  the  reality  of 
the  event  are  silenced  by  the  circumstantial  detail  of  the  newspaper  '  that 
he  was  confined  six  weeks  to  his  bed  from  a  cold  he  caught,  ten  days  ago, 
while  on  guard.'  Repeat  this,  for  its  better  we  had  all  the  same  story  till 
he  comes  to  life  again,  which,  maybe,  will  not  take  place  before  Tuesday 
or  Wednesday.  At  the  same  time,  canvass  the  county  for  him,  and  say 
he'll  be  with  his  friends  next  week,  and  up  in  Woodford  and  the  ScarLff 
barony  :  say  he  died  a  true  Catholic  ;  it  will  serve  him  on  the  hustings. 
Meet  us  in  Athlone  on  Saturday,  and  bring  your  uncle's  mare  with  you — 
he  says  he'd  rather  ride  home  ;  and  tell  Father  MacShane  to  have  a  bit 
of  dinner  ready  about  four  o'clock,  for  the  corpse  can  get  nothing  after  he 
leaves  Mountmellick. — No  more  now,  from  yours,  ever, 

"  Harry  Boyle. 
"  Daly's,  about  eight  in  the  evening. 
"  To  Charles  O'Malley,  Esq., 

"  O'Malley  Castle,  Galway." 

When  this  not  over-clear  document  reached  me,  I  was  the 
sole  inhabitant  of  O'Malley  Castle,  a  very  ruinous  pile  of  incon- 
gruous masonry,  that  stood  in  a  wild  and  dreary  part  of  the 
county  of  Galway,  bordering  on  the  Shannon.  On  every  side 
stretched  the  property  of  my  uncle,  or  at  least  what  had  once 
been  so  ;  and,  indeed,  so  numerous  were  its  present  claimants, 
that  he  would  have  been  a  subtle  lawyer  who  could  have  pro- 
nounced upon  the  rightful  owner.  The  demesne  around  the 
castle  contained  some  well-grown  and  handsome  timber,  and 
as  the  soil  was  undulating  and  fertile,  presented  many  features 
of  beauty  ;  beyond  it,  all  was  sterile,  bleak,  and  barren.  Long 
tracts  of  brown  heath-clad  mountain,  or  not  less  unprofitable 
valleys  of  tall  and  waving  fern,  were  all  that  the  eye  could  dis- 
cern, except  where  the  broad  Shannon,  expanding  into  a  Iran- 


24  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

quil  and  glassy  lake,  lay  still  and  motionless  beneath  the  daii 
mountains,  a  few  islands,  with  some  ruined  churches  and  a 
round  tower,  alone  breaking  the  dreary  waste  of  water. 

Here  it  was  that  I  passed  my  infancy  and  my  youth,  and 
here  I  now  stood,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  quite  unconscious 
that  the  world  contained  aught  fairer  and  brighter  than  that 
gloomy  valley,  with  its  rugged  frame  of  mountains. 

When  a  mere  child,  I  was  left  an  orphan  to  the  care  of  my 
worthy  uncle.  My  father,  whose  extravagance  had  well  sus- 
tained the  family  reputation,  had  squandered  a  large  and  hand- 
some property  in  contesting  elections  for  his  native  county, 
and  in  keeping  up  that  system  of  unlimited  hospitality  for  which 
Ireland  in  general,  and  Galway  more  especially,  was  renowned. 
The  result  was,  as  might  be  expected,  ruin  and  beggary.  He 
died,  leaving  every  one  of  his  estates  encumbered  with  heavy 
debts,  and  the  only  legacy  he  left  to  his  brother  was  a  boy  of 
four  years  of  age,  entreating  him,  with  his  last  breath,  "  Be 
anything  you  like  to  him,  Godfrey,  but  a  father,  or  at  least  such 
a  one  as  I  have  proved." 

Godfrey  O'Malley,  some  short  time  previous,  had  lost  his 
wife,  and  when  this  new  trust  was  committed  to  him,  he  resolved 
never  to  remarry,  but  to  rear  me  up  as  his  own  child,  and  the 
inheritor  of  his  estates.  How  weighty  and  onerous  an  obliga- 
tion this  latter  might  prove,  the  reader  can  form  some  idea. 
The  intention  was,  however,  a  kind  one  ;  and,  to  do  my  uncle 
justice,  he  loved  me  with  all  the  affection  of  a  warm  and  open 
heart. 

From  my  earliest  years  his  whole  anxiety  was  to  fit  me  for 
the  part  of  a  country  gentleman,  as  he  regarded  that  character 
— viz.,  I  rode  boldly  with  fox-hounds  ;  I  was  about  the  best 
shot  within  twenty  miles  of  us  ;  I  could  swim  the  Shannon  at 
Holy  Island  ;  I  drove  four-in-hand  better  than  the  coachman 
himself ;  and  from  finding  a  hare  to  hooking  a  salmon,  my  equal 
could  not  be  found  from  Killaloe  to  Banagher,  These  were  the 
staple  of  my  endowments.     Besides  which,  the  parish  priest  had 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  i% 

taught  me  a  little  Latin,  a  little  French,  and  a  little  geometry, 
and  a  great  deal  of  the  life  and  opinions  of  St.  Jago,  who  pre- 
sided over  a  holy  well  in  the  neighborhood,  and  was  held  in 
very  considerable  repute. 

When  I  add  to  this  portraiture  of  my  accomplishments  that 
I  was  nearly  six  feet  high,  with  more  than  a  common  share  of 
activity  and  strength  for  my  years,  and  no  inconsiderable  portion 
of  good  looks,  I  have  finished  my  sketch,  and  stand  before  my 
reader. 

It  is  now  time  I  should  return  to  Sir  Harry's  letter,  which  so 
completely  bewildered  me,  that,  but  for  the  assistance  of  Father 
Roach,  I  should  have  been  totally  unable  to  make  out  the 
writer's  intentions.  By  his  advice,  I  immediately  set  out  for 
Athlone,  where,  when  I  arrived,  I  found  my  uncle  addressing 
the  mob  from  the  top  of  the  hearse,  and  recounting  his  miracu- 
lous escape  as  a  new  claim  upon  their  gratitude. 

"There  was  nothing  else  for  it,  boys;  the  Dublin  people 
insisted  on  my  being  their  member,  and  besieged  the  club-house. 
I  refused — they  threatened — I  grew  obstinate — they  furious. 
*  I'll  die  first,' said  I.  'Galway  or  nothing  !' "  "^  Hurrah  !"  from 
the  mob.  "  O'Malley  for  ever  !  "  "  And  ye  see,  I  kept  my  word, 
boys — I  did  die  ;  I  died  that  evening  at  a  quarter-past  eight. 
There,  read  it  for  yourselves  ;  there's  the  paper  ;  was  waked  and 
carried  out,  and  here  I  am  after  all,  ready  to  die  in  earnest  for 
you — but  never  to  desert  you." 

The  cheers  here  were  deafening,  and  my  uncle  was  carried 
through  the  market  down  to  the  mayor's  house,  who,  being  a 
friend  of  the  opposite  party,  was  complimented  with  three 
groans ;  then  up  the  Mall  to  the  chapel,  beside  which  Father 
Mac  Shane  resided.  He  was  then  suffered  to  touch  the  earth 
once  more,  when,  having  shaken  hands  with  all  of  his  constit- 
uency within  reach,  he  entered  the  house,  to  partake  of  the 
kindest  welcome  and  best  reception  the  good  priest  could 
afford  him. 

My  uncle's  progress  homeward  was  a  triumph  ;  the  real  secr*»t 


26  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  his  escape  had  somehow  come  out,  and  his  popularity  rose 
to  a  white  heat.  "  An'  it's  Httle  O'Malley  cares  for  the  law — 
bad  luck  to  it ;  it's  himself  can  laugh  at  judge  and  jury.  Arrest 
him — nabocklish — catch  a  weasel  asleep,"  etc.  Such  were  the 
encomiums  that  greeted  him  as  he  passed  on  towards  home ; 
while  shouts  of  joy  and  blazing  bonfires  attested  that  his  suc- 
cess was  regarded  as  a  national  triumph. 

The  west  had  certainly  its  strong  features  of  identity.  Had 
my  uncle  possessed  the  claims  of  the  immortal  Howard — had  he 
united  in  his  person  all  the  attributes  which  confer  a  lasting 
and  an  ennobling  fame  upon  humanity — he  might  have  passed 
on  unnoticed  and  unobserved  ;  but  for  the  man  that  had  duped 
a  judge  and  escaped  the  sheriff,  nothing  was  sufficiently  flatter- 
ing to  mark  their  approbation.  The  success  of  the  exploit  was 
twofold;  the  news  spread  far  and  near,  and  the  very  story 
canvassed  the  county  better  than  Billy  Davern  himself,  the 
Athlone  attorney. 

This  was  the  prospect  now  before  us ;  and,  however  little 
my  readers  may  sympathize  with  my  taste,  I  must  honestly 
avow  that  I  looked  forward  to  it  with  a  most  delighted  feeling. 
O'Malley  Castle  was  to  be  the  centre  of  operations,  and  filled 
with  my  uncle's  supporters  ;  while  I,  a  mere  stripling,  and 
usually  treated  as  a  boy,  was  to  be  entrusted  with  an  important 
mission,  and  sent  off  to  canvass  a  distant  relation,  with  whom 
my  uncle  was  not  upon  terms,  and  who  might  possibly  be  ap- 
proachable by  a  younger  branch  of  the  family,  with  whom  he 
had  never  any  collision. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  ij 


CHAPTER  III. 

MR.    BLAKE. 

Nothing  but  the  exigency  of  the  case  could  ever  have  per- 
suaded my  uncle  to  stoop  to  the  humiliation  of  canvassing  the 
individual  to  whom  I  was  now  about  to  proceed  as  envoy  ex- 
traodinary,  with  full  powers  to  make  any,  or  every  amende, 
provided  only  his  interest,  and  that  of  his  followers,  should  be 
thereby  secured  to  the  O'Malley  cause.  The  evening  before  I 
set  out  was  devoted  to  giving  me  all  the  necessary  instructions 
how  I  was  to  proceed,  and  what  difficulties  I  was  to  avoid. 

"  Say  your  uncle's  in  high  feather  with  the  government  party," 
said  Sir  Harry,  "  and  that  he  only  votes  against  them  as  a 
ruse  de guerre,  as  the  French  call  it." 

"  Insist  upon  it  that  I  am  sure  of  the  election  without  him  ; 
but  that  for  family  reasons  he  should  not  stand  aloof  from  me; 
that  people  are  talking  of  it  in  the  country." 

"  And  drop  a  hint,"  said  Considine,  "  that  O'Malley  is  greatly 
improved  in  his  shooting." 

"  And  don't  get  drunk  too  early  in  the  evening,  for  Phil 
Blake  has  beautiful  claret,"  said  another. 

"  And  be  sure  you  don't  make  love  to  the  red-headed  girls," 
added  a  third ;  "  he  has  four  of  them,  each  more  sinfully  ugly 
than  the  other." 

"  You'll  be  playing  whist,  too,"  said  Boyle ;  "  and  never 
mind  losing  a  few  pounds.  Mrs.  B.,  long  life  to  her,  has  a 
playful  way  of  turning  tlie  king." 

"  Charley  will  do  it  all  well,"  said  my  uncle  ;  "  leave  him 
alone.     And  now  let  us  have  in  the  supper." 

It  was  only  on  the  following  morning,  as  the  tandem  came 


28  CHARLES  G-M ALLEY, 

round  to  the  door,  that  I  began  to  feel  the  importance  of  niy 
mission,  and  certain  misgivings  came  over  me  as  to  my  ability 
to  fulfil  it.  Mr.  Blake  and  his  family,  though  estranged  from 
my  uncle  for  several  years  past,  had  been  always  most  kind 
and  good-natured  to  me  ;  and  although  I  could  not,  with  pro- 
priety, have  cultivated  any  close  intimacy  with  them,  I  had 
every  reason  to  suppose  that  they  entertained  towards  me 
nothing  but  sentiments  of  good-will.  The  head  of  the  family 
was  a  Galway  squire  of  the  oldest  and  most  genuine  stock  ;  a 
great  sportsman,  a  negligent  farmer,  and  most  careless  father  ; 
he  looked  upon  a  fox  as  an  infinitely  more  precious  part  of  the 
creation  than  a  French  governess  ;  and  thought  that  riding 
well  with  hounds  was  a  far  better  gift  than  all  the  learning  of  a 
Porson.  His  daughters  were  after  his  own  heart — the  best 
tempered,  least  educated,  most  high-spirited,  gay,  dashing,  ugly 
girls  in  the  county — ready  to  ride  over  a  four-foot  paling  without 
a  saddle,  and  to  dance  the  "  Wind  that  shakes  the  Barley,"  for 
four  consecutive  hours,  against  all  the  officers  that  their  hard 
fate,  and  the  Horse  Guards,  ever  condemned  to  Galway. 

The  mamma  was  only  remarkable  for  her  liking  for  whist, 
and  her  invariable  good  fortune  thereat  ;  a  circumstance  the 
world  were  agreed  in  ascribing  less  to  the  blind  goddess  than 
her  own  natural  endowments. 

Lastly,  the  heir  of  the  house  was  a  stripling  of  about  my  own 
age,  whose  accomplishments  were  limited  to  selling  spavined 
and  broken-winded  horses  to  the  infantry  officers,  playing  a 
safe  game  at  billiards,  and  acting  as  jackal-general  to  his  sisters 
at  balls,  providing  them  with  a  sufficiency  of  partners,  and 
making  a  strong  fight  for  a  place  at  the  supper-table  for  his 
mother.  These  fraternal  and  filial  traits,  more  honored  at 
home  than  abroad,  had  made  Mr.  Matthew  Blake  a  rather 
well-known  individual  in  the  neighborhood  where  he  lived. 

Though  Mr.  Blake's  property  was  ample,  and,  strange  to 
say  for  his  county,  unencumbered,  the  whole  air  and  appear- 
ance of  his  house  and  grounds  betrayed  anything  rather  than 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  29 

a  sufficiency  of  means.  The  gate  lodge  was  a  miserable  mud 
hovel,  with  a  thatched  and  falling  roof  ;  the  gate  itself,  a 
wooden  contrivance,  one  half  of  which  was  boarded,  and  the 
other  railed  ;  the  avenue  was  covered  with  weeds,  and  deep 
with  ruts,  and  the  clumps  of  young  plantation,  which  had 
been  planted  and  fenced  with  care,  were  now  open  to  the  cattle, 
and  either  totally  uprooted  or  denuded  of  their  bark,  and  dying. 
The  lawn,  a  handsome  one  of  some  forty  acres,  had  been 
devoted  to  an  exercise-ground  for  training  horses,  and  was  cut  up 
by  their  feet  beyond  all  semblance  of  its  original  destination  ; 
and  the  house  itself,  a  large  and  venerable  structure  of  above  a 
century  old,  displayed  every  variety  of  contrivance,  as  well  as 
the  usual  one  of  glass,  to  exclude  the  weather.  The  hall-door 
hung  by  a  single  hinge,  and  required  three  persons  each  morn- 
ing and  evening  to  open  and  shut  it  ;  the  remainder  of  the  day 
it  lay  pensively  open  :  the  steps  which  led  to  it  were  broken 
and  falling ;  and  the  whole  aspect  of  things  without  was  ruinous 
in  the  extreme.  Within,  matters  were  somewhat  better,  for 
though  the  furniture  was  old,  and  none  of  it  clean,  yet  an  ap- 
pearance of  comfort  was  evident  ;  and  the  large  grate,  blazing 
with  its  pile  of  red-hot  turf,  the  deep-cushioned  chairs,  the  old 
black  mahogany  dinner-table,  and  the  soft  carpet,  albeit  deep 
with  dust,  were  not  to  be  despised  on  a  winter's  evening,  after  a 
hard  day's  run  with  the  "  Blazers."  Here  it  was,  however, 
that  Mr.  Philip  Blake  had  dispensed  his  hospitalities  for  above 
fifty  years,  and  his  father  before  him  ;  and  here,  with  a  ret- 
inue of  servants  as  ^a«<:/^^  and  ill-ordered  as  all  about  them,  was 
he  accustomed  to  invite  all  that  the  county  possessed  of  rank 
and  wealth,  among  which  the  officers  quartered  in  his  neighbor- 
hood were  never  neglected,  the  Miss  Blakes  having  as  decided 
a  taste  for  the  army  as  any  young  ladies  of  the  west  of  Ireland  ; 
and,  while  the  Galway  squire,  with  his  cords  and  tops,  was  detail- 
ing the  last  news  from  Ballinasloe  in  one  corner,  the  dandy 
from  St.  James's  Street  might  be  seen  displaying  more  acts  of 
seductive  flattery  in  another  than  his  most  accurate  insoadanci. 


30  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

would  permit  him  to  practise  in  the  elegant  saloons  of  London 
or  Paris ;  and  the  same  man  who  whould  have  "  cut  his  brother," 
for  a  solecism  of  dress  or  equipage,  in  Bond  Street,  was  now  to 
be  seen  quietly  domesticated,  eating  family  dinners,  rolling  silk 
for  the  young  ladies,  going  down  the  middle  in  a  country 
dance,  and  even  descending  to  the  indignity  of  long  whist,  at 
"  tenpenny  "  points,  with  only  the  miserable  consolation  that 
the  company  were  not  honest. 

It  was  upon  a  clear  frosty  morning,  when  a  bright  blue  sky 
and  a  sharp  but  bracing  air  seem  to  exercise  upon  the  feel- 
ings a  sense  no  less  pleasurable  than  the  balmiest  breeze  and 
warmest  sun  of  summer,  that  I  whipped  my  leader  short  round, 
and  entered  the  precincts  of  "  Gurt-na-Morra."  As  I  pro- 
ceeded along  the  avenue,  I  was  struck  by  thfe  slight  traces  of 
repairs  here  and  there  evident ;  agate  or  two  that  formerly  had 
been  parallel  to  the  horizon  had  been  raised  to  the  perpendic- 
ular; some  ineffectual  efforts  at  paint  were  also  perceptible 
upon  the  palings  ;  and,  in  short,  everything  seemed  to  have 
undergone  a  kind  of  attempt  at  improvement. 

When  I  reached  the  door,  instead  of  being  surrounded,  as 
of  old,  by  a  tribe  of  menials  frieze-coated,  bare-headed,  and 
bare-legged,  my  presence  was  announced  by  a  tremendous 
ringing  of  bells,  from  the  hands  of  an  old  functionary,  in  a 
very  formidable  livery,  who  peeped  at  me  through  the  hall- 
window,  and  whom,  with  the  greatest  difficulty,  I  recognized 
as  my  quondam  aquaintance,  the  butler.  His  wig  alone  would 
have  graced  a  king's  counsel,  and  the  high  collar  of  his  coat, 
and  the  stiff  pillory  of  his  cravat  denoted  an  eternal  adieu 
to  so  humble  a  vocation  as  drawing  a  cork.  Before  I  had 
time  for  any  conjecture  as  to  the  altered  circumstances  about, 
the  activity  of  my  friend  at  the  bell  had  surrounded  me  with 
"four  others  worse  than  himself,"  at  least,  they  were  exactly 
similarly  attired ;  and  probably,  from  the  novelty  of  their 
costume,  and  the  restraints  of  so  unusual  a  thing  as  dress,  were 
as  perfectly  unable  to  assist  themselves  or  others  as  the  Court 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  31 

of  Aldermen  would  be,  were  they  to  rig  out  in  plate  armor  of 
the  fourteenth  century.  How  much  longer  I  might  have  gone 
on  conjecturing  the  reasons  for  the  masquerade  around,  I  can- 
not say ;  but  my  servant,  an  Irish  disciple  of  my  uncle's, 
whispered  in  my  ear — "  It's  a  red-breeches  day,  Master  Charles 
— they'll  have  the  hoith  of  company  in  the  house."  From  the 
phrase,  it  needed  little  explanation  to  inform  me  that  it  was 
one  of  those  occasions  on  which  Mr.  Blake  attired  all  the 
hangers-on  of  his  house  in  livery,  and  that  great  preparations 
were  in  progress  for  a  more  than  usually  splendid  reception. 

In  the  next  moment  I  was  ushered  into  the  breakfast- room, 
where  a  party  of  above  a  dozen  persons  were  most  gaily  enjoy- 
ing all  the  good  cheer  for  which  the  house  had  a  well-deserved 
repute.  After  the  usual  shaking  of  hands  and  hearty  greet- 
ings were  over,  I  was  introduced  in  all  form  to  Sir  George 
Dashwood,  a  tall  and  singularly  handsome  man  of  about  fifty, 
with  an  undress  military  frock  and  ribbon.  His  reception  of  me 
was  somewhat  strange,  for,  as  they  mentioned  my  relationship 
to  Godfrey  O'Malley,  he  smiled  slightly,  and  whispered  some- 
thing to  Mr,  Blake,  who  replied,  "  Oh  !  no,  no ;  not  the  least. 

A  mere  boy  ;  and  besides "     What  he  added  I  lost,  for  at 

that  moment  Nora  Blake  was  presenting  me  to  Miss  Dash- 
wood. 

If  the  sweetest  blue  eyes  that  ever  beamed  beneath  a  fore- 
head of  snowy  whiteness,  over  which  dark  brown  and  waving 
hair  fell,  less  in  curls  than  masses  of  locky  richness,  could  only 
have  known  what  wild  work  they  were  making  of  my  poor 
heart.  Miss  Dashwood,  I  trust,  would  have  looked  at  her  tea- 
cup or  her  muffin  rather  than  at  me,  as  she  actually  did  on 
that  fatal  morning.  If  I  were  to  judge  from  her  costume,  she 
had  only  just  arrived,  and  the  morning  air  had  left  upon  her 
cheek  a  bloom  that  contributed  greatly  to  the  effect  of  her 
lovely  countenance.  Although  very  young,  her  form  had  all 
the  roundness  of  womanhood ;  while  her  gay  and  sprightly 
planner  indicated  all  the  sans  gene  which  only  very  young  girls 


32  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

possess,  and  which,  when  tempered  with  perfect  good  taste, 
and  accompanied  by  beauty  and  no  small  share  of  talent,  forms 
an  irresistible  power  of  attraction. 

Beside  her  sat  a  tall,  handsome  man  of  about  five-and-thirty, 
or  perhaps  forty  years  of  age,  with  a  most  soldierly  air,  who,  as 
I  was  presented  to  him,  scarcely  turned  his  head,  and  gave  me 
a  half-nod  of  very  unequivocal  coldness.  There  are  moments 
in  life  in  which  the  heart  is,  as  it  were,  laid  bare  to  any  chance 
or  casual  impression  with  a  wondrous  sensibility  of  pleasure  oi 
its  opposite.  This  to  me  was  one  of  those ;  and,  as  I  turne(5 
from  the  lovely  girl,  who  had  received  me  with  a  marked  cour- 
tesy, to  the  cold  air  and  repelling  hauteur  of  the  dark-browe(? 
Captain,  the  blood  rushed  throbbing  to  my  forehead  ;  and  as 
I  walked  to  my  place  at  the  table,  I  eagerly  sought  his  eye,  tc» 
return  him  a  look  of  defiance  and  disdain,  proud  and  contempt- 
uous as  his  own.  Captain  Hammersley,  however,  never  took 
further  notice  of  me,  but  continued  to  recount,  for  the  amuse- 
ment of  those  about  him,  several  excellent  stories  of  his  mili- 
tary career,  which,  I  confess,  were  heard  with  every  test  of 
delight  by  all,  save  me.  One  thing  galled  me  particularly — - 
and  how  easy  is  it,  when  you  have  begun  by  disliking  a  person, 
to  supply  food  for  your  antipathy — all  his  allusions  to  his  mili- 
tary life  were  coupled  with  half  hinted  and  ill-concealed  sneers 
at  civilians  of  every  kind,  as  though  every  man  not  a  soldier 
were  absolutely  unfit  for  common  intercourse  with  the  world — 
still  more,  for  any  favorable  reception  in  ladies'  society. 

The  young  ladies  of  the  family  were  a  well-chosen  auditory, 
for  their  admiration  of  the  army  extended  from  the  Life  Guards 
to  the  Veteran  Battalion,  the  Sappers  and  Miners  included  ; 
and,  as  Miss  Dashwood  was  the  daughter  of  a  soldier,  she,  of 
course,  coincided  in  many,  if  not  all  his  opinions.  I  turned 
towards  my  neighbor,  a  Clare  gentleman,  and  tried  to  engage 
him  in  conversation,  but  he  was  breathlessly  attending  to  the 
Captain.  On  my  left  sat  Matthew  Blake,  whose  eyes  were 
^rmly  riveted  upon  the  same  person,  and  heard  hi3  marvels 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOAT.  33 

with  an  interest  scarcely  inferior  to  tliat  of  his  sisters.  An- 
noyed, and  in  ill-temper,  I  ate  my  breakfast  in  silence  and  re- 
solved that,  the  first  moment  I  could  obtain  a  hearing  from  Mr, 
Blake,  I  would  open  my  negotiations,  and  take  my  leave  at  once 
of  "  Gurt-na-Morra." 

We  all  assembled  in  a  large  room,  called,  by  courtesy,  the  li- 
brary, when  breakfast  was  over ;  and  then  it  was  that  Mr.  Blake, 
taking  me  aside,  whispered,  "  Charley,  it's  right  I  should  inform 
you  that  Sir  George  Dashwood  there  is  the  Commander  of  the 

Forces,  and  is  come  down  here  at  this  moment  to "     What 

for,  or  how  it  should  concern  me,  I  was  not  to  learn  ;  for,  at 
that  critical  instant,  my  informant's  attention  was  called  off  by 
Captain  Hammersley  asking  if  the  hounds  were  to  hunt  that  day. 

"  My  friend  Charley,  here,  is  the  best  authority  upon  that 
matter,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  turning  towards  me. 

"They  are  to  try  the  Priest's  meadows,"  said  I,  with  an  air 
of  some  importance  ;  "  but,  if  your  guest  desires  a  day's  sport, 
I'll  send  word  over  to  Brackely  to  bring  the  dogs  over  here,  and 
we  are  sure  to  find  a  fox  in  your  cover." 

"  Oh,  then,  by  all  means,"  said  the  Captain,  turning  towards 
Mr.  Blake,  and  addressing  himself  to  him — "  by  all  means  • 
and  Miss  Dashwood,  I'm  sure,  would  like  to  see  the  hounds 
throw  off." 

Whatever  chagrin  the  first  part  of  his  speech  caused  me,  the 
latter  set  my  heart  a-throbbing;  and  I  hastened  from  the 
room  to  despatch  a  messenger  to  the  huntsman  to  come  over 
to  Gurt-na-Morra,  and  also  another  to  O'Malley  Castle,  to  bring 
my  best  horse  and  my  riding  equipments,  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"  Matthew,  who  is  this  captain  ?  "  said  T,  as  young  Blake  met 
me  in  the  hall. 

"Oh  !  he  is  the  aide-de-camp  of  General  Dashwood.  A  nice 
fellow,  isn't  he  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  may  tiiink,"  said  I,  "  but  I  take  him 
for  the  most  impertinent,  impudent,   supercilious " 

The  rest  of  my  civil  speech  was  cut  short  by  the  appearance 
3 


3_i.  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  the  very  individual  in  question,  who,  with  his  hands  in  his 
pockets  and  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  sauntered  forth  down  the 
steps,  taking  no  more  notice  of  Matthew  Blake  and  myself  than 
the  two  fox  terriers  that  followed  at  his  heels. 

However  anxious  I  might  be  to  open  negotiations  on  the 
subject  of  my  mission,  for  the  present  the  thing  was  impossible  ; 
for  I  found  that  Sir  George  Dashwood  was  closeted  closely  with 
Mr.  Blake,  and  resolved  to  wait  till  evening,  when  chance  might 
afford  me  the  opportunity  I  desired. 

As  the  ladies  had  retired  to  dress  for  the  hunt,  and  as  I  felt 
no  peculiar  desire  to  ally  myself  with  the  unsocial  Captain,  I 
accompanied  Matthew  to  the  stable  to  look  after  the  cattle,  and 
make  preparations  for  the  coming  sport. 

"  There's  Captain  Hammersley's  mare,"  said  Matthew,  as 
he  pointed  out  a  highly  bred  but  powerful  English  hunter ; 
"  she  came  last  night,  for,  as  he  expected  some  sport,  he  sent 
his  horses  from  Dublin  on  purpose.  The  others  will  be  here 
to-day." 

"  What  is  his  regiment  ?  "  said  I,  with  an  appearance  of  care- 
lessness, but  in  reality  feeling  curious  to  know  if  the  Captain 
was  a  cavalry  or  infantry  officer. 

"  The  — th  Light  Dragoons,"  said  Matthew. 

"  You  never  saw  him  ride  ?  "  said  I. 

"  But  his  groom  there  says  he  leads  the  way  in  his  own 
country." 

"  And  where  may  that  be  ?  " 

"  In  Leicestershire,  no  less,"  said  Matthew. 

"  Does  he  know  Galway  ? " 

*'  Never  was  in  it  before  ;  it's  only  this  minute  he  asked 
Mosey  Daly  if  the  ox-fences  were  high  here." 

"  Ox-fences  !  then  he  does  not  know  what  a  w'all  is  ?  " 

"  Devil  a  bit ;  but  we'll  teach  him." 

"  That  we  will,"  said  I,  with  as  bitter  a  resolution  to  impart 
the  instruction  as  ever  schoolmaster  did  to  whip  Latin  grammar 
into  one  of  the  great  unbreeched. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  35 

"  But  I  had  bettter  send  the  horses  down  to  the  Mill,"  said 
Matthew ;  "  we'll  draw  that  cover  first." 

So  saying,  he  turned  towards  the  stable,  while  I  sauntered 
alone  towards  the  road  by  which  I  expected  the  huntsman.  I 
had  not  walked  half  a  mile  before  I  heard  the  yelping  of  the 
dogs,  and,  a  little  farther  on,  I  saw  old  Biackely  coming  along 
at  a  brisk  trot,  cutting  the  hounds  on  each  side,  and  calling 
after  the  stragglers. 

"  Did  you  see  my  horse  on  the  road,  Erackely  .-* "  said  I. 

"  I  did,  Misther  Charles,  and,  troth,  I'm  sorry  to  see  him  ; 
sure  yerself  knows  better  than  to  take  out  the  Badger,  the  best 
steeple-chaser  in  Ireland,  in  such  a  country  as  this  ;  nothing 
but  awkward  stone-fences,  and  not  a  foot  of  sure  ground  in 
the  whole  of  it." 

"  I  know  it  well,  Brackely  ;  but  I  have  my  reasons  for  it." 

"Well,  maybe  you  have;  what  cover  will  your  honor  try 
first  ? " 

"  They  talk  of  the  INIill,"  said  I,  "but  I'd  much  rather  try 
'  Morran-a-Gowl.'  " 

"  Morran-a-Gowl !  do  you  want  to  break  your  neck  en- 
tirely ? " 

"  No,  Brackely,  not  mine." 

"  Whose  then,  alannah  ?  " 

"  An  English  Captain's,  the  devil  fly  away  with  him ;  he's 
come  down  here  to-day,  and  from  all  I  can  see  is  a  most  im- 
pudent fellow  ;  so,  Brackely " 

"  I  understand.  Well,  leave  it  to  me,  and,  though  I  don't 
like  the  only  deer-park  wall  on  tlie  hill,  we'll  try  it  this  morn- 
ing with  the  blessing ;  I'll  take  him  down  by  Woodford,  over 
the  '.Devil's  Mouth,' — it's  eighteen  foot  wide  this  minute  with 
the  late  rains — into  the  four  callows  ;  then  over  the  stone  walls, 
down  to  Dangan  ;  then  take  a  short  cast  up  the  hill,  blow  him 
a  bit,  and  give  him  the  park  wall  at  the  top.  You  must  come 
in  then  fresh,  and  give  him  the  whole  run  home  over  Sleibh- 
mich — the  Badger  knows  it  all,  and  takes  the  road  always  in  a 


36  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fly, — a  mighty  distressing  thing  for  the  horse  that  follows,  more 
particularly  if  he  does  not  understand  a  stony  country.  Well, 
if  he  lives  through  this,  give  him  the  sunk  fence  and  the  stone 
wall  at  Mr.  Blake's  clover-field,  for  the  hounds  will  run  into 
the  fox  about  there ;  and  though  we  never  ride  that  leap  since 
Mr.  Malone  broke  his  neck  at  it,  last  October,  yet,  upon  an 
occasion  like  this,  and  for  the  honor  of  Galway " 

"  To  be  sure,  Brackely,  and  here's  a  guinea  for  you,  and  now 
trot  on  towards  the  house  ;  they  must  not  see  us  together,  or 
they  might  suspect  something.  But,  Brackely,"  said  I,  calling 
out  after  him,  "  if  he  rides  at  all  fair,  what's  to  be  done  "i  " 

"Troth,  then,  myself  doesn't  know;  there  is  nothing  so  bad 
west  of  Athlone  ;  have  ye  a  great  spite  again  him  ? " 

"  I  have,"  said  I,  fiercely. 

"  Could  ye  coax  a  fight  out  of  him  ? " 

*'  That's  true,"  said  I ;  "  and  now  ride  on  as  fast  as  you  can." 

Brackely's  last  words  imparted  a  lightness  to  my  heart  and 
my  step,  and  I  strode  along  a  very  different  man  from  what  I 
had  left  the  house  half  an  hour  previously. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   HUNT. 

Although  we  had  not  the  advantages  of  a  "  southerly  wind 
and  cloudy  sky,"  the  day,  towards  noon,  became  strongly  over- 
cast, and  promised  to  afford  us  good  scenting  weather,  and  as 
v/e  assembled  at  the  meet,  mutual  congratulations  were  ex- 
changed upon  the  improved  appearance  of  the  day.  Young 
Blake  had  provided  Miss  Dashwood  with  a  quiet  and  well- 
trained  horse,  and  his  sisters  were  all  mounted,  as  usual,  upon 
their  own  Jwimals,  giving  to  our  turn-out  quite  a  gay  and  lively 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  37 

aspect.  I  myself  came  to  cover  upon  a  'hackney,  having  sent 
Badger  with  a  groom,  and  longed  ardently  for  the  moment 
when,  casting  the  skin  of  my  greatcoat  and  overalls,  I  should 
appear  before  the  world  in  my  well-appointed  "  cords  and 
tops."  Captain  Hammersley  had  not  as  yet  made  his  appear- 
ance, and  many  conjectures  were  afloat  as  to  whether  "  he 
might  have  missed  the  road  or  changed  his  mind,"  or,  "forgot 
all  about  it,"  as  Miss  Dashwood  hinted. 

"  Who,  pray,  pitched  upon  this  cover  ?  "  said  Caroline  Blake, 
as  she  looked  with  a  practised  eye  over  the  country,  on  either 
side. 

"There  is  no  chance  of  a  fox  late  in  the  day  at  the  Mill," 
said  the  huntsman,  inventing  a  lie  for  the  occasion. 

"  Then  of  course  you  never  intend  us  to  see  much  of  the 
sport,  for,  after  you  break  cover,  you  are  entirely  lost  to  us." 

"  I  thought  you  always  followed  the  hounds,"  said  Miss 
Dashwood,  timidly. 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure  we  do,  in  any  common  country ;  but  here  it 
is  out  of  the  question  ;  the  fences  are  too  large  for  any  one,  and 
if  I  am  not  mistaken,  these  gentlemen  will  not  ride  far  over 
this.  There,  look  yonder,  where  the  river  is  rushing  down  the 
hill — that  stream,  widening  as  it  advances,  crosses  the  cover 
nearly  midway  ;  well,  they  must  clear  that ;  and  then  you  may 
see  these  walls  of  large  loose  stones,  nearly  five  feet  in  height ; 
that  is  the  usual  course  the  fox  takes,  unless  he  heads  towards 
the  hills,  and  goes  towards  Dangan,  and  then  there's  an  end  of 
it ;  for  the  deer-park  wall  is  usually  a  pull  up  to  every  one, 
except,  perhaps,  to  our  friend  Charley  yonder,  who  has  tried 
his  fortune  against  drowning  more  than  once  there." 

"  Look,  here  he  comes,"  said  Matthew  Blake,  "  and  looking 
splendidly  too — a  little  too  much  in  flesh,  perhaps,  if  anything." 

"  Captain  Hammersley  !  "  said  the  four  Miss  Blakes,  in  a 
breath,  "  where  is  he  ?  " 

"  No,  it's  the  Badger  I'm  speaking  of,"  said  Matthew,  laugh- 
ing, and  pointing  with  his  finger  towards  a  corner  of  the  field 


38  CHARLES  O'MALLE  Y, 

where  my  servant  was  leisurely  throwing  down  a  wall  about 
two  feet  high  to  let  him  pass. 

"  Oh,  how  handsome  ! — what  a  charger  for  a  dragoon  !  " 
said  Miss  Dashwood. 

Any  other  mode  of  praising  my  steed  would  have  been  much 
more  acceptable.  The  word  dragoon  was  a  thorn  in  my 
tenderest  part,  that  rankled  and  lacerated  at  every  stir.  In  a 
moment  I  was  in  the  saddle,  and  scarcely  seated,  when  at 
once  all  the  mativais  honte  of  boyhood  left  me,  and  I  felt 
every  inch  a  man.  I  often  look  back  to  that  moment  of  my 
life,  and,  comparing  it  with  many  similar  ones,  cannot  help 
acknowledging  how  purely  is  the  self-possession  which  so  often 
wins  success  the  result  of  some  slight  and  trivial  association. 
My  confidence  in  my  horsemanship  suggested  moral  courage 
of  a  very  different  kind,  and  I  felt  that  Charles  O'Malley 
curvetting  upon  a  thoroughbred,  and  the  same  man  ambling 
upon  a  shelty,  were  two  and  very  dissimilar  individuals. 

"  No  chance  of  the  Captain."  said  Matthew,  who  had  re- 
turned from  a  reconnaissance  upon  the  road  ;  "  and  after  all 
it's  a  pity,  for  the  day  is  getting  quite  favorable." 

While  the  young  ladies  formed  pickets  to  look  out  for  the 
gallant  militaire,  I  seized  the  opportunity  of  prosecuting  my 
acquaintance  with  Miss  Dashwood  ;  and,  even  in  the  few  and 
passing  observations  that  fell  from  her,  learned  how  very  dif- 
ferent an  order  of  being  she  was  from  all  I  had  hitherto  seen 
of  country  belles.  A  mixture  of  courtesy  with  naivete — a  wish 
to  please,  with  a  certain  feminine  gentleness,  that  always 
flatters  a  man,  and  still  more  a  boy  that  fain  would  be  one — 
gained  momentarily  more  and  more  upon  me,  and  put  me  also 
on  my  mettle  to  prove  to  my  fair  companion  that  I  was  not 
altogether  a  mere  uncultivated  and  unthinking  creature,  like 
the  remainder  of  those  about  me. 

"  Here  he  is,  at  last,"  said  Helen  Blake  as  she  cantered 
across  a  field,  waving  her  handkerchief  as  a  signal  to  the 
Captain,  who  was  now  seen  approaching  at  a  brisk  trot. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  39 

As  he  came  along,  a  small  fence  intervened  ;  he  pressed  his 
horse  a  little,  and,  as  he  kissed  hands  to  the  fair  Helen,  cleared 
it   in  a  bound,  and  was  in  an  instant  in  the  midst  of  us. 

"  He  sits  his  horse  like  a  man,  Misther  Charles,"  said  the 
old  huntsman  ;  "  troth,  we  must  give  him  the  worst  bit  of  it." 

Captain  Hammersley  was,  despite  all  the  critical  acumen 
with  which  I  canvassed  him,  the  very  beau  ideal  of  a  gentleman 
rider;  indeed,  although  a  very  heavy  man,  his  powerful  English 
thoroughbred,  showing  not  less  bone  than  blood,  took  away 
all  semblance  of  overweight ;  his  saddle,  well  fitting  and  well 
placed  ;  his  large  and  broad-reined  snaiifle  ;  his  own  costume 
of  black  coat,  leathers,  and  tops,  was  in  perfect  keeping,  and 
even  to  his  heavy  handled  hunting-whip  I  could  find  nothing 
to  cavil  at.  As  he  rode  up  he  paid  his  respects  to  the  ladies 
in  his  usual  free  and  easy  manner,  expressed  some  surprise,  but 
no  regret,  at  hearing  that  he  was  late,  and  never  deigning  any 
notice  of  Matthew  or  myself,  took  his  place  beside  Miss  Dash- 
wood,  with  whom  he  conversed  in  a  low  and  under  tone. 

"  There  they  go,"  said  Matthew,  as  five  or  six  dogs,  with 
their  heads  up,  ran  yelping  along  a  furrow,  then  stopped,  howled 
again,  and  once  more  set  off  together.  In  an  instant  all  was 
commotion  in  the  little  valley  below  us.  The  huntsman,  with 
his  hand  to  his  mouth,  was  calling  off  the  stragglers,  and  the 
whipper-in  followed  up  the  leading  dogs  wn'th  the  rest  of  the 
pack.  "  They've  found  ! — they're  away  !  "  said  Matthew  ;  and, 
as  he  spoke,  a  yell  burst  from  the  valley,  and  in  an  instant  the 
whole  pack  were  off  at  full  speed.  Rather  more  intent  that 
moment  upon  showing  off  my  horsemanship  than  anything  else, 
I  dashed  spurs  into  Badger's  sides,  and  turned  him  towards  a 
rasping  ditch  before  me  ;  over  we  went,  hurling  down  behind  us 
a  rotten  bank  of  clay  and  small  stones,  showing  how  little  safety 
there  had  been  in  tapping  instead  of  clearing  it  at  a  bound 
Before  I  was  well  seated  again,  the  Captain  was  beside  me. 
"  Now  for  it,  then,"  said  I,  and  away  we  went.  What  might 
be  the  nature  of  his  feelings  1  cannot  pretend  to  state,  but  my 


40  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

own  was  a  strange  melange oi  wild,  boyish  enthusiasm,  revenge, 
and  recklessness.  For  my  own  neck  I  cared  little — nothing  ; 
and,  as  I  led  the  way  by  half  a  length,  I  muttered  to  myself, 
"  Let  him  follow  me  fairly  this  day,  and  I  ask  no  more," 

The  dogs  had  got  somewhat  the  start  of  us,  and,  as  they 
were  in  full  cr)'^,  and  going  fast,  we  were  a  little  behind.  A 
thought  therefore  struck  me  that,  by  appearing  to  take  a  short 
cut  upon  the  hounds,  I  should  come  down  upon  the  river 
where  its  breadth  was  greatest,  and  thus,  at  one  coup  might 
try  my  friend's  mettle  and  his  horse's  performance  at  the  same 
time.  On  we  went,  our  speed  increasing,  till  the  roar  of  the 
river  we  were  now  approaching  was  plainly  audible.  I  looked 
half  around,  and  now  perceived  the  Captain  was  standing  in 
his  stirrups,  as  if  to  obtain  a  view  of  what  was  before  him ; 
otherwise  his  countenance  was  calm  and  unmoved,  and  not  a 
muscle  betrayed  that  he  was  not  cantering  on  a  parade.  I 
fixed  myself  firmly  in  my  seat,  shook  ray  horse  a  little  together, 
and  with  a  shout  whose  import  every  Galway  hunter  well 
knows,  rushed  him  at  the  river.  1  saw  the  water  dashing 
among  the  large  stones,  I  heard  it  splash,  I  felt  a  bound  like 
the  ricochet  of  a  shot,  and  we  were  over,  but  so  narrowly,  that 
the  bank  had  yielded  beneath  his  hind  legs,  and  it  needed  a 
bold  effort  of  the  noble  animal  to  regain  his  footing.  Scarcely 
was  he  once  more  firm,  when  Hammersley  flew  by  me,  taking 
the  lead,  and  sitting  quietly  in  his  saddle,  as  if  racing.  I 
know  of  little  in  all  my  after  life  like  the  agony  of  that  moment ; 
for  although  I  was  far,  very  far,  from  wishing  real  ili  to  him, 
yet  I  would  gladly  have  broken  my  leg  or  my  arm  if  he  could 
not  have  been  able  to  follow  me.  And  now,  there  he  was, 
actually  a  length  and  a  half  in  advance!  and,  worse  than  all. 
Miss  Dashwood  must  have  witnessed  the  whole,  and  doubtless 
his  leap  over  the  river  was  better  and  bolder  than  mine.  One 
consolation  yet  remained,  and  while  I  whispered  it  to  myself 
I  felt  comforted  again.  "His  is  an  English  mare — they  un- 
derstand  these  leaps — but  what   can   he  make  of  a  Galway 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  41 

wall  ?  "  The  question  was  soon  to  be  solved.  Before  us,  about 
three  fields,  were  the  hounds  still  in  full  cry ;  a  large  stone  wall 
lay  between,  and  to  it  we  both  directed  our  course  together. 
"  Ha  !  "  thought  I,  "  he  is  floored  at  last,"  as  I  perceived  that 
the  Captain  held  his  course  rather  more  in  hand,  and  suffered 
me  to  lead.  "  Now,  then,  for  it !  "  So  saying,  I  rode  at  the 
largest  part  I  could  find,  well  knowing  that  Badger's  powers 
were  here  in  their  element.  One  spring,  one  plunge,  and  away 
we  were,  galloping  along  at  the  other  side.  Not  so  the  Cap- 
tain :  his  horse  had  refused  the  fence,  and  he  was  now  taking  a 
circuit  of  the  field  for  another  trial  of  it. 

"  Pounded,  by  Jove  !  "  said  I,  as  I  turned  round  in  my  sad- 
dle to  observe  him.  Once  more  she  came  at  it,  and  once  more 
baulked,  rearing  up  at  the  same  time,  almost  so  as  to  fall  back- 
ward. 

My  triumph  was  complete,  and  I  again  was  about  to  follow 
the  hounds,  when,  throwing  a  look  back,  I  saw  Hammersley 
clearing  the  wall  in  a  most  splendid  manner,  and  taking  a  stretch 
of  at  least  thirteen  feet  beyond  it.  Once  more  he  was  on  my 
flanks,  and  the  contest  renewed.  Whatever  might  be  the  sen- 
timents of  the  riders  (mine  I  confess  to),  between  the  horses  it 
now  become  a  tremendous  struggle.  The  English  mare,  though 
evidently  superior  in  stride  and  strength,  was  slightly  over- 
weighted, and  had  not,  besides,  that  cat-like  activity  an  Irish 
horse  possesses ;  so  that  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  on 
either  side  were  about  equalized.  For  about  half  an  hour  now 
the  pace  was  awful.  We  rode  side  by  side,  taking  our  leaps  ex- 
actly at  the  same  instant,  and  not  four  feet  apart.  The  hounds 
were  still  considerably  in  advance,  and  were  heading  towards 
the  Shannon,  when  suddenly  the  fox  doubled,  took  the  hill- 
side, and  made  for  Dangan.  "  Now,  then,  comes  the  trial  of 
strength,"  I  said,  half  aloud,  as  I  threw  my  eyes  up  a  steep 
and  rugged  mountain,  covered  with  wild  furze  and  tall  heath, 
around  the  crest  of  which  ran,  in  a  zig-zag  direction,  a  broken 
and  dilapidated  wall,  once  the  enclosure  of  a  deer-park.     This 


42  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

wall,  which  varied  from  four  to  six  feet  in  height,  was  of  solid 
masonry,  and  would,  in  the  most  favorable  ground,  have  been 
a  bold  leap.  Here,  at  the  summit  of  a  mountain,  with  not  a 
yard  of  footing,  it  was  absolutely  desperation. 

By  the  time  that  we  reached  the  foot  of  the  hill,  the  fox, 
followed  closely  by  the  hounds,  had  passed  through  a  breach 
in  the  wall,  while  Matthew  Blake,  and  the  huntsmen  and  whip- 
per-in, were  riding  along  in  search  of  a  gap  to  lead  the  horses 
through.  Before  I  put  spurs  to  Badger,  to  face  the  hill,  I 
turned  one  look  towards  Hammersley.  There  was  a  slight  curl, 
half-smile,  half-sneer  upon  his  lip,  that  actually  maddened  me, 
and  had  a  precipice  yawned  beneath  my  feet,  I  should  have 
dashed  at  it  after  that.  The  ascent  was  so  steep  that  I  was 
obliged  to  take  the  hill  in  a  slanting  direction,  and  even  thus, 
the  loose  footing  rendered  it  dangerous  in  the  extreme. 

At  length  I  reached  the  crest  where  the  wall,  more  than  five 
feet  in  height,  stood  frowning  above  and  seeming  to  defy  me. 
I  turned  my  horse  full  round,  so  that  his  very  chest  almost 
touched  the  stones,  and,  with  a  bold  cut  of  the  whip  and  a  loud 
halloo,  the  gallant  animal  rose,  as  if  rearing,  pawed  for  an  in- 
stant to  regain  his  balance,  and  then,  with  a  frightful  struggle, 
fell  backwards,  and  rolled  from  top  to  bottom  of  the  hill,  carry- 
ing me  along  with  him  ;  the  last  object  that  crossed  my  sight, 
as  I  lay  bruised  and  motionless,  being  the  Captain  as  he  took 
the  wall  in  a  flying  leap,  and  disappeared  at  the  other  side. 
After  a  few  scrambling  efforts  to  rise.  Badger  regained  his 
legs  and  stood  beside  me  ;  but  such  was  the  shock  and  con- 
cussion of  my  fall,  that  all  the  objects  around  seemed  waver- 
ing and  floating  before  me,  while  showers  of  bright  sparks 
fell  in  myriads  before  my  eyes.  I  tried  to  rise,  but  fell  back 
helpless.  Cold  perspiration  broke  over  my  forehead,  and 
I  fainted.  From  that  moment  I  can  remember  nothing,  till 
I  felt  myself  galloping  along  at  full  speed  upon  a  level 
table-land,  with  the  hounds  about  three  fields  in  advance, 
Hammersley  riding  foremost  and  taking  all   his   leaps  coolly 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  43 

as  ever.  As  I  swayed  to  either  side  upon  my  saddle  from 
weakness,  I  was  lost  to  all  thought  or  recollection,  save  a 
flickering  memory  of  some  plan  of  vengeance,  which  still  urged 
me  forward.  The  chase  had  now  lasted  above  an  hour,  and 
both  hounds  and  horses  began  to  feel  the  pace  at  which  they 
were  going.  As  for  me,  I  rode  mechanically ;  I  neither  knew 
nor  cared  for  the  dangers  before  me.  My  eyes  rested  on  but  one 
object ;  my  whole  being  was  concentrated  upon  one  vague  and 
undefined  sense  of  revenge.  At  this  instant  the  huntsman 
came  alongside  of  me. 

"  Are  you  hurted,  Misther  Charles  ?  did  you  fall  ? — your  cheek 
is  all  blood,  and  your  coat  is  torn  in  two ;  and.  Mother  o'  God, 
his  boot,  is  ground  to  powder  ;  he  does  not  hear  me.  Oh,  pull 
up — pull  up,  for  the  love  of  the  Virgin  ;  there's  the  clover-field 
and  the  sunk  fence  before  you,  and  you'll  be  killed  on  the 
spot." 

"  Where  1  "  cried  I,  with  the  cry  of  a  madman,  "  where's 
the  clover  field  ? — where's  the  sunk  fence  .''  Ha  !  I  see  it — I 
see  it  now." 

So  saying,  I  dashed  the  rowels  into  my  horse's  flanks,  and 
in  an  instant  was  beyond  the  reach  of  the  poor  fellow's  remon- 
strances. Another  moment,  I  was  beside  the  Captain.  He 
turned  round  as  I  came  up  ;  the  same  smile  was  upon  his 
mouth — I  could  have  struck  him.  About  three  hundred  yards 
before  us  lay  the  sunk  fence ;  its  breadth  was  about  twenty 
feet,  and  a  wall  of  close  brickwork  formed  its  face.  Over  this 
the  hounds  were  now  clambering  ;  some  succeeded  in  crossing, 
but  by  far  the  greater  number  fell  back  howling  into  the  ditch. 

I  turned  towards  Hammersley.  He  was  standing  high  in 
his  stirrups,  and,  as  he  looked  towards  the  yawning  fence, 
down  which  the  dogs  were  tumbling  in  masses,  I  thought  (per- 
liaps  it  was  but  a  thought)  that  his  cheek  was  paler.  I  looked 
again,  he  was  pulling  at  his  horse,  ha !  it  was  true  then,  he 
would  not  face  it.  I  turned  round  in  my  saddle — looked  him 
full  in  the  face,  and,  as  I  pointed  witli  my  whip  to  the  leap, 


44  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

called  out  in  a  voice  hoarse  with  passion,  "  Come  on."  1 
saw  no  more.  All  objects  were  lost  to  me  from  that  moment. 
When  next  my  senses  cleared  I  was  standing  amid  the  dogs, 
where  they  had  just  killed.  Badger  stood  blown  and  trem- 
bling beside  me,  his  head  drooping,  and  his  flanks  gored  with 
spur-marks.  I  looked  about,  but  all  consciousness  of  the  past 
had  fled  ;  the  concussion  of  my  fall  had  shaken  my  intellect, 
and  I  was  like  one  but  half  awake.  One  glimpse,  short  and 
fleeting,  of  what  was  taking  place,  shot  through  my  brain,  as 
old  Brackely  whispered  to  me,  "  By  my  soul  ye  did  for  the 
Captain  there."  I  turned  a  vague  look  upon  him,  and  my  eyes 
fell  upon  the  figure  of  a  man  that  lay  stretched  and  bleeding 
upon  a  door  before  me.  His  pale  face  was  crossed  with  a 
purple  stream  of  blood,  that  trickled  from  a  wound  beside  his 
eyebrow ;  his  arms  lay  motionless  and  heavily  at  either  side.  I 
knew  him  not.  A  loud  report  of  a  pistol  aroused  me  from  my 
stupor ;  I  looked  back.  I  saw  a  crowd  that  broke  suddenly 
asunder,  and  fled  right  and  left.  I  heard  a  heavy  crash  upon 
the  ground ;  I  pointed  with  my  finger,  for  I  could  not  utter 
a  word. 

"  It  is  the  English  mare,  yer  honor ;  she  was  a  beauty  this 
morning,  but  she's  broke  her  shoulder-bone  and  both  her  legs, 
and  it  was  best  to  put  her  out  of  pain." 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    DRAWING-ROOM. 

On  the  fourth  day  following  the  adventure  detailed  in  the 
last  chapter,  I  made  my  appearance  in  the  drawing-room  ;  my 
cheek  well  blanched  by  copious  bleeding,  and  ray  step  totter- 
ing and  uncertain.  On  entering  the  room  I  looked  about  in 
vain  for  some  one  who  might  give  me  an  insight  into  the  oc- 
currences of  the  four  preceding  days,  but  no  one  was  to  be 


THE  IRISH  dragoon: 


45 


met  with.  The  ladies,  I  learned,  were  out  riding  ;  Matthew 
was  buying  a  new  setter ;  Mr.  Blake  was  convassing ;  and 
Captain  Hammersley  was  in  bed.  Where  was  Miss  Dash- 
wood  i" — in  her  room  ;  and  Sir  George  ? — he  was  with  Mr. 
Blake. 

"  What !  canvassing  too  .''  " 

"  Troth,  that  same  was  possible,"  was  the  intelligent  reply 
of  the  old  butler,  at  which  I  could  not  help  smiling.  I  sat 
down  therefore,  in  the  easiest  chair  I  could  find,  and,  unfold- 
ing the  county  paper,  resolved  upon  learning  how  matters  were 
going  on  in  the  political  world.  But,  somehow,  whether  the 
editor  was  not  brilliant,  or  the  fire  was  hot,  or  that  my  own 
dreams  were  pleasanter  to  indulge  in  than  his  fancies,  I  fell 
sound  asleep. 

How  differently  is  the  mind  attuned  to  the  active  busy  world 
of  thought  and  action,  when  awakened  from  sleep  by  any  sud- 
den and  rude  summons  to  arise  and  be  stirring,  and  when 
called  into  existence  by  the  sweet  and  silvery  notes  of  softest 
music,  stealing  over  the  senses,  and  while  they  impart  awaken- 
ing thoughts  of  bliss  and  beauty,  scarcely  dissipating  the  dreary 
influence  of  slumber!  Such  was  my  first  thought,  as,  with 
closed  lids,  the  thrilling  chords  of  a  harp  broke  upon  my  sleep, 
and  aroused  me  to  a  feeling  of  unutterable  pleasure.  I  turned 
gently  round  in  my  chair,  and  beheld  Miss  Dashwood.  She 
was  seated  in  a  recess  of  an  old-fashioned  window  ;  the  pale 
yellow  glow  of  a  wintry  sun  at  evening  fell  upon  her  beautiful 
hair,  and  tinged  it  with  such  a  light  as  I  have  often  since  then 
seen  in  Rembrandt's  pictures ;  her  head  leaned  upon  the 
harp,  and  as  she  struck  its  chords  at  random,  I  saw  that  her 
mind  was  far  away  from  all  around  her.  As  I  looked,  she 
suddenly  started  from  her  leaning  attitude,  and,  parting  back 
her  curls  from  her  brow,  she  preluded  a  few"  chords,  and  then 
sighed  forth,  rather  than  sang,  that  most  beautiful  of  Moore's 
melodies, — 

"  She  is  far  from  the  lanrl  where  her  youns  hero  sleeps." 


46  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

Never  before  had  such  pathos,  such  deep  utterance  of  feeUng, 
met  my  astonished  sense  ;  I  Ustened  breathlessly  as  the  tears 
fell  one  by  one  down  my  cheek ;  my  bosom  heaved  and  fell ; 
and,  when  she  ceased,  I  hid  my  head  between  my  hands  and 
sobbed  aloud.  In  an  instant  she  was  beside  me,  and  placing 
her  hand  upon  my  shoulder,  said, 

"  Poor  dear  boy,  I  never  suspected  you  of  being  there,  or  1 
should  not  have  sung  that  mournful  air." 

I  started  and  looked  up,  and  from  what  I  know  not,  but  she 
suddenly  crimsoned  to  her  very  forehead,  while  she  added  in 
a  less  assured  tone, 

"  I  hope,  Mr.  O'Malley,  that  you  are  much  better,  and  I  trust 
there  is  no  imprudence  in  your  being  here." 

"  For  the  latter  I  shall  not  answer,"  said  I,  with  a  sickly 
smile ;  "  but  already  I  feel  your  music  has  done  me  service." 

"  Then  let  me  sing  more  for  you." 

"  If  I  am  to  have  a  choice,  I  should  say.  Sit  down,  and  let 
me  hear  you  talk  to  me.  My  illness  and  the  doctor  together 
have  made  wild  work  of  my  poor  brain ;  but,  if  you  will  talk 
to  me " 

"  Well,  then,  what  shall  it  be  about  ?  Shall  I  tell  you  a  fairy 
tale  ? " 

"  I  need  it  not :  I  feel  I  am  in  one  this  instant." 

"  Well,  then,  what  say  you  to  a  legend,  for  I  am  rich  in  my 
stores  of  them  ?  " 

"  The  O'Malleys  have  their  chronicles,  wild  and  barbarous 
enough,  without  the  aid  of  Thor  and  Woden." 

"  Then,  shall  we  chat  of  everyday  matters  ?  Should  you 
like  to  hear  how  the  election  and  the  canvass  go  on  ? " 

"  Yes,  of  all  things." 

"  Well,  then  most  favorably.  Two  baronies,  with  most  un- 
speakable names,  have  declared  for  us,  and  confidence  is 
rapidly  increasing  among  our  party.  This  I  learned  by  chance 
yesterday ;  for  papa  never  permits  us  to  know  anything  of 
these  matters — not  even  the  names  of  the  candidates." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  47 

"  Well,  that  was  the  very  point  I  was  coming  to,  for  the 
government  were  about  to  send  down  some  one  just  as  I  left 
home ;  and  I  am  most  anxious  to  learn  who  it  is." 

"  Then  am  I  utterly  valueless ;  for  I  really  can't  say 
what  party  the  government  espouses,  and  only  know  of  our 
own." 

"  Quite  enough  for  me  that  you  wish  it  success,"  said  I,  gal- 
lantly. "  Perhaps  you  can  tell  me  if  my  uncle  has  heard  of 
my  accident  ? " 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  but  somehow  he  has  not  been  here  himself,  but 
sent  a  friend — a  Mr.  Considine,  I  think ;  a  very  strange  person 
he  seemed.  He  demanded  to  see  papa,  and,  it  seems,  asked 
him  if  your  misfortune  had  been  a  thing  of  his  contrivance, 
and  whether  he  was  ready  to  explain  his  conduct  about  it ; 
and,  in  fact,  I  believe  he  is  mad." 

"  Heaven  confound  him,"  I  muttered  between  my  teeth. 

"  And  then  he  wished  to  have  an  interview  with  Captain 
Hammersley  ;  however,  he  is  too  ill ;  but  as  the  doctor  hoped 
he  might  be  downstairs  in  a  week,  j\Ir.  Considine  kindly  hinted 
that  he  should  wait." 

"Oh,  then,  do  tell  me  how  is  the  Captain." 

"Very  much  bruised,  very  much  disfigured,  they  say,"  said 
she,  half  smiling ;  "  but  not  so  much  hurt  in  body  as  in  mind." 

"  As  how,  may  I  ask  ?  "  said  I,  with  an  appearance  of  inno- 
cence. 

"  I  don't  exactly  understand  it ;  but  it  would  appear  that 
there  was  something  like  rivalry  among  you  gentlemen  chas- 
seurs on  that  luckless  morning,  and  what  while  you  paid  the 
penalty  of  a  broken  head,  he  was  destined  to  lose  his  horse 
and  break  his  arm." 

"  I  certainly  am  sorry — most  sincerely  sorry  for  any  share  I 
might  have  had  in  the  catastrophe ;  and  my  greatest  regret,  I 
confess,  arises  from  the  fact  that  I  should  cause  jw/  unhappi- 
ness." 

"ilA'/' — pray  explain." 


48                                   CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 
"  Why,  as  Captain  Hammersley " 


"  Mr.  O'Malley,  you  are  too  young  now  to  make  me  suspect 
you  have  an  intention  to  offend ;  but  I  caution  you,  never  re- 
peat this." 

I  saw  that  I  had  transgressed,  but  how,  I  most  honestly  con- 
fess, I  could  not  guess  ;  for  though  I  certainly  was  the  senior 
of  my  fair  companion  in  years,  I  was  most  lamentably  her 
junior  in  tact  and  discretion. 

The  gray  dusk  of  evening  had  long  fallen  as  we  continued 
to  chat  together  beside  the  blazing  wood  embers  ;  she  evidently 
amusing  herself  with  the  original  notions  of  an  untutored,  un- 
lettered boy,  and  I  drinking  deep  those  draughts  of  love  that 
nerved  my  heart  through  many  a  breach  and  battlefield. 

Our  colloquy  was  at  length  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of 
Sir  George  who  shook  me  most  cordially  by  the  hand,  and 
made  the  kindest  inquiries  about  my  health. 

"  They  tell  me  you  are  to  be  a  lawyer,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said 
he ;  "  and,  if  so,  I  must  advise  you  to  take  better  care  of  your 
headpiece." 

"  A  lawyer,  papa ;  oh  dear  me  !  I  should  never  have  thought 
of  his  being  anything  so  stupid." 

"  Why,  silly  girl,  what  would  you  have  a  man  be  ?  " 

"  A  dragoon  to  be  sure,  papa,"  said  the  fond  girl,  as  she 
pressed  his  arm  around  his  manly  figure,  and  looked  up  in  his 
face  with  an  expression  of  mingled  pride  and  affection. 

That  word  sealed  my  destiny. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   DINNER. 


When  I  retired  to  my  room  to  dress  for  dinner,  I  found  my 
servant  waiting  with  a  note  from  my  uncle,  to  which,  he  in- 
formed me,  the  messenger  expected  an  answer. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  49 

I  broke  the  seal  and  read : — 

"Dear  Charley, 

"  Do  not  lose  a  moment  in  securing  old  Blake — if  you  have  not 
already  done  so — as  information  has  just  reached  me  that  the  government 
party  has  promised  a  cornetcy  to  young  Matthew  if  he  can  bring  over  his 
father.  And  these  are  the  people  I  have  been  voting  with — a  few  private 
cases  excepted — for  thirty  odd  years  ? 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  your  accident.  Considine  informs  me  that  it  will 
need  explanation  at  a  later  period.  He  has  been  in  Athlone  since  Tuesday 
in  hopes  to  catch  the  new  candidate  on  his  way  down,  and  get  him  into  a 
little  private  quarrel  before  the  day  ;  if  he  succeed,  it  will  save  the  county 
much  expense,  and  conduce  greatly  to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  all 
parties.  But  '  these  things,'  as  Father  Roach  says,  '  are  in  the  hands  of 
Providence.'  You  must  also  persuade  old  Blake  to  write  a  few  lines  to 
Simon  Mallock,  about  the  Coolnamuck  mortgage.  We  can  give  him  no 
satisfaction  at  present,  at  least  such  as  he  looks  for ;  and  don't  be  philan- 
dering any  longer  where  you  are,  when  your  health  permits  a  change  of 
quarters. 

"  Your  affectionate  uncle, 

"  Godfrey  O'Malley. 

"P..S. — I  have  just  heard  from  Considine;  he  was  out  this  morning  and 
shot  a  fellow  in  the  knee,  but  finds  that  after  all  he  was  not  the  candidate, 
but  a  tourist  that  was  writing  a  book  about  Connemara. 

"  P.S.  No.  2. — Bear  the  mortgage  in  mind,  for  old  Mallock  is  a  spiteful 
fellow,  and  has  a  grudge  against  me,  since  I  horsewhipped  his  son  in 
Banagher.     Oh,  the  worid,  the  world! — G.  O'M." 

Until  I  read  this  very  clear  epistle  to  the  end,  I  had  no  veiy 
precise  conception  how  completely  I  had  forgotten  all  my 
uncle's  interests,  and  neglected  all  his  injunctions.  Already 
five  days  had  elapsed,  and  I  had  not  as  much  as  mooted  the 
question  to  ]\[r.  Blake,  and  probably  all  this  time  my  uncle  was 
calculating  on  the  thing  as  concluded  ;  but,  with  one  hole  in 
my  head  and  some  half-dozen  in  my  heart,  my  memory  was 
none  of  the  best. 

Snatching  up  the  letter,  therefore,  I  resolved  to  lose  no  more 
time  ;  and  proceeded  at  once  to  Mr.  Blake's  room  expecting 
that  I  should,  as  the  event  proved,  find   him  engaged   in   the 
verv  laborious  duty  of  making  his  toilette. 
4 


^0  CilARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Come  in,  Charley,"  said  he,  as  I  tapped  gently  at  the  door ; 
"it's  only  Charley,  my  darling;   Mrs.  B.  won't  mind  you." 

"Not  the  least  in  life,"  responded  Mrs.  B.,  disposing  at  the 
same  time  a  pair  of  her  husband's  corduroys,  tippet  fashion, 
across  her  ample  shoulders,  which  before  were  displayed  in 
the  plenitude  and  breadth  of  coloring  we  find  in  a  Rubens. 
"  Sit  down,  Charley,  and  tell  us  what's  the  matter." 

As,  until  this  moment,  I  was  in  perfect  ignorance  of  the 
Adam  and  Eve-like  simplicity  in  which  the  private  economy  of 
Mr.  Blake's  household  was  conducted,  I  would  have  gladly  re- 
tired from  what  I  found  to  be  a  mutual  territory  of  dressing- 
room,  had  not  Mr.  Blake's  injunctions  been  issued  somewhat 
like  an  order  to  remain. 

"  It's  only  a  letter,  sir,"  said  I  stuttering,  "  from  my  uncle, 
about  the  election.  He  says  that,  as  his  majority  is  now  cer- 
tain, he  should  feel  better  pleased  in  going  to  the  poll  with  all 
the  family,  you  know,  sir,  along  with  him.  He  wishes  me  just 
to  sound  your  intentions — to  make  out  how  you  feel  disposed 
towards  him ;  and — and,  faith,  as  I  am  but  a  poor  diplomatist, 
I  thought  the  best  way  was  to  come  straight  to  the  point  and 
tell  you  so." 

"  I  perceive,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  giving  his  chin  at  the  moment 
an  awful  gash  with  the  razor,  "  I  perceive  ;  go  on," 

"  Well,  sir,  I  have  little  more  to  say ;  my  uncle  knows  what 
influence  you  have  in  Scariff,  and  expects  you'll  do  what  you 
can  there." 

"  Anything  more  t  "  said  Blake,  with  a  very  dry  and  quizzical 
expression  I  didn't  half  like — "  anything  more  ?  " 

"Oh,  yes,  you  are  to  write  a  line  to  old  Mallock." 

"  I  understand  ;  about  Coolnamuck,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Exactly  ;  I  believe  that's  all." 

"  Well  now,  Charley,  you  may  go  downstairs,  and  we'll  talk 
it  over  after  dinner." 

"  Yes,  Charley  dear,  go  down,  for  I'm  going  to  draw  on  my 
stockings,"  said  the  fair  Mrs.  Blake,  with  a  look  of  very  modest 
consciousness. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiW 


SI 


When  I  had  left  the  room,  I  couldn't  help  muttering  a 
"  Thank  God  !  "  for  tlie  success  of  a  mission  I  more  than  once 
feared  for,  and  hastened  to  dispatch  a  note  to  my  uncle,  assur- 
ing him  of  the  Blake  interest,  and  adding  that,  for  propriety's 
sake,  I  should  defer  my  departure  for  a  day  or  two  longer. 

This  done,  with  a  heart  lightened  of  its  load,  and  in  high  spirits 
at  my  cleverness,  I  descended  to  the  drawing-room.  Here  a 
very  large  party  were  already  assembled,  and,  at  every  open- 
ing of  the  door,  a  new  relay  of  Blakes,  Burkes,  and  Bodkins, 
was  introduced.  In  the  absence  of  tlie  host.  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood  was  "  making  the  agreeable  "  to  the  guests,  and  shook 
hands  with  every  new  arrival,  with  all  the  warmth  and  cordi- 
ality of  old  friendship.  While  thus  he  inquired  for  various 
absent  individuals,  and  asked,  most  affectionately,  for  sundry 
aunts  and  uncles,  not  forthcoming,  a  slight  incident  occurred, 
which,  by  its  ludicrous  turn,  served  to  shorten  the  long  half 
hour  before  dinner.  An  individual  of  the  party,  a  Mr.  Blake, 
had,  from  certain  peculiarities  of  face,  obtained,  in  his  boyhood, 
the  sobriquet  of  "  Shave-the-wind."  This  hatchet-like  confor 
mation  had  grown  with  his  growth,  and  perpetuated  upon  hiiK 
a  nickname,  by  which  alone  was  he  ever  spoken  of  among  hia 
friends  and  acquaintances  ;  the  only  difference  being  that,  as 
he  came  to  man's  estate,  brevity,  that  soul  of  wit,  had  curtailed 
the  epithet  to  mere  "  Shave."  Now,  Sir  George  had  been 
hearing  frequent  reference  made  to  him  always  by  this  name, 
heard  him  ever  so  addressed,  and  perceived  him  to  reply  to  it ; 
so  that,  when  he  was  himself  asked  by  some  one  what  sport  he 
had  found  that  day  among  the  woodcocks,  he  answered  at  once, 
with  a  bow  of  very  grateful  acknowledgment,  "  Excellent,  in- 
deed, but  entirely  owing  to  wlicre  I  was  placed  in  the  copse  ; 
had  it  not  been  for  Mr.  Shave  there " 

I  need  not  say  that  the  remainder  of  his  speech,  being  heard 
on  all  sides,  became  one  universal  shout  of  laughter,  in  which, 
to  do  him  justice,  the  excellent  Shave  himself  licartily  joined. 
Scarcely  were  the  sounds  of  mirth  lulled  into  an  apparent  calm, 


52  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

when  the  door  opened,  and  the  host  and  hostess  appeared. 
Mrs.  Blake  advanced  in  all  the  plenitude  of  her  charms, 
arrayed  in  crimson  satin,  sorely  injured  in  its  freshness  by  a 
patch  of  grease  upon  the  front,  about  the  same  size  and  shape 
as  the  continent  of  Europe,  in  Arrovvsmith's  Atlas ;  a  swans- 
down  tippet  covered  her  shoulders ;  massive  bracelets  orna- 
mented her  wrists ;  while  from  her  ears  descended  two  Irish 
diamond  earings,  rivalling  in  magnitude  and  in  value  the  glass 
pendants  of  a  lustre.  Her  reception  of  her  guests  made  ample 
amends  in  warmth  and  cordiality,  for  any  deficiency  of  ele- 
gance ;  and,  as  she  disposed  her  ample  proportions  upon  the 
sofa,  and  looked  around  upon  the  company,  she  appeared  the 
very  impersonation  of  hospitality. 

After  several  openings  and  shuttings  of  the  drawing-room 
door,  accompanied  by  the  appearance  of  old  Simon  the  butler, 
who  counted  the  party  at  least  five  times  before  he  was  certain 
that  the  score  was  correct,  dinner  was  at  length  announced. 
Now  came  a  moment  of  difficulty,  and  one  which,  as  testing 
Mr.  Blake's  tact,  he  would  gladly  have  seen  devolve  upon  some 
other  shoulders ;  for  he  well  knew  that  the  marshalling  a  room 
full  of  mandarins,  blue,  green,  and  yellow,  was  "  cakes  and 
gingerbread  "  to  ushering  a  Galway  party  in  to  dinner. 

First,  then,  was  Mr.  Miles  Bodkin,  whose  grandfather  would 
have  been  a  lord  if  Cromwell  had  not  hanged  him  one  fine 
morning.  Then  Mrs.  Mosey  Blake's  first  husband  was  prom- 
ised the  title  of  Kilmacud  if  it  was  ever  restored,  whereas 
Mrs.  French  of  Knocktumnor's  mother  was  then  at  law  for  a 
title ;  and,  lastly,  Mrs.  Joe  Burke  was  fourth  cousin  to  Lord 
Clanricarde,  as  is  or  will  be  every  Burke  from  this  to  the  day 
of  judgment.  Now,  luckily  for  her  prospects,  the  lord  was 
alive  ;  and  Mr.  Blake,  remembering  a  very  sage  adage  about 
**dead  lions,"  etc.,  solved  the  difficulty  at  once  by  gracefully 
tucking  the  lady  under  his  arm  and  leading  the  way.  The 
others  soon  followed,  the  priest  of  Cortumna  and  my  unworthy 
self  bringing  up  the  rear. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  53 

When,  many  a  year  afterwards,  the  hard  ground  of  a  mount- 
ain bivouac,  with  its  pitiful  portion  of  pickled  cork-tree,  yclept 
mess-beef,  and  that  pyro-ligneous  aquafortis  they  call  corn- 
brandy,  have  been  my  hard  fare,  I  often  looked  back  to  that 
day's  dinner  with  a  most  heart-yearning  sensation  :  a  turbot  as 
big  as  the  Waterloo  shield — a  sirloin  that  seemed  cut  from  the 
sides  of  a  rhinoceros — a  sauce-boat  that  contained  an  oyster- 
bed.  There  was  a  turkey,  which  singly  would  have  formed 
the  main  army  of  a  French  dinner,  doing  mere  outpost  duty, 
flanked  by  a  picket  of  ham  and  a  detached  squadron  of  chick- 
ens, carefully  ambushed  in  a  forest  of  greens ;  potatoes,  not 
disguised  k  la  maUre  d^hbtd  and  tortured  to  resemble  bad 
macaroni,  but  piled  like  shot  in  an  ordnance-yard,  were  posted 
at  different  quarters ;  while  massive  decanters  of  port  and 
sherry  stood  proudly  up  like  standard-bearers  amid  the  goodly 
array.  This  was  none  of  your  austere  "great  dinners,"  where 
a  cold  and  chilling  plateau  of  artificial  nonsense  cuts  off  one- 
half  of  the  table  from  intercourse  with  the  other ;  when  whis- 
pered sentences  constitute  the  conversation,  and  all  the  friendly 
recognition  of  wine-drinking,  which  renews  acquaintance  and 
cements  an  intimacy,  is  replaced  by  the  ceremonious  filling  of 
your  glass  by  a  lackey — where  smiles  go  current  in  lieu  of 
kind  speeches,  and  epigram  aud  smartness  form  the  substitute 
for  the  broad  jest  and  merry  story.  Far  from  it.  Here  the 
company  ate,  drank,  talked,  laughed,  did  all  but  sing,  and  cer- 
tainly enjoyed  themselves  heartily.  As  for  me,  I  was  little 
more  than  a  listener,  and  such  was  the  crash  of  plates,  the 
jingle  of  glasses,  and  the  clatter  of  voices,  that  fragments  only 
of  what  was  passing  around  reached  me,  giving  to  the  conver 
sation  of  the  party  a  character  occasionally  somewhat  incon- 
gruous. Thus  such  sentences  as  the  following  ran  foul  of  each 
other  every  instant : — 

"  No  better  land  in  Galway  " — "  where  could  you  find  such 
facilities  " — "  for  shooting  Mr.  Jones  on  his  way  home  " — "  the 
truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth" — "kiss" — 


54  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Miss  Blake  she's  the  girl  with  a  foot  and  ankle  " — "  Daly  has 
never  had  wool  on  his  sheep  " — "  how  could  he  " — "  what  does 
he  pay  for  the  mountain  " — "  four  and  ten  pence  a  yard  " — not  a 
penny  less " — "  all  the  cabbage-stalks  and  potato-skins  " — 
"with  some  bog  stuff  through  it  " — "that's  the  thing  too" — 
"make  soup,  with  a  red  herring  in  it  instead  of  salt  " — "and 
when  he  proposed  for  my  niece,  Ma'am,  says  he  " — "  mix  a 
strong  tumbler,  and  I'll  make  a  shake-down  for  you  on  the 
floor  " — "  and  may  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  your  soul  " — "  and 
now  down  the  middle  and  up  again  " — "  Captain  Magan,  my 
dear,  he  is  the  man  " — "  to  shave  a  pig  properly  " — "  it's  not 
money  I'm  looking  for,  says  he,  the  girl  of  my  heart  " — "  if  she 
had  not  a  wind  gall  and  two  spavins  " — "  I'd  have  given  her 
the  rights  of  the  church,  of  coorse,"  said  Father  Roach,  bring- 
ing up  the  rear  of  this  ill-assorted  jargon. 

Such  were  the  scattered  links  of  conversation  I  was  con- 
demned to  listen  to,  till  a  general  rise  on  the  part  of  the  ladies 
left  us  alone  to  discuss  our  wine,  and  enter  in  good  earnest 
upon  the  more  serious  duties  of  the  evening. 

Scarcely  was  the  door  closed  when  one  of  the  company, 
seizing  the  bell-rope,  said,  "  With  your  leave,  Blake,  we'll  have 
the  '  dew  '  now." 

"Good  claret— no  better,"  said  another;  "  but  it  sits  mighty 
cold  on  the  stomach," 

"  There's  nothing  like  the  groceries,  after  all — eh.  Sir 
George  ?  "  said  an  old  Galway  squire  to  the  English  general, 
who  acceded  to  the  fact,  which  he  understood  in  a  very  dif- 
ferent sense. 

"  Oh,  punch,  you  are  my  darlin',"  hummed  another,  as  a  large 
square  half-gallon  decanter  of  whisky  was  placed  on  the  table, 
the  various  decanters  of  wine  being  now  ignominiously  sent 
down  to  the  end  of  the  board  without  any  evidence  of  regret 
on  any  face  save  Sir  George  Dashwood's,  who  mixed  his  tum- 
bler with  a  very  rebellious  conscience. 

Whatever  were  the  noise  and  clamor  of  the  company  before 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  55 

they  were  nothing  to  what  now  ensued.  As  one  party  were 
discussing  the  approaching  contest,  another  was  planning  a 
steeple-chase  ;  while  two  individuals,  unhappily  removed  from 
each  other  the  entire  length  of  the  table,  were  what  is  called 
"challenging  each  other's  effects  "  in  a  very  remarkable  man- 
ner, the  process  so  styled  being  an  exchange  of  property,  when 
each  party,  setting  an  imaginary  value  upon  some  article,  bar- 
ters it  for  another,  the  amount  of  boot  paid  and  received  being 
determined  by  a  third  person,  who  is  the  umpire.  Thus  a  gold 
breast-pin  was  swapped,  as  the  phrase  is,  against  a  horse ; 
then  a  pair  of  boots,  then  a  Kerry  bull,  etc., — every  imagi- 
nable species  of  property  coming  into  the  market.  Sometimes, 
as  matters  of  very  dubious  value  turned  up,  great  laughter  was 
the  result.  In  this  very  national  pastime,  a  Mr.  Miles  Bodkin, 
a  noted  fire-eater  of  the  west,  was  a  great  proficient,  and,  it  is 
said,  once  so  completely  succeeded  in  despoiling  an  uninitiated 
hand,  that,  after  winning  in  succession  his  horse,  gig,  harness, 
etc.,  he  proceeded  seriatun  to  his  watch,  ring,  clothes,  and  port- 
manteau, and  actually  concluded  by  winning  all  he  possessed, 
and  kindly  lent  him  a  card-cloth  to  cover  him  on  his  way  to 
the  hotel.  His  success  on  the  present  occasion  was  consider- 
able, and  his  spirits  proportionate.  The  decanter  had  thrice 
been  replenished,  and  the  flushed  faces  and  thickened  utter- 
ance of  the  guests  evinced  that  from  the  cold  properties  of  the 
claret  there  was  but  little  to  dread.  As  for  Mr.  Bodkin,  his 
manner  was  incapable  of  any  higher  flight,  when  under  the  in- 
fluence of  whisky,  than  what  it  evinced  on  common  occa- 
sions ;  and,  as  he  sat  at  the  end  of  the  table,  fronting  Mr.  Blake 
he  assumed  all  the  dignity  of  the  ruler  of  the  feast,  with  an 
energy  no  one  seemed  disposed  to  question.  In  answer  to 
some  observations  of  Sir  George,  he  was  led  into  something 
like  an  oration  upon  the  peculiar  excellences  of  his  native  coun- 
try, which  ended  in  a  declaration  that  there  was  nothing  like 
(ialway. 

''Why  don't  you   give   us   a   song,   Miles?    and    maybe   the 


56  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

General  would  learn  more  from  it  than  all  your  speech- 
making." 

"  To  be  sure,"  cried  the  several  voices  together ;  "  to  be 
sure  :  let  us  hear  the  '  Man  for  Galway  ! '  " 

Sir  George  having  joined  most  warmly  in  the  request,  Mr. 
Bodkin  filled  up  his  glass  to  the  brim,  bespoke  a  chorus  to  his 
chant,  and,  clearing  his  voice  with  a  deep  hem,  began  the  fol- 
lowing ditty,  to  the  air  which  Moore  has  since  rendered  im- 
mortal, by  the  beautiful  song,  "  Wreath  the  Bowl,"  etc.  And 
although  the  words  are  well  known  in  the  west,  for  the  infor- 
mation of  less  favored  regions  I  here  transcribe 

"  •  THE  MAN  FOR  GALWAY.' 

"  To  drink  a  toast, 
A  proctor  roast, 

Or  bailiff  as  tlie  case  Is, 
To  kiss  your  wife 
Or  take  your  life 

At  ten  or  fifteen  paces; 
To  keep  game  cocks — to  hunt  the  fox. 

To  drink  in  punch  the  Solway, 
With  debts  galore,  but  fun  far  more ; 

Oh,  that's  '  the  man  for  Galway.' 

Chorus — With  debts,  etc. 

"The  King  of  Oude 
Is  mighty  proud, 

And  so  were  oust  the  Caysars — (Csesars) 
But  ould  Giles  Eyre 
Would  make  them  stare, 

Av  he  had  them  with  the  Blazers ; 
To  the  devil  I  fling — ould  Runjeet  Sing, 

He's  only  a  prince  in  a  small  way, 
And  knows  nothing  at  ali  of  a  eix-foot  wall ; 

Oh,  he'd  never  '  do  for  Galway.' 

Chonis— With  debts,  etc. 

"  Ye  think  the  Blakes 
Are  no  '  great  shakes ;  ' 

They're  all  his  blood  relations, 
And  the  Bodkins  sneeze 
At  the  grim  Chinese, 

For  they  cotne  froin  the  Phenaycians  ; 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  57 

So  fill  the  brim,  and  here's  to  him 

Who'd  drink  in  punch  the  Solway ; 
With  debts  galore,  but  fun  far  more ; 

Oh !  that's  '  the  man  for  Galway.' 

Chorus — With  debts,  etc." 

I  much  fear  that  the  reception  of  this  very  classic  ode  would 
not  be  as  favorable  in  general  companies  as  it  was  on  the  oc- 
casion I  first  heard  it,  for  certainly  the  applause  was  almost 
deafening ;  and  even  Sir  George,  the  defects  of  whose  English 
education  left  some  of  the  allusions  out  of  his  reach,  was  highly 
amused,  and  laughed  heartily. 

The  conversation  once  more  reverted  to  the  election,  and 
although  I  was  too  far  from  those  who  seemed  best  informed 
on  the  matter  to  hear  much,  I  could  catch  enough  to  discover 
that  the  feeling  was  a  confident  one.  This  was  gratifying  to 
me,  as  I  had  some  scruples  about  my  so  long  neglecting  my 
uncle's  cause. 

"  We  have  Scariff  to  a  man,"  said  Bodkin. 

"  And  Mosey's  tenantry,"  said  another.  "  I  swear,  though 
there's  not  a  freehold  registered  on  the  estate,  that  they'll  vote, 
every  mother's  son  of  them,  or  devil  a  stone  of  the  Court-house 
I'iiey'll  leave  standing  on  another." 

"  And  may  the  Lord  look  to  the  returning  officer  !  "  said  a 
:hird,  throwing  up  his  eyes. 

"  Mosey's  tenantry  are  droll  boys,  and,  like  their  landlord, 
more  by  token — they  never  pay  any  rent." 

"  And  what  for  shouldn't  they  vote  ?  "  said  a  dry-looking 
little  old  fellow  in  a  red  waistcoat :  "  when  I  was  the  dead 
agent " 

"  The  dead  agent !  "  interrupted  Sir  George,  with  a  start. 

"Just  so,"  said  the  old  fellow,  pulling  down  his  spectacles 
*rom  his  forehead,  and  casting  a  half-angry  look  at  Sir  George, 
for  what  he  had  suspected  to  be  a  doubt  of  his  veracity. 

"The  General  does  not  know,  maybe,  what  that  is,"  said 
some  one. 

"It  is  the  dead  agent,"  says   Mr.  Blake,  "who  always  pro- 


58  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

vides  substitutes  for  any  voters  that  may  have  died  since  tiie 
last  election.  A  very  important  fact  in  statistics  may  thus  be 
gathered  from  the  poll-books  of  this  county,  which  proves  it  to 
be  the  healthiest  part  of  Europe — a  freeholder  has  not  died  in 
it  for  the  last  fifty  years." 

"The  '  Kiltopher  boys'  won't  come  this  time — they  say 
there's  no  use  trying  to  vote  when  so  many  were  transported 
last  assizes  for  perjury." 

"  They're  poor-spirited  creatures,"  said  another. 

"  Not  they — they  are  as  decent  boys  as  any  we  have — they're 
willing  to  wreck  the  town  for  fifty  shillings '  worth  of  spirits ; 
besides,  if  they  don't  vote  for  the  county,  they  will  for  the 
borough." 

This  declaration  seemed  to  restore  these  interesting  individ- 
uals to  favor,  and  now  all  attention  was  turned  towards 
Bodkin,  who  was  detailing  the  plan  of  a  grand  attack  upon  the 
polling-booths,  to  be  headed  by  himself.  By  this  time  all  the 
prudence  and  guardedness  of  the  party  had  given  way — 
whisky  was  in  the  ascendant,  and  every  bold  stroke  of 
election  policy,  every  cunning  artifice,  every  ingenious  de- 
vice, was  detailed  and  applauded,  in  a  manner  which  proved 
that  self-respect  was  not  the  inevitable  gift  of  "  mountain 
dew." 

The  mirth  and  fun  grew  momentarily  more  boisterous, 
and  Miles  Bodkin,  who  had  twice  before  been  prevented 
proposing  some  toast,  by  a  telegraphic  signal  from  the  other 
end  of  the  table,  now  swore  that  nothing  should  prevent  him 
any  longer,  and  rising  with  a  smoking  tumbler  in  his  hand, 
delivered  himself  as  follows  : 

"  No,  no,  Phil  Blake,  ye  needn't  be  winkin'  at  me  that  way — 
it's  little  I  care  for  the  spawn  of  the  ould  serpent."  [Here  great 
cheers  greeted  the  speaker,  in  which,  without  well  knowing  why, 
I  heartily  joined.]  "I'm  going  to  give  a  toast,  boys — a  real 
good  toast — none  of  your  sentimental  things  about  wall-flowers, 
or  the  vernal  equinox,  or  that  kind  of  thing,  but  a  sensible, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  59 

patriotic,  manly,  intrepid  toast ;  a  toast  you  must  drink  in 
the  most  universal,  laborious,  and  awful  manner — do  ye  see 
now  ? "  [Loud  cheers.]  "  If  any  man  of  you  here  present 
doesn't  drain  this  toast  to  the  bottom — (here  the  speaker 
looked  fixedly  at  me,  as  did  the  rest  of  the  company) — then, 
by  the  great  gun  of  Athlone,  I'll  make  him  eat  the  decanter, 
glass  stopper  and  all,  for  the  good  of  his  digestion — d'ye  see 
now  ?" 

The  cheering  at  this  mild  determination  prevented  my  hear- 
ing what  followed  ;  but  the  peroration  consisted  in  a  very  glow- 
ing eulogy  upon  some  person  unknown,  and  a  speedy  return  to 
him  as  member  for  Galway.  Amid  all  the  noise  and  tumult 
at  this  critical  moment,  nearly  every  eye  at  the  table  was 
turned  upon  me  ;  and,  as  I  concluded  that  they  had  been 
drinking  my  uncle's  health,  I  thundered  away  at  the  mahogany 
with  all  my  energy.  At  length,  the  hip,  hipping  over,  and  com- 
parative quiet  restored,  I  rose  from  my  seat  to  return  thanks — 
but,  strange  enough.  Sir  George  Dashwood  did  so  likewise  ;  and 
there  we  both  stood  amid  an  uproar  that  might  well  have  shaken 
the  courage  of  more  practised  orators  ;  while  from  every  side 
came  cries  of  "  Hear,  hear  " — "  Go  on,  Sir  George  " — "  Speak 
out.  General  "— "  Sit  down,  Charley  "— "  Confound  the  boy  "— 
"  Knock  the  legs  from  under  him,"  etc.  Not  understanding 
why  Sir  George  should  interfere  with  what  I  regarded  as  my 
peculiar  duty,  I  resolved  not  to  give  way,  and  avowed  this  de- 
termination in  no  very  equivocal  terms.  "  In  that  case,"  said 
the  General,  "  I  am  to  suppose  that  the  young  gentleman  moves 
an  amendment  to  your  proposition  ;  and,  as  the  etiquette  is  in 
his  favor,  I  yield." — Here  he  resumed  his  place,  amid  a  most 
terrific  scene  of  noise  and  tumult,  while  several  humane  pro- 
posals, as  to  my  treatment,  were  made  around  me,  and  a  kind 
suggestion  thrown  out  to  break  my  neck,  by  a  near  neighbor. 
Mr.  Blake  at  length  prevailed  upon  the  party  to  hear  what  I 
had  to  say — for  he  was  certain  I  should  not  detain  them 
above  a  minute.      The  commotion  having  in  some  measure  sub- 


6o  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

sided,  I  began  :  "  Gentlemen,  as  the  adopted  son  of  the  worthy 

man  whose  health  you  have  just  drunk "     Heaven  knows 

how  I  should  have  continued— but  here  my  eloquence  was 
met  by  such  a  roar  of  laughing  as  I  never  before  listened  to  ; 
from  one  end  of  the  board  to  the  other  it  was  one  continued 
shout,  and  went  on,  too,  as  if  all  the  spare  lungs  of  the  party 
had  been  kept  in  reserve  for  the  occasion.  I  turned  from 
one  to  the  other — I  tried  to  smile,  and  seemed  to  participate 
in  the  joke,  but  failed ;  I  frowned — I  looked  savagely  about 
where  I  could  see  enough  to  turn  my  wrath  thitherward ;  and 
as  it  chanced,  not  in  vain  ;  for  Mr.  Miles  Bodkin,  with  an  in- 
tuitive perception  of  my  wishes,  most  suddenly  ceased  his 
mirth,  and,  assuming  a  look  of  frowning  defiance  that  had 
done  him  good  service  upon  many  former  occasions,  rose  and 
said : 

"  Well,  sir,  I  hope  you're  proud  of  yourself — you've  made  a 
nice  beginning  of  it,  and  a  pretty  story  you'll  have  for  your 
uncle.  But  if  you'd  like  to  break  the  news  by  a  letter,  the 
General  will  have  great  pleasure  in  franking  it  for  you  ;  for, 
by  the  rock  of  Cashel,  we'll  carry  him  in  against  all  the 
O'Malleys  that  ever  cheated  the  Sheriff." 

Scarcely  were  the  words  uttered,  when  I  seized  my  wine- 
glass, and  hurled  it  with  all  my  force  at  his  head  ;  so  sudden 
was  the  act,  and  so  true  the  aim,  that  Mr.  Bodkin  measured 
his  length  upon  the  Hoor  ere  his  friends  could  appreciate  his 
late  eloquent  effusion.  The  scene  now  became  terrific ;  for 
though  the  redoubted  Miles  was  hors  de  combat,  his  friends 
made  a  tremendous  rush  at,  and  would  infallibly  have  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  me,  had  not  Blake  and  four  or  five  others 
interposed.  Amid  a  desperate  struggle,  which  lasted  for  some 
minutes,  I  was  torn  from  the  spot,  carried  bodily  upstairs,  and 
pitched  headlong  into  my  own  room,  where,  having  doubly 
locked  the  door  on  the  outside,  they  left  me  to  my  own  cool 
and  not  over-agreeable  reflections. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  6l 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  FLIGHT  FROM  GURT-NA-.MORRA. 

Ir  was  by  one  of  those  sudden  and  inexplicable  revulsions 
which  occasionally  restore  to  sense  and  intellect  the  maniac 
of  years'  standing,  that  I  was  no  sooner  left  alone  in  my  cham- 
ber than  I  became  perfectly  sober.  The  fumes  of  the  wane — 
and  I  had  drunk  deeply — were  dissipated  at  once ;  my  head, 
which  but  a  moment  before  was  half  wild  with  excitement,  was 
now  cool,  calm,  and  collected  ;  and,  stranger  than  all,  I,  who 
had  only  an  hour  since  entered  the  dining-room  with  all  the 
unsuspecting  freshness  of  boyhood,  became  by  a  mighty  bound, 
a  man — a  man  in  all  my  feelings  of  responsibility,  a  man  who, 
repelling  an  insult  by  an  outrage,  had  resolved  to  stake  his 
life  upon  the  chance.  In  an  instant  a  new^  era  in  life  had 
opened  before  me — the  light-headed  gaiety  which  fearlessness 
and  youth  impart,  was  replaced  by  one  absorbing  thought — 
one  all-engrossing,  all-pervading  impression  that  if  I  did  not 
follow  up  my  quarrel  with  Bodkin,  I  was  dishonored  and  dis- 
graced ;  my  little  knowledge  of  such  matters  not  being  suffi- 
cient to  assure  me  that  I  was  now  the  aggressor,  and  that  any 
further  steps  in  the  affair  should  come  from  his  side. 

So  thoroughly  did  my  own  grief,  occupy  me,  that  I  had  no 
thought  for  the  disappointment  my  poor  uncle  was  destined  to 
meet  with  in  hearing  that  the  Blake  interest  was  lost  to  him, 
and  the  former  breach  between  the  families  irreparably  widened 
by  the  events  of  the  evening.  Escape  was  my  first  thought ; 
but  how  to  accomplish  it .' — the  door,  a  solid  one  of  Irish  oak, 
doubly  locked   and  bolted,  defied  all  my  efforts   to  break  it 


62  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

open  ;  the  window  was  at  least  five-and-twenty  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  not  a  tree  near  to  swing  into.  I  shouted,  I  called 
aloud,  I  opened  the  sash,  and  tried  if  any  one  outside  were 
within  hearing ;  but  in  vain.  Weary  and  exhausted,  I  sat 
down  upon  my  bed  and  ruminated  over  my  fortunes.  Ven- 
geance— quick,  entire,  decisive  vengeance — I  thirsted  and 
panted  for ;  and  every  moment  I  lived  under  the  insult  inflicted 
on  me,  seemed  an  age  of  torturing  and  maddening  agony.  I 
rose  with  a  leap  ;  a  thought  had  just  occurred  to  me.  I  drew 
the  bed  towards  the  window,  and  fastening  the  sheet  to  one  of 
the  posts  with  a  firm  knot,  I  twisted  it  into  a  rope,  and  let  my- 
self down  to  within  about  twelve  feet  of  the  ground,  when  I  let 
go  my  hold,  and  dropped  upon  the  grass  beneath,  safe  and  un- 
injured. A  thin  misty  rain  was  falling,  and  I  now  perceived, 
for  the  first  time,  that  in  my  haste  I  had  forgotten  my  hat ; 
this  thought,  however,  gave  me  little  uneasiness,  and  I  took 
my  way  towards  the  stable,  resolving,  if  I  could,  to  saddle  my 
horse  and  get  off  before  any  intimation  of  my  escape  reached 
the  family. 

When  I  gained  the  yard  all  was  quiet  and  deserted ;  the 
servants  were  doubtless  enjoying  themselves  below  stairs  ;  and 
I  met  no  one  in  the  way.  I  entered  the  stable,  threw  the  sad- 
dle upon  "  Badger,''  and,  before  five  minutes  from  my  descent 
from  the  window  was  galloping  towards  O'Malley  Castle  at  a 
pace  that  defied  pursuit,  had  any  one  thought  of  it. 

It  was  about  five  o'clock  on  a  dark  wintry  morning  as  I  led 
my  horse  through  the  well-known  defiles  of  out-houses  and 
stables  which  formed  the  long  line  of  offices  to  my  uncle's 
house.  As  yet  no  one  was  stirring  ;  and  as  I  wished  to  have 
my  arrival  a  secret  from  the  family,  after  providing  for  the 
wants  of  my  gallant  gray,  I  lifted  the  latch  of  the  kitchen  door 
— no  other  fastening  being  ever  thought  necessary,  even  at 
night — and  gently  groped  my  way  towards  the  stairs  ;  all  was 
perfectly  still,  and  the  silence  now  recalled  me  to  reflection  as 
to  what  course  I  should  pursue.     It  was  all-important  that  my 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  63 

uncle  should  know  nothing  of  my  quarrel,  otherwise  he  would 
inevitabl}^  make  it  his  own,  and,  by  treating  me  like  a  boy  in 
the  matter,  give  the  whole  affair  the  very  turn  I  most  dreaded. 
Then,  as  to  Sir  Harry  Boyle,  he  would  most  certainly  turn  the 
whole  thing  into  ridicule,  make  a  good  story,  perhaps  a  song 
out  of  it,  and  laugh  at  my  notions  of  demanding  satisfaction. 
Considine,  I  knew,  was  my  man  ;  but  then  he  was  at  Athlone 
— at  least  so  my  uncle's  letter  mentioned  ;  perhaps  he  might 
have  returned  ;  if  not,  to  Athlone  I  should  set  off  at  once. 
So  resolving,  I  stole  noiselessly  upstairs,  and  reached  the 
door  of  the  Count's  chamber  ;  I  opened  it  gently,  and  en- 
tered ;  and  though  my  step  was  almost  imperceptible  to  myself, 
it  was  quite  sufficient  to  alarm  the  watchful  occupant  of  the 
room,  who,  springing  up  in  his  bed,  demanded  gruffly,  "  Who's 
there  ? " 

"Charles,  sir,"  said  I,  shutting  the  door  carefully,  and  ap- 
proaching his  bedside.  "  Charles  O'Malley,  sir.  I'm  come 
to  have  a  bit  of  your  advice  ;  and,  as  the  affair  won't  keep,  I 
have  been  obliged  to  disturb  you." 

"  Never  mind,  Charley,"  said  the  Count ;  "  sit  down,  there's 
a  chair  somewhere  near  the  bed — have  you  found  it.?  There — 
well  now,  what  is  it  ?     What  news  of  Blake  .-'  " 

"  Very  bad  ;  no  worse.     But  it  is  not  exactly  that  I  came 

about,  I've  got  into  a  scrape,  sir." 

"  Run  off  with  one  of  the  daughters,"  said  Considine.     "  By 

jingo,  I  knew  what  those  artful  devils  would  be  after." 

"  Not  so  bad  as  that,"  said  I,  laughing.     "  It's  just  a  row,  a 

kind  of  squabble  :  something  that  must  come " 

"Ay,  ay,"   said   the   Count,  brightening  up;   "say   you   so, 

Charley?     ]!cgad,  the  young   ones   will  beat  us  all  out  of  the 

field.     Who  is   it   with — not  old  P.lake  himself — how  was  it  ; 

tell  me  all." 

I   immediately  detailed   the  whole  events  of  the  preceding 

chapter,  as  well  as  his  frequent  interruptions  would  permit,  and 

concluded  by  asking  what  further  step  was  now  to  be  taken, 


64  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

as  I  was  resolved  the  matter  should  be  concluded  before  it 
came  to  my  uncle's  ears. 

"There  you  are  all  right ;  quite  correct,  my  boy.  But  there 
are  many  points  I  should  have  wished  otherwise  in  the  con- 
duct of  the  affair  hitherto." 

Conceiving  that  he  was  displeased  at  my  petulance  and 
boldness,  I  was  about  to  commence  a  kind  of  defence,  when 
he  added — 

"  Because,  you  see,"  said  he,  assuming  an  oracular  tone  of 
voice,  "  throwing  a  wine-glass,  with  or  without  wine,  in  a  man's 
face,  is  merely,  as  you  may  observe,  a  mark  of  denial  and 
displeasure  at  some  observation  he  may  have  made,  not  in  any 
wise  intended  to  injure  him,  further  than  in  the  wound  to  his 
honor  at  being  so  insulted,  for  which,  of  course,  he  must 
subsequently  call  you  out.  Whereas,  Charley,  in  the  present 
case,  the  view  I  take  is  different ;  the  expression  of  Mr.  Bod- 
kin, as  regards  your  uncle,  was  insulting  to  a  degree — gratui- 
tously offensive,  and  warranting  a  blow.  Therefore,  my  boy, 
you  should  under  such  circumstances,  have  preferred  aiming 
at  him  with  a  decanter — a  cut-glass  decanter,  well  aimed  and 
low,  I  have  seen  do  effective  service.  However,  as  you  remark, 
it  was  your  first  thing  of  the  kind,  I  am  pleased  with  you — 
very  much  pleased  with  you.  Now,  then,  for  the  next  step." 
So  saying,  he  arose  from  his  bed,  and  striking  a  light  with  a 
tinder-box,  proceeded  to  dress  himself  as  leisurely  as  if  for  a 
dinner-party,  talking  all  the  while. 

"  I  will  just  take  Godfrey's  tax-cart  and  the  roan  mare  on  to 
Meelish  ;  put  them  up  at  the  little  inn — it  is  not  above  a  mile 
from  Bodkin's — and  I'll  go  over  and  settle  the  thing  for  you  : 
you  must  stay  quiet  till  I  come  back,  and  not  leave  the  house 
on  any  account.  I've  got  a  case  of  old  broad  barrels  there 
that  will  answer  you  beautiful  ;  if  you  were  anything  of  a  shot, 
I'd  give  you  my  own  cross  handles,  but  they'd  only  spoil  your 
shooting." 

"  I  can  hit  a  wine-glass  in  the  stem  at  fifteen  paces,"  said  I, 


THE  rRISfr  DRAGOON.  65 

rather  nettled  at  the  disparaghig  tone  in  which  he  spoke  of  my 
performance. 

"  I  don't  care  sixpence  for  that :  the  wine-glass  had  no  pistol 
in  his  hand.  Take  the  old  German,  then  ;  see  now,  hold  your 
pistol  thus  :  no  finger  on  the  guard  there,  these  two  on  the 
trigger.  They  are  not  hair  triggers  ;  drop  the  muzzle  a  bit : 
bend  your  elbow  a  trifle  more;  sight  your  man  outside  your 
arm  ;  outside,  mind,  and  take  him  in  the  hip,  and,  if  anywhere 
higher,  no  matter." 

By  this  time  the  Count  had  completed  his  toilette,  and, 
taking  the  small  mahogany  box  which  contained  his  peace- 
makers under  his  arm,  led  the  way  towards  the  stables.  When 
we  reached  the  yard,  the  only  person  stirring  there  was  a  kind 
of  half-witted  boy,  who,  being  about  the  house,  was  employed 
to  run  of  messages  for  the  servants,  walk  a  stranger's  horse, 
or  to  do  any  of  the  many  petty  services  that  regular  domestics 
contrive  always  to  devolve  upon  some  adopted  subordinate. 
He  was  seated  upon  a  stone  step,  formerly  used  for  mounting, 
and  though  the  day  was  scarcely  breaking,  and  the  weather, 
severe  and  piercing,  the  poor  fellow  was  singing  an  Irish  song 
in  a  low  monotonous  tone,  as  he  chafed  a  curb  chain  between 
his  hands  with  some  sand.  As  we  came  near  he  started  up, 
and  as  he  pulled  off  his  cap  to  salute  us,  gave  a  sharp  and 
piercing  glance  at  the  Count,  then  at  me ;  then  once  more 
upon  my  companion,  from  whom  his  eyes  were  turned  to  the 
brass-bound  box  beneath  his  arm  ;  when,  as  if  seized  with  a 
sudden  impulse,  he  started  on  his  feet,  and  set  off  towards  the 
house  with  the  speed  of  a  greyhound,  not,  however,  before 
Considine's  practised  eye  had  anticipated  his  plan  ;  for, 
throwing  down  the  pistol-case,  he  dashed  after  him,  and,  in  an 
instant,  had  seized  him  by  the  collar. 

"  It  won't  do,  Patsey,"  said  the  Count  ;  "  you  can't  double 
on  me." 

"  Oh,  Count,  darlin',  Master  Considine,  avick,  don't  do  it, 
5 


66  CHARLES  OWI ALLEY, 

don't  now,"  said  the  poor  fellow,  falling  on  his  knees,  and 
blubbering  like  an  infant. 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  you  villain,  or  I'll  cut  it  out  of  your 
head,"  said  Considine. 

"And  so  I  will ;  but  don't  do  it,  don't  for  the  love  of " 

"  Don't  do  what,  you  whimpering  scoundrel  ?  What  does 
he  think  I'll  do  ?  " 

"  Don't  I  know  very  well  what  you're  after,  what  you're 
always  after  too  ?  oh,  wirra,  wirra  !  "  Here  he  wrung  his 
hands,  and  swayed  himself  backwards  and  forwards,  a  true 
picture  of  Irish  grief. 

"  I'll  stop  his  blubbering,"  said  Considine,  opening  the  box, 
and  taking  out  a  pistol,  which  he  cocked  leisurely,  and  pointed 
at  the  poor  fellow's  head  ;  "  another  syllable  now,  and  I'll 
scatter  your  brains  upon  that  pavement." 

"And  do,  and  divil  thank  you;  sure,  it's  your  trade." 

The  coolness  of  the  reply  threw  us  both  off  our  guard  so 
completely,  that  we  burst  out  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughing. 

"  Come,  come,"  said  the  Count,  at  last,  "  this  will  never  do ; 
if  he  goes  on  this  way,  w'e'll  have  the  whole  house  about  us. 
Come,  then,  harness  the  roan  mare,  and  here's  half-a-crown 
for  you." 

"  I  wouldn't  touch  the  best  piece  in  your  purse,"  said  the 
poor  boy,  "  sure  it's  blood-money,  no  less." 

The  words  were  scarcely  spoken,  when  Considine  seized  him 
by  the  collar  with  one  hand,  and  by  the  wrist  with  the  other, 
and  carried  him  over  the  yard  to  the  stable,  where,  kicking 
open  the  door,  he  threw  him  on  a  heap  of  stones,  adding,  "  If 
you  stir  now,  I'll  break  every  bone  in  your  body ;  "  a  threat 
that  seemed  certainly  considerably  increased  in  its  terrors,  from 
the  rough  grip  he  had  already  experienced,  for  the  lad  rolled 
himself  up  like  a  ball,  and  sobbed  as  if  his  heart  were  breaking. 

Very  few  minutes  sufficed  us  now  to  harness  the  mare  in  the 
tax-cart,  and,  when  all  was  ready,  Considine  seized  the  whip, 
and  locking  the  stable-door  upon  Patsey,  was  about  to  get  up, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  67 

when  a  sudden  thought  struck  him.  "  Charley,"  said  he, 
"  that  fellow  will  find  some  means  to  give  the  alarm  ;  we  must 
take  him  with  us."  So  saying,  he  opened  the  door,  and  taking 
the  poor  fellow  by  the  collar,  flung  him  at  my  feet  in  the 
tax-cart. 

We  had  already  lost  some  time,  and  the  roan  mare  was  put 
to  her  fastest  speed  to  make  up  for  it.  Our  pace  became, 
accordingly,  a  sharp  one;  and,  as  the  road  was  bad,  and  the 
tax-cart  no  "  patent  inaudible,"  neither  of  us  spoke.  To  me 
this  was  a  great  relief :  the  events  of  the  last  few  days  had 
given  them  the  semblance  of  years,  and  all  the  reflection  I 
could  muster  was  little  enough  to  make  anything  out  of  the 
chaotic  mass — love,  mischief,  and  misfortune — in  which  I  had 
been  involved  since  my  leaving  O'Malley  Castle. 

"Here  we  are,  Charley,"  said  Considine,  drawing  up  short 
at  the  door  of  a  little  country  ale-house,  or,  in  Irish  parlance, 
shebeen  which  stood  at  the  meeting  of  four  bleak  roads,  in  a 
wild  and  barren  mountain  tract,  beside  the  Shannon.  "  Here 
we  are,  my  boy !  jump  out  and  let  us  be  stirring." 

"  Here,  Patsey,  my  man,"  said  the  Count,  unravelling  the 
prostrate  and  doubly-knotted  figured  at  our  feet ;  "  lend  a  hand, 
Patsey."  Much  to  my  astonishment,  he  obeyed  the  summons 
with  alacrity,  and  proceeded  to  unharness  the  mare  with  the 
greatest  despatch.  My  attention  was,  however,  soon  turned 
from  him  to  my  own  more  immediate  concerns,  and  I  followed 
my  companion  into  the  house. 

"Joe,"  said  the  Count  to  the  host,  "is  Mr.  Bodkin  up  at  the 
house  this  morning  ?  " 

"He's  just  passed  this  way,  sir,  with  Mr.  Malowney  of 
Tillnamuck,  in  the  gig,  on  their  way  from  Mr.  Blake's.  They 
stopped  here  to  order  horses  to  go  over  to  O'Malley  Castle, 
and  the  gossoon  is  gone  to  look  for  a  pair." 

"  All  right,"  said  Considine  ;  and  added,  in  a  whisper,  "  we've 
done  it  well,  Charley,  to  be  beforehand,  or  the  governor  would 
have  found  it  all  out,  and  taken  the  affair  into  his  own  hands. 


68  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Now,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  stay  quietly  here  till  I  come  back 
which  will  not  be  above  an  hour  at  farthest.  Joe,  send  me 
the  pony — keep  an  eye  on  Patsey,  that  he  dosn't  play  us  a 
trick — the  short  way  to  Mr.  Bodkin's  is  through  Scariff — ay,  I 
know  it  well,  good-bye,  Charley — by  the  Lord,  we'll  pepper 
him." 

These  were  the  last  words  of  the  worthy  Count  as  he  closed 
the  door  behind  him,  and  left  me  to  my  own  not  very  agreeable 
reflections.  Independently  of  my  youth  and  perfect  ignorance 
of  the  world,  which  left  me  unable  to  form  any  correct  judgment 
on  my  conduct,  I  knew  that  I  had  taken  a  great  deal  of  wine, 
and  was  highly  excited  when  my  unhappy  collision  with  Mr. 
Bodkin  occurred.  Whether,  then,  I  had  been  betrayed  into 
anything  which  could  fairly  have  provoked  his  insulting  retort 
or  not,  I  could  not  remember  ;  and  now  my  most  afflicting 
thought  was,  what  opinion  might  be  entertained  of  me  by  those 
at  Blake's  table  ;  and,  above  all,  what  Miss  Dashwood  herself 
would  think,  and  what  narrative  of  the  occurrence  would  reach 
her.  The  great  effort  of  my  last  few  days  had  been  to  stand 
well  in  her  estimation,  to  appear  something  better  in  feeling, 
something  higher  in  principle,  than  the  rude  and  unpolished 
squirearchy  about  me,  and  now  here  was  the  end  of  it !  What 
would  she,  what  could  she,  think,  but  that  I  was  the  same  punch- 
drinking,  rowing,  quarrelling  bumpkin  as  those  whom  I  had  so 
lately  been  carefully  endeavoring  to  separate  myself  from  ? 
How  I  hated  myself  for  the  excess  to  which  passion  had  betrayed 
me,  and  how  I  detested  my  opponent  as  the  cause  of  all  my 
present  misery  !  "  How  very  differently,"  thought  I,  "  her  friend 
the  Captain  would  have  conducted  himself.  His  quiet  and 
gentlemanly  manner  would  have  done  fully  as  much  to  wipe  out 
any  insult  on  his  honor  as  I  could  do,  and  after  all,  would 
neither  have  disturbed  the  harmony  of  a  dinner-table,  nor  made 
himself,  as  I  shuddered  to  think  I  had,  a  subject  of  rebuke,  if 
not  of  ridicule."  These  harassing,  torturing  reflections  con- 
tinued to  press   on  me,  and  I  paced  the  room  with  my  hands 


THE  JRJSJI  DRAGOON.  69 

clasped  and  the  perspiration  upon  my  brow.  **One  thing  is 
certain, — I  can  never  see  her  again,"  thought  I  ;  "  this  disgrace- 
ful business  must,  in  some  shape  or  other,  become  known  to 
her,  and  all  I  have  been  saying  these  last  three  days  rise  up 
in  judgment  against  this  one  act,  and  stamp  me  an  impostor ; 
I  that  decried — nay,  derided — our  false  notion  of  honor 
Would  that  Considine  were  come  !  What  can  keep  him  now?  " 
I  walked  to  the  door  ;  a  boy  belonging  to  the  house  was  walking 
the  roan  before  the  door.  "  What  had,  then,  become  of  Pat  ?  " 
I  inquired  ;  but  no  one  could  tell.  He  had  disappeared  shortly 
after  our  arrival,  and  had  not  been  seen  afterwards.  My  own 
thoughts  were,  however,  too  engrossing  to  permit  me  to  think 
more  of  this  circumstance,  and  I  turned  again  to  enter  the 
house,  when  I  saw  Considine  advancing  up  the  road  at  the  full 
speed  of  his  pony. 

"  Out  with  the  mare,  Charley — be  alive,  my  boy — all's 
settled."  So  saying,  he  sprang  from  the  pony,  and  proceeded 
to  harness  the  roan  with  the  greatest  haste,  informing  me  in 
broken  sentences  as  he  went  on  with  all   the   arrangements  : 

"  We  are  to  cross  the  bridge  of  Portumna.  They  won  the 
ground,  and  it  seems  Bodkin  likes  the  spot  ;  he  shot  Peyton 
there  three  years  ago.  Worse  luck  now,  Charley,  you  know : 
by  all  the  rule  of  chance,  he  can't  expect  the  same  thing  twice 
— never  four  by  honors  in  two  deals — didn't  say  that,  though 
— a  sweet  meadow,  I  know  it  well  ;  small  hillocks,  like  mole- 
hills, all  over  it — caught  him  at  breakfast ;  I  don't  think,  he 
expected  the  message  to  come  from  us,  but  said  that  it  was  very 
polite  attention,  and  so  it  was,  you  know." 

So  he  continued  to  ramble  on  as  we  once  more  took  our  seats 
in  the  tax-cart,  and  set  out  for  the  ground. 

"What  are  you  thinking  of,  Charley?"  said  the  Count,  as  I 
kept  silent  for  some  minutes. 

"  I'm  thinking,  sir,  if  I  were  to  kill  him,  what  I  must  do 
after." 

"  Right,  my  boy  ;  nothing  like  that,  but  I'll  settle  all  for  you. 


7<D  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Upon  my  conscience,  if  it  wasn't  for  the  chance  of  his  getting 
into  another  quarrel  and  spoiling  the  election,  I'd  go  back  for 
Godfrey  ;  he'd  like  to  see  you  break  ground  so  prettily.  And 
you  say  you're  no  shot  ?  " 

"  Never  could  do  anything  with  the  pistol  to  speak  of,  sir," 
said  I,  remembering  his  rebuke  of  the  morning. 

"  I  don't  mind  that :  you've  a  good  eye  ;  never  take  it  off  him 
after  you're  on  the  ground — follow  him  everywhere.  Poor 
Callaghan,  that's  gone,  shot  his  man  always  that  way.  He 
had  a  way  of  looking  without  winking,  that  was  very  fatal  at  a 
short  distance  ;  a  very  good  thing  to  learn,  Charley,  when  you 
have  a  little  spare  time." 

Half  an  hour's  sharp  driving  brought  us  to  the  river  side, 
where  a  boat  had  been  provided  by  Considine  to  ferry  us  over, 
It  was  now  about  eight  o'clock,  and  a  heavy,  gloomy  morning. 
Much  rain  had  fallen  overnight,  and  the  dark  and  lowering 
atmosphere  seemed  charged  with  more.  The  mountains  looked 
twice  their  real  size,  and  all  the  shadows  were  increased  to  an 
enormous  extent.  A  very  killing  kind  of  light  it  was,  as  the 
Count  remarked. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   DUEL. 

As  the  boatmen  pulled  in  towards  the  shore  we  perceived,  a 
few  hundred  yards  off,  a  group  of  persons  standing,  whom  we 
soon  recognized  as  our  opponents.  "  Charley,"  said  the  Count, 
grasping  my  arm  tightly,  as  I  stood  up  to  spring  on  the  land 
— "  Charley,  although  you  are  only  a  boy,  as  I  may  say,  I 
have  no  fear  for  your  courage  ;  but,  still,  more  than  that  is 
needful  here.  This  Bodkin  is  a  noted  duellist,  and  will  try  to 
shake  your  nerve.      Now,  mind  that  you  take  everything  that 


THE  JRISJf  DRAGOON:  >jl 

happens  quite  with  an  air  of  indifferemce;  don't  let  him  think 
that  he  has  any  advantage  over  you,  and  you'll  see  how  the 
tables  will  be  turned  in  your  favor," 

"Trust  to  me,  Count,"  said  I  ;  "  I'll  not  disgrace  you." 

He  pressed  my  hand  tightly,  and  I  thought  that  I  discerned 
something  like  a  slight  twitch  about  the  corner  of  his  grim 
mouth,  as  if  some  sudden  and  painful  thought  had  shot  across 
his  mind ;  but  in  a  moment  he  was  calm,  and  stern-looking  as 
ever. 

"  Twenty  minutes  late,  Mr.  Considine,"  said  a  short,  red- 
faced  little  man,  with  a  military  frock  and  foraging  cap  as  he 
held  out  his  watch  in  evidence. 

"  I  can  only  say.  Captain  Malowney,  that  we  lost  no  time 
since  we  parted ;  we  had  some  difficulty  in  finding  a  boat ; 
but,  in  any  case,  we  are  here  f/07c\  and  that,  I  opine,  is  the 
important  part  of  the  matter." 

"Quite  right — very  just  indeed.  Will  you  present  me  to 
your  young  friend — very  proud  to  make  your  acquaintance,  sir  : 
your  uncle  and  I  met  more  than  once  in  this  kind  of  way.  I 
has  out  with  him  in  '92  was  it  ?  no,  I  think  it  was  '93 — when 
we  shot  Harry  Burgoyne,  who,  by-the-bye,  was  called  the  crack 
shot  of  our  mess  ;  but  begad,  your  uncle  knocked  his  pistol 
hand  to  shivers,  saying  in  his  dry  way,  '  He  must  try  the  left 
hand  this  morning.'     Count,  a  little  this  side,  if  you  please." 

While  Considine  and  the  Captain  walked  a  few  paces  apart 
from  where  I  stood,  I  had  leisure  to  observe  my  antagonist, 
who  stood  among  a  group  of  his  friends,  talking  and  laughing 
away  in  great  spirits.  As  the  tone  they  spoke  in  was  not  of 
the  lowest,  I  could  catch  much  of  their  conversation  at  the 
distance  I  was  from  them.  They  were  discussing  the  last 
occasion  that  Bodkin  had  visited  this  spot,  and  talking  of  the 
fatal  event  which  happened  then. 

"  Poor  devil,"  said  Bodkin,  "  it  wasn't  his  fault ;  but  you  see 

some  of  the th  had  been  showing  white  feathers  before  that, 

and   he  was  obliged  to  go   out.      In  fact,  the  Colonel  himself 


72  CJIARLES  O'MALLEV, 

said,  *  Fight,  or  leave  the  corps.'  Well,  out  he  came;  it  was  a 
cold  morning  in  February,  with  a  frost  the  night  before  going 
oif  in  a  thin  rain  :  well,  it  seems  he  had  the  consumption  or 
something  of  that  sort,  with  a  great  cough  and  spitting  of  blood, 
and  this  weather  made  him  worse,  and  he  was  very  weak  when 
he  came  to  the  ground.  Now,  the  moment  I  got  a  ghmpse  of 
him,  I  said  to  myself,  '  He's  pluck  enough,  but  as  nervous  as 
a  lady ; '  for  his  eye  wandered  all  about,  and  his  mouth  was 
constantly  twitching.  '  Take  off  your  great-coat,  Ned,'  said 
one  of  his  people,  when  they  were  going  to  put  him  up  ;  '  take 
it  off,  man.'  He  seemed  to  hesitate  for  an  instant,  when 
Michael  Blake  remarked,  '  Arrah,  let  him  alone  :  it's  his  mother 
makes  him  wear  it,  for  the  cold  he  has.'  They  all  began  to 
laugh  at  this,  but  I  kept  my  eye  upon  him.  And  I  saw  that  his 
cheek  grew  quite  livid,  and  a  kind  of  gray  color,  and  his  eyes 
filled  up.  '  I  have  you  now,'  said  I  to  myself,  and  I  shot  him 
through  the  lungs." 

"  And  this  poor  fellow,"  thought  I,  "  was  the  only  son  of  a 
widowed  mother."  I  walked  from  the  spot  to  avoid  hearing 
further,  and  felt,  as  I  did  so,  something  like  a  spirit  of  ven- 
geance rising  within  me,  for  the  fate  of  one  so  untimely 
cut  off. 

"  Here  we  are,  all  ready,"  said  Malowney,  spring  over  a  small 
fence  into  the  adjoining  field — "  take  your  ground,  gentle- 
men." 

Considine  took  my  arm  and  walked  forward.  "  Charley," 
said  he,  "I  am  to  give  the  signal;  I'll  drop  my  glove  when 
you  are  to  fire,  but  don't  look  at  me  at  all.  I'll  manage  to 
catch  Bodkin's  eye,  and  do  you  watch  him  steadily,  and  fire 
when  he  does." 

"  I  think  that  the  ground  we  are  leaving  behind  us  is  rather 
better,"  said  some  one. 

"  So  it  is,"  said  Bodkin ;  "  but  it  might  be  troublesome  to 
carry  the  young  gentleman  down  that  way — here  all  is  fair 
and  easy." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiY.  73 

The  next  instant  we  were  placed,  and  I  well  remember  the 
first  thought  that  struck  me  was,  that  there  could  be  no  chance 
of  either  of  us  escaping. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  the  Count,  "  I'll  walk  twelve  paces,  turn 
and  drop  this  glove,  at  which  signal  you  fire,  zx\^  together  vavaA. 
The  man  who  reserves  his  shot,  falls  by  my  hand."  This  very 
summary  denunciation  seemed  to  meet  general  approbation, 
and  the  Count  strutted  forth.  Notwithstanding  the  advice 
of  my  friend,  I  could  not  help  turning  my  eyes  from  Bodkin  to 
watch  the  retiring  figure  of  the  Count.  At  length  he  stopped — a 
second  or  two  elapsed — he  wheeled  rapidly  round,  and  let  fall 
the  glove.  My  eye  glanced  towards  my  opponent,  I  raised 
my  pistol  and  fired.  My  hat  turned  half  around  upon  my  head, 
and  Bodkin  fell  motionless  to  the  earth.  I  saw  the  people 
around  me  rush  forward  ;  I  caught  two  or  three  glances  thrown 
at  me  with  an  expression  of  revengeful  passion  ;  I  felt  some 
one  grasp  me  round  the  waist,  and  hurry  me  from  the  spot,  and 
it  was  at  least  ten  minutes  after,  as  we  were  skimming  the 
surface  of  the  broad  Shannon,  before  I  could  well  collect  my 
scattered  faculties  to  remember  all  that  was  passing,  as  Con- 
sidine,  pointing  to  the  two  bullet  holes  in  my  hat,  remarked, 
"  Sharp  practice,  Charley  ;  it  was  the  overcharge  saved  you." 

"  Is  he  killed,  sir  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  quite,  I  believe,  but  as  good  ;  you  took  him  just  above 
the  hip." 

"  Can  he  recover  ?  "  said  I,  with  a  voice  tremulous  from  agita- 
tion, which  I  vainly  endeavored  to  conceal  from  my  com- 
panion. 

"  Not  if  the  doctor  can  help  it,"  said  Considine ;  "  for  the 
fool  keeps  poking  about  for  the  ball.  But  now  let's  think  of 
the  next  step  ;  you'll  have  to  leave  this,  and  at  once  too." 

Little  more  passed  between  us.  As  we  rowed  towards  the 
shore,  Considine  was  following  up  his  reflections,  and  I  had 
mine,  alas!  too  many  and  too  bitter  to  escape  from. 

As  we  neared  the  land,  a  strange  spectacle  caught  our  eye. 


74  CHARLES  O'Af ALLEY, 

For  a  considerable  distance  along  the  coast  crowds  of  country 
people  were  assembled,  who,  forming  in  groups,  and  breaking 
into  parties  of  two  and  three,  were  evidently  watching  with 
great  anxiety  what  was  taking  place  at  the  opposite  side.  Now, 
the  distance  was  at  least  a  mile,  and  therefore  any  party  of  the 
transaction  which  had  been  enacting  there  must  have  been 
quite  beyond  their  view.  While  I  was  wondering  at  this,  Con- 
sidine  cried  out  suddenly,  "  Too  infamous,  by  Jove  ;  we're  mur- 
dered men." 

"  What  do  you  mean  .^  "  said  I. 

"  Don't  you  see  that  ?  "  said  he,  pointing  to  something  black 
which  floated  from  a  pole  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 

"  Yes  ;  what  is  it  ?  " 

"  It's  his  coat  they've  put  upon  an  oar  to  show  the  people 
he's  killed,  that's  all.  Every  man  here's  his  tenant,  and  look 
— there  ! — they're  not  giving  us  much  doubt  as  to  their  inten- 
tion." Here  a  tremendous  yell  burst  forth  from  the  mass  of 
people  along  the  shore,  which  rising  to  a  terrific  cry,  sunk  grad- 
uglly  down  to  a  low  wailing,  then  rose  and  fell  again  several 
times  as  the  Irish  death  cry  filled  the  air  and  rose  to  heaven, 
as  if  imploring  vengeance  on  a  murderer. 

The  appalling  influence  of  the  keen,  as  it  is  called,  had  been 
familiar  to  me  from  my  infancy,  but  it  needed  the  awful  situa- 
tion I  was  placed  in  to  consummate  its  horrors.  It  was  at  once 
my  accusation  and  my  doom.  I  knew  well — none  better — the 
vengeful  character  of  the  Irish  peasant  of  the  west,  and  that 
my  death  was  certain  I  had  no  doubt.  The  very  crime  that 
sat  upon  my  heart  quailed  its  courage  and  unnerved  my  arm. 
As  the  boatmen  looked  from  us  towards  the  shore,  and  again 
at  our  faces,  they,  as  if  instinctively,  lay  upon  their  oars,  and 
waited  for  our  decision  as  to  what  course  to  pursue. 

"  Rig  the  spritsail,  my  boys,"  said  Considine,  "  and  let  her 
head  lie  up  the  river,  and  be  alive,  for  I  see  they're  baling  a  boat 
below  the  little  reef  there,  and  will  be  after  us  in  no  time." 

The  poor  fellows,  who  although  strangers  to  us,  sympathi:i- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  75 

ing  in  what  they  perceived  to  be  our  imminent  danger,  stepped 
the  light  spar  which  acted  as  mast,  and  shook  out  their  scanty 
rag  of  canvas  in  a  minute.  Considine,  meanwhile,  went  aft, 
and  steadying  her  head  with  an  oar,  held  the  small  craft 
up  to  the  wind  till  she  lay  completely  over,  and,  as  she  rushed 
through  the  water,  ran  dipping  her  gunnel  through  the  white 
foam. 

"  Where  can  we  make  without  tacking,  boys  ?  "  inquired  the 
Count. 

"  If  it  blows  on  as  fresh,  sir,  we'll  run  you  ashore  within  half 
a  mile  of  the  castle." 

"  Put  an  oar  to  leeward,"  said  Considine,  "  and  keep  her  up 
more  to  the  wind,  and  I  promise  you,  my  lads,  you  will  not  go 
home  fresh  and  fasting,  if  you  land  us  where  you  say." 

"  Here  they  come,"  said  the  other  boatman,  as  he  pointed 
back  with  his  finger  towards  a  large  yawl  which  shot  suddenly 
from  the  shore,  with  six  sturdy  fellows  pulling  at  their  oars, 
while  three  or  four  others  were  endeavoring  to  get  up  their 
rigging,  which  appeared  tangled  and  confused  at  the  bottom 
of  the  boat ;  the  white  splash  of  water,  which  fell  each  moment 
beside  her,  showing  that  the  process  of  baling  was  still  con- 
tinued. 

"  Ah,  then,  may  I  never — av  it  isn't  the  ould  Dolphin  they 
have  launched  for  the  cruise,"  said  one  of  our  fellows. 

"  What's  the  Dolphin,  then  1  " 

*  An  ould  boat  of  the  Lord's  (Lord  Clanricarde's)  that  didn't 
see  water,  except  when  it  rained,  these  four  years,  and  is  sun- 
cracked  from  stem  to  stern." 

"  She  can  sail,  however,"  said  Considine,  who  watched,  with 
a  painful  anxiety,  the  rapidity  of  her  course  through  the  water. 

"  Nabocklish,  she  was  a  smuggler's  jolly-boat,  and  well  used 
to  it.  Look  how  they're  pulling.  (}od  pardon  them  ;  but 
they're  in  no  blessed  humor  this  morning." 

"Lay  out  upon  your  oars,  boys;  the  wind's  failing  us,"  cried 
the  Count,  as  the  sail  dapped  lazily  against  tlie  mast. 


•jG  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

"  It's  no  use,  yer  honor,"  said  the  elder  ;  "  we'll  be  only  break- 
ing our  hearts  to  no  purpose ;  they're  sure  to  catch  us." 

"Do  as  I  bade  you,  at  all  events.  What's  that  ahead  of  us 
there  ? " 

"The  Oat  Rock,  sir.  A  vessel  with  grain  struck  there,  and 
went  down  with  all  aboard,  four  years  last  winter.  There's  no 
channel  between  it  and  the  shore — all  sunk  rocks,  every  inch 
of  it.  There's  the  breeze" — the  canvas  fell  over  as  he  spoke, 
and  the  little  craft  lay  down  to  it,  till  the  foaming  water  bub- 
bled over  her  lee  bow — "  keep  her  head  up,  sir  ;  higher — 
higher  still" — but  Considine  little  heeded  the  direction,  steer- 
ing straight  for  the  narrow  channel  the  man  alluded  to.  "  Tear 
and  ages,  but  you're  going  right  for  the  Cloch  na  quirka  !  " 

"  Arrah,  an'  the  devil  a  taste  I'll  be  drowned  for  your  devar- 
sion,"  said  the  other,  springing  up. 

"  Sit  down  there,  and  be  still,"  roared  Considine,  as  he  drew 
a  pistol  from  the  case  at  his  feet,  "  if  you  don't  want  some 
leaden  ballast  to  keep  you  so.  Here,  Charley,  take  this,  and 
if  that  fellow  stirs  hand  or  foot — you  understand  me." 

The  two  men  sat  sulkily  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  which 
now  was  actually  flying  through  the  water.  Considine's  object 
was  a  clear  one ;  he  saw  that,  in  sailing,  we  were  greatly  over- 
matched, and  that  our  only  chance  lay  in  reaching  the  narrow 
and  dangerous  channel  between  the  Oat  Rock  and  the  shore, 
by  which  we  should  distance  the  pursuit,  the  long  reef  of  rocks 
that  ran  out  beyond  requiring  a  wide  berth  to  escape  from. 
Nothing  but  the  danger  behind  us  could  warrant  so  rash  a  dar- 
ing. The  whole  channel  was  dotted  with  patches  of  white  and 
breaking  foam — the  sure  evidence  of  the  mischief  beneath — 
while  here  and  there  a  dash  of  spurting  spray  flew  up  from  the 
dark  water,  where  some  cleft  rock  lay  hid  below  the  flood. 
Escape  seemed  impossible  ;  but  who  would  not  have  preferred 
even  so  slender  a  chance  with  so  frightful  an  alternative  behind 
him  1  As  if  to  add  terror  to  the  scene,  Considine  had  scarcely 
turned  the  boat  ahead  of  the  channel  when  a  tremendous  black- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  77 

ness  spread  over  all  around  ;  the  thunder  pealed  forth,  and, 
amid  the  crashing  of  the  hail  and  the  bright  glare  of  lightning 
a  squall  struck  us,  and  laid  us  nearly  keel  uppermost  for  several 
minutes.  I  well  remember  we  rushed  through  the  dark  and 
blackened  water,  our  little  craft  more  than  half  filled,  the  oars 
floating  off  to  leeward,  and  we  ourselves  kneeling  on  the  bottom 
planks  for  safety.  Roll  after  roll  of  loud  thunder  broke,  as  it 
were,  just  above  our  heads ;  while,  in  the  swift  dashing  rain 
that  seemed  to  hiss  around  us,  every  object  was  hidden,  and 
even  the  other  boat  was  lost  to  our  view.  The  two  poor  fel- 
lows !  I  shall  never  forget  their  expression.  One,  a  devout 
Catholic,  had  placed  a  little  leaden  image  of  a  saint  before  him 
in  the  bow,  and  implored  its  intercession  with  a  torturing  agony 
of  suspense  that  wrung  my  very  heart ;  the  other,  apparently 
less  alive  to  such  consolations  as  his  church  afforded,  remained 
with  his  hands  clasped,  his  mouth  compressed,  his  browg 
knitted,  and  his  dark  eyes  bent  upon  me  with  the  fierce  hatred 
of  a  deadly  enemy ;  his  eyes  were  sunken  and  bloodshot,  and 
all  told  of  some  dreadful  conflict  within ;  the  wild  ferocity 
of  his  look  fascinated  my  gaze,  and  amid  all  the  terrors  of  the 
scene  I  could  not  look  from  him.  As  I  gazed,  a  second  and 
more  awful  squall  struck  the  boat,  the  mast  went  over,  and, 
with  a  loud  report  like  a  pistol-shot,  smashed  at  the  thwart, 
and  fell  over,  trailing  the  sail  along  the  milky  sea  behind  us. 
Meanwhile,  the  water  rushed  clean  over  us,  and  the  boat  seemed 
settling.  At  this  dreadful  moment  the  sailor's  eye  was  bent 
upon  mc,  his  lips  parted,  and  he  muttered,  as  if  to  himself, 
"  This  it  is  to  go  to  sea  with  a  murderer."  O  God !  the  agony 
of  that  moment — the  heartfelt  and  accusing  conscience  that  I 
was  judged  and  doomed — that  tlie  brand  of  Cain  was  upon 
my  brow — that  my  fellow-men  had  ceased  forever  to  regard 
me  as  a  brother — that  I  was  an  outcast  and  a  w'anderer  for- 
ever. I  bent  forward  till  my  forehead  fell  upon  my  knees,  and 
I  wept.  Meanwhile,  the  boat  flew  through  the  water,  and  Con^ 
sidine,  who   alone  among  us  seemed  not  to  lose  his  presence 


78  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  mind,  cut  away  the  mast,  and  sent  it  overboard.  The  storm 
now  began  to  abate,  and,  as  the  black  mass  of  cloud  broke 
from  around  us,  we  beheld  the  other  boat,  also  dismasted,  far 
behind  us,  while  all  on  board  of  her  were  employed  in  baling 
out  the  water  with  which  she  seemed  almost  sinking.  The 
curtain  of  mist  that  had  hidden  us  from  each  other  no  sooner 
broke  than  they  ceased  their  labors  for  a  moment,  and,  look- 
ing towards  us,  burst  forth  into  a  yell  so  wild,  so  savage,  and 
so  dreadful,  my  very  heart  quailed  as  its  cadence  fell  upon  my 
ear. 

"  Safe,  my  boy,"  said  Considine,  clapping  me  on  the  shoul* 
der,  as  he  steered  the  boat  forth  from  its  narrow  path  of  danger 
and  once  more  reached  the  broad  Shannon — "  safe,  Charley  ; 
though  we've  had  a  brush  for  it."  In  a  minute  more  we 
reached  the  land,  and  drawing  our  gallant  little  craft  on  shore 
set  out  for  O'Malley  Castle. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   RETURN. 

O'Malley  Castle  lay  about  four  miles  from  the  spot  we 
landed  at,  and  thither  accordingly  we  bent  our  steps  without 
loss  of  time.  We  had  not,  however,  proceeded  far,  when  be- 
fore us  on  the  road,  we  perceived  a  mixed  assemblage  of  horse 
and  foot,  hurrying  along  at  a  tremendous  rate.  The  mob, 
which  consisted  of  some  hundred  country  people,  were  armed 
with  sticks,  scythes,  and  pitchforks,  and,  although  not  preserv- 
ing any  very  military  aspect  in  their  order  of  march,  were  still 
a  force  quite  formidable  enough  to  make  us  call  a  halt,  and 
deliberate  upon  what  we  were  to  do. 

"  They've  outflanked  us,  Charley,"  said  Considine  ;  "  how- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  79 

ever,  all  is  not  yet  lost.  But  see,  they've  got  sight  of  us — here 
they  come." 

At  these  words,  the  vast  mass  before  us  came  pouring  along 
splashing  the  mud  on  every  side,  and  huzzaing  like  so  many 
Indians.  In  the  front  ran  a  bare-legged  boy,  waving  his  cap 
to  encourage  the  rest,  who  followed  him  at  about  fifty  yards 
behind. 

"  Leave  that  fellow  for  me,"  said  the  Count,  coolly  examin- 
ing the  lock  of  his  pistol ;  "  I'll  pick  him  out,  and  load  again 
in  time  for  his  friends'  arrival.  Charley,  is  that  a  gentleman 
I  see  far  back  in  the  crowd  }  Yes,  to  be  sure  it  is  !  he's  on  a 
large  horse — now  he's  pressing  forward,  so  let — no — oh — ay — 
it's  Godfrey  O'Malley  himself,  and  these  are  our  own  people." 
Scarcely  were  the  words  out  when  a  tremendous  cheer  arose 
from  the  multitude  who,  recognizing  us  at  the  same  instant, 
sprung  from  their  horses  and  ran  forward  to  welcome  us. 
Among  the  foremost  was  the  scarecrow  leader,  whom  I  at  once 
perceived  as  poor  Patsey,  who,  escaping  in  the  morning,  had 
returned  at  full  speed  to  O'Malley  Castle,  and  raised  the  whole 
country  to  my  rescue.  Before  I  could  address  one  word  to  my 
faithful  followers  I  was  in  my  uncle's  arms. 

"  Safe,  my  boy,  quite  safe  ?  " 

"  Quite  safe,  sir." 

"  No  scratch  anwyhere  ?  " 

"  Nothing  but  a  hat  the  worse,  sir,"  said  I,  showing  the  two 
bullet  holes  in  my  headpiece. 

His  lip  quivered  as  he  turned  and  whispered  something 
into  Considine's  ear  which  I  heard  not ;  but  the  Count's  reply 
was,  '  Devil  a  bit,  as  cool  as  you  see  him  this  minute." 

"  And  Bodkin,  what  of  him  ?  " 

"This  day's  work's  his  last,"  said  Considine  ;  "the  ball 
entered  here  ;  but  come  along,  Godfrey  ;  Charley's  new  at 
this  kind  of  thing,  and  we  had  better  discuss  matters  in  the 
house." 

Half  an  hour's  brisk  trot — for  we  were  soon  supplied  with 


8o  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

horses  brought  us  back  to  the  Castle,  much  to  the  disappoint- 
ment cf  our  cortege,  who  had  been  promised  a  scrimmage, 
and  went  back  in  very  ill-humor  at  the  breach  of  contract. 

The  breakfast-room,  as  we  entered,  was  filled  with  my 
uncle's  supporters,  all  busily  engaged  over  poll-books  and 
booth  tallies,  in  preparation   for  the  eventful  day  of  battle. 

These,  however,  were  immediately  thrown  aside  to  hasten 
round  me,  and  inquire  all  the  details  of  my  duel.  Considine, 
happily  for  me,  however,  assumed  all  the  dignity  of  an  histo- 
rian, and  recounted  the  events  of  the  morning  so  much  to  my 
honor  and  glory,  that  I,  who  only  a  little  before  felt  crushed 
and  bowed  down  by  the  misery  or  my  late  duel,  began  amid  the 
warm  congratulations  and  eulogiums  about  me,  to  think  I  was 
no  small  hero ;  and,  in  fact,  something  very  much  resembling 
"  the  man  for  Galway."  To  this  feeling  a  circumstance  that 
followed  assisted  in  contributing  :  while  we  were  eagerly  dis- 
cussing the  various  results  likely  to  arise  from  the  meeting,  a 
horse  galloped  rapidly  to  the  door,  and  a  loud  voice  called  out, 
^'  I  can't  get  off,  but  tell  him  to  come  here."  We  rushed  out 
and  beheld  Captain  Malowney,  Mr.  Bodkin's  second,  covered 
with  mud  from  head  to  foot,  and  his  horse  reeking  with  foam  and 
sweat.  "  I  am  hurrying  on  to  Athlone  for  another  doctor  ;  but 
I've  called  to  tell  you  that  the  wound  is  not  supposed  to  be 
mortal — he  may  recover  yet."  Without  waiting  for  another 
word,  he  dashed  spurs  into  his  nag  and  rattled  down  the  ave- 
nue at  full  gallop.  IMr.  Bodkin's  dearest  friend  on  earth  could 
not  have  received  the  intelligence  with  more  delight,  and  I  now 
began  to  listen  to  the  congratulations  of  my  friends  with  a 
more  tranquil  spirit.  My  uncle,  too,  seemed  much  relieved  by 
the  information,  and  heard  with  great  good  temper  my  narra- 
tive of  the  few  days  at  Gurt-na-Morra.  "  So  then,"  said  he 
as  I  concluded,  "  my  opponent  is  at  least  a  gentleman  :  that  is 
a  comfort." 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood,"  said  I,  "  from  all  I  have  seen,  is  a 
remarkably  nice  person,  and  I  am  certain  you  will  meet  with 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  8l 

only  the  fair  and  legitimate  opposition  of  an  opposing  candi- 
date in  him — no  mean  or  unmanly  subterfuge." 

"All  right,  Charley.  Well,  now,  your  affair  of  this  morning 
must  keep  you  quiet  here  for  a  few  days,  come  what  will ;  by 
Monday  next,  when  the  election  takes  place.  Bodkin's  fate  will 
be  pretty  clear,  one  way  or  the  other,  and,  if  matters  go  well, 
you  can  come  into  town  ;  otherwise,  I  have  arranged  with  Con- 
sidine  to  take  you  over  to  the  Continent  for  a  year  or  so  ;  but 
we'll  discuss  all  this  in  the  evening.  Now,  I  must  start  on  a 
canvass.  Boyle  expects  to  meet  you  at  dinner  to-day ;  he  is 
coming  from  Athlone  on  purpose.     Now  good-bye  !  " 

When  my  uncle  had  gone  I  sank  into  a  chair,  and  fell  into 
a  musing  fit  over  all  the  changes  a  few  hours  had  wrought  in 
me.  From  a  mere  boy,  whose  most  serious  employment  was 
stocking  the  house  with  game,  or  inspecting  the  kennel,  I  had 
sprung  at  once  into  man's  estate,  was  complimented  for  my 
coolness,  praised  for  my  prowess,  lauded  for  my  discretion,  by 
those  who  were  my  seniors  by  nearly  half  a  century ;  talked  to 
in  a  tone  of  confidential  intimacy  by  my  uncle,  and,  in  a  word, 
treated  in  all  respects  as  an  equal — and  such  was  all  the  work 
of  a  few  hours.  But  so  it  is,  the  eras  in  life  are  separated  by 
a  narrow  boundary  : — some  trifling  accident,  some  casual  ren- 
contre impels  us  across  the  Rubicon,  and  we  pass  from  infancy  to 
youth — from  youth  to  manhood — from  manhood  to  age — less 
by  the  slow  and  imperceptible  step  of  time  than  by  some  one 
decisive  act  or  passion,  which,  occurring  at  a  critical  moment, 
elicits  a  long  latent  feeling,  and  impresses  our  existence  with 
a  color  that  tinges  us  for  many  a  long  year.  As  for  me,  I  had 
cut  the  tie  which  bound  me  to  the  careless  gaiety  of  boyhood 
with  a  rude  gash.  In  three  short  days  I  had  fallen  deeply,  des- 
perately in  love,  and  had  wounded,  if  not  killed,  an  antagonist 
in  a  duel.  As  I  meditated  on  these  things,  I  was  aroused  by  the 
noise  of  horses'  feet  in  the  yard  beneath.  I  opened  the  win- 
dow and  beheld  no  less  a  person  than  Captain  Hammerslcy. 
He  was  handing  a  card  to  a  servant,  which  he  was  accompanv- 


Sz  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

ing  by  a  verbal  message :  the  impression  of  sometliing  like 
hostility  on  the  part  of  the  Captain  had  never  left  my  mind, 
and  I  hastened  downstairs  just  in  time  to  catch  him  as  he 
turned  from  the  door. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  O'Malley  !  "  said  he,  in  a  most  courteous  tone, 
"  they  told  me  you  were  not  at  home." 

I  apologized  for  the  blunder,  and  begged  of  him  to  alight 
and  come  in. 

"  I  thank  you  very  much ;  but,  in  fact,  my  hours  are  now 
numbered  here.  I  have  just  received  an  order  to  join  my  regi- 
ment :  we  have  been  ordered  for  service,  and  Sir  George  has 
most  kindly  permitted  my  giving  up  my  staff  appointment.  I 
could  not,  however,  leave  the  country  without  shaking  hands 
with  you.  I  owe  you  a  lesson  in  horsemanship,  and  I'm  only 
sorry  that  we  are  not  to  have  another  day  together." 

"  Then  you  are  going  out  to  the  Peninsula  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Why,  we  hope  so :  the  Commander-in-chief,  they  say,  is  in 
great  want  of  cavalry,  and  we  scarcely  less  in  want  of  some- 
thing to  do.     Fm  sorry  you  are  not  coming  with  us." 

"  Would  to  Heaven  I  were ! "  said  I,  with  an  earnestness 
that  almost  made  my  brain  start. 

"  Then,  why  not  ?  " 

"  Unfortunately,  I  am  peculiarly  situated.  My  worthy  unclC; 
who  is  all  to  me  in  this  world,  would  be  quite  alone  if  I  were 
to  leave  him  ;  and  although  he  has  never  said  so,  I  know  he 
dreads  the  possibility  of  my  suggesting  such  a  thing  to  him  :  so 
that,  between  his  fears  and  mine,  the  matter  is  never  broached 
by  either  party,  nor  do  I  think  ever  can  be." 

"  Devilish  hard — but  I  believe  you  are  right ;  something, 
however,  may  turn  up  yet  to  alter  his  mind,  and,  if  so,  and  if 
you  do  take  to  dragooning,  don't  forget  George  Hammersley 
will  be  always  most  delighted  to  meet  you  ;  and  so  good-bye, 
O'Malley,  good-bye." 

He  turned  his  horse's  head  and  was  already  some  paces  off, 
when  he  returned  to  my  side,  and,  in  a  lower  tone  of  voice,  said : 


THE  uasii  DRAGOOy.  83 

"  I  ought  to  mention  to  you  that  there  has  been  much  dis- 
cussion on  your  affair  at  Blake's  table,  and  only  one  opinion 
on  the  matter  among  all  parties — that  you  acted  perfectly  right. 
Sir  George  Dashwood — no  mean  judge  of  such  things — quite 
approves  of  your  conduct,  and  I  believe  wishes  you  to  know  as 
much ;  and  now,  once  more  good-bye." 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE    ELECTION. 


The  important  morning  at  length  arrived,  and,  as  I  looked 
from  my  bedroom  window  at  daybreak,  the  crowd  of  carriages 
of  all  sorts  and  shapes  decorated  with  banners  and  placards; 
the  incessant  bustle ;  the  hurrying  hither  and  thither  ;  the 
cheering  as  each  new  detachment  of  voters  came  up,  mounted  on 
jaunting-cars,  or  on  horses  whose  whole  caparison  consisted  in  a 
straw  rope  for  a  bridle,  and  a  saddle  of  the  same  frail  material 
— all  informed  me  that  the  election  day  was  come.  I  lost  no 
further  time,  but  proceeded  to  dress  with  all  possible  despatch. 
When  I  appeared  in  the  breakfast-room,  it  was  already  filled 
with  some  seventy  or  eighty  persons  of  all  ranks  and  ages, 
mingled  confusedly  together,  and  enjoying  the  hospitable  fare 
of  my  uncle's  house,  while  they  discussed  all  the  details,  and 
prospects  of  the  election.  In  the  hall — the  library — the  large 
drawing-room,  too,  similar  parties  were  also  assembled,  and, 
as  new-comers  arrived,  the  servants  were  busy  in  preparing 
tables  before  the  door  and  up  the  large  terrace  that  ran  the 
entire  length  of  the  building.  Nothing  could  be  more  amus- 
ing than  the  incongruous  mixture  of  the  guests,  who,  with  every 
variety  of  eatable  that  chance  or  inclination  provided,  were  thus 
thrown  into  close  contact,  having  only  this  in  common,  the 
success  of  the  cause  they  were  engaged  in.     Here  was  the  old 


84  CIJARLhS  &M ALLEY, 

Galway  squire,  with  an  ancestry  that  reached  to  Noah,  sitting 
side  by  side  with  the  poor  cottier  whose  whole  earthly  posses- 
sion was  what,  in  Irish  phrase,  is  called  a  "  potato  garden," 
meaning  the  exactly  smallest  possible  patch  of  ground  out  of 
which  a  very  Indian-rubber  conscience  could  presume  to  vote. 
Here  sat  the  old  simple-minded,  farmer-like  man,  in  close  con- 
versation with  a  little  white-foreheaded,  been-eyed  personage,  in 
a  black  coat  and  eyeglass — a  flash  attorney  from  Dublin,  learned 
in  flaws  of  the  registry,  and  deep  in  the  subtleties  of  election 
law.  There  was  an  Athlone  horsedealer,  whose  habitual  daily 
practices  in  imposing  the  halt,  the  lame,  and  the  blind  upon  the 
unsuspecting,  for  beasts  of  blood  and  mettle,  well  qualified  him 
for  the  trickery  of  a  county  contest.  Then  there  were  scores 
of  squireen  gentry,  easily  recognized  on  common  occasions  by  a 
green  coat,  brass  buttons,  dirty  cords,  and  dirtier  top-boots,  a 
lash-whip,  and  a  half-bred  fox-hound  ;  but  now,  fresh-washed  for 
the  day,  they  presented  something  of  the  appearance  of  a  swell 
mob,  adjusted  to  the  meridian  of  Galway.  A  mass  of  frieze- 
coated,  brown-faced,  bullet-headed  peasantry  filling  up  the  large 
spaces,  dotted  here  and  there  with  a  sleek,  roguish-eyed  priest, 
or  some  low  electioneering  agent,  detailing,  for  the  amusement 
of  the  company,  some  of  those  cunning  practices  of  former 
times,  which,  if  known  to  the  proper  authorities,  would,  in  all 
likelihood,  cause  the  talented  narrator  to  be  improving  the  soil 
of  Sidney,  or  fishing  on  the  banks  of  the  Swan  river ;  while  at 
the  head  and  foot  of  each  table,  sat  some  personal  friend  of 
my  uncle,  whose  ready  tongue,  and  still  readier  pistol,  made 
him  a  personage  of  some  consequence,  not  more  to  his  own 
people  than  to  the  enemy.  While  of  such  material  were  the 
company,  the  fare  before  them  was  no  less  varied  :  here  some 
rubicund  squire  was  deep  in  amalgamating  the  contents  of  a 
venison  pasty  with  some  of  Sneyd's  oldest  claret  ;  his  neighbor, 
less  ambitious,  and  less  erudite  in  such  matters,  was  devouring 
rashers  of  bacon,  with  liberal  potations  of  potteen  ;  some  pale- 
cheeked  scion  of  the  law,  with  all  the  dust  of  the  Four  Courts 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.     '  85 

in  his  throat,  was  sipping  his  humble  beverage  of  black  tea 
beside  four  sturdy  cattle-dealers  from  Ballinasloe,  who  were 
discussing  hot  whisky  punch  and  spokaion  (boiled  beef)  at 
the  very  primitive  hour  of  eight  in  the  morning.  Amid  the 
clank  of  decanters,  the  crash  of  knives  and  plates,  the  jingling 
of  glasses,  the  laughter  and  voices  of  the  guests  were  audibly 
increasing,  and  the  various  modes  of  "  running  a  buck " 
(anglice,  substituting  a  vote),  or  hunting  a  badger,  were  talked 
over  on  all  sides,  while  the  price  of  a  veal  (a  calf)  or  a  voter 
was  disputed  with  all  the  energy  of  debate. 

Refusing  many  an  offered  place,  I  went  through  the  different 
rooms  in  search  of  Considine,  to  whom  circumstances  of  late 
had  somehow  greatly  attached  me. 

"  Here,  Charley,"  cried  a  voice  I  was  very  familiar  with — 
"  here's  a  place  I've  been  keeping  for  you." 

"  Ah,  Sir  Harry,  how  do  you  do  ?  Any  of  that  grouse-pie 
to  spare  ? " 

"  Abundance,  my  boy  ;  but  I'm  afraid  I  can't  say  as  much 
for  the  liquor  :  I  have  been  shouting  for  claret  this  half-hour 
in  vain — do  get  us  some  nutriment  down  here,  and  the  Lord 
will  reward  you.  What  a  pity  it  is,"  he  added,  in  a  lower  tone> 
to  his  neighbor — "  what  a  pity  a  quart  bottle  won't  hold  a 
quart;  but  I'll  bring  it  before  the  Plouse  one  of  these  days." 
That  he  kept  his  word  in  this  respect,  a  motion  on  the  books 
of  the  Honorable  House  will  bear  me  witness. 

"  Is  this  it  ?  "  said  he,  turning  towards  a  farmer-like  old  man, 
who  had  put  some  question  to  him  across  the  table ;  "  is  it  the 
apple-pie  you'll  have  ?  " 

"Many  thanks  to  your  honor — I'd  like  it,  av  it  was  whole- 
some." 

"  And  why  shouldn't  it  be  wholesome  ?  "  said  Sir  Harry. 

"  Troth,  then,  myself  does  not  know ;  but  my  father,  I  heerd 
tell,  died  of  an  apple-plexy,  and  I'm  afeerd  of  it." 

I  at  length  found  Considine,  and  learned  that,  as  a  very  good 
account   of  Bodkjn  had  arrived,  there   was  no  reason  why  I 


86  CHARLES  O'lM ALLEY, 

should  not  proceed  to  the  hustings  ;  but  I  was  secretly  charged 
not  to  take  any  prominent  part  in  the  day's  proceedings.  My 
uncle  I  only  saw  for  an  instant ; — he  begged  me  to  be  carefuh 
avoid  all  scrapes,  and  not  to  quit  Considine.  It  was  past  ten 
o'clock  when  our  formidable  procession  got  under  way,  and 
headed  towards  the  town  of  Galway.  The  road  was,  for  miles, 
crowded  with  our  followers  ;  banners  flying  and  music  playing, 
we  presented  something  of  the  spectacle  of  a  very  ragged  army 
on  its  march.  At  every  cross-road  a  mountain-path  reinforce- 
ment awaited  us,  and  as  we  wended  along,  our  numbers  were 
momentarily  increasing;  here  and  there  along  the  line  some 
energetic  and  not  over-sober  adherent  was  regaling  his  auditory 
with  a  speech  in  laudation  of  the  O'Malleys  since  the  days  of 
Moses,  and  more  than  one  priest  was  heard  threatening  the 
terrors  of  his  church  in  aid  of  a  cause  to  whose  success  he  was 
pledged  and  bound.  I  rode  beside  the  count,  who  surrounded 
by  a  group  of  choice  spirits,  recounted  the  various  happy  in- 
ventions by  which  he  had,  on  divers  occasions,  substituted  a 
personal  quarrel  for  a  contest.  Boyle  also  contributed  his 
share  of  election  anecdote,  and  one  incident  he  related,  which, 
I  remember,  amused  me  much  at  the  time. 

"  Do  you  remember  Billy  Calvert,  that  came  down  to  contest 
Kilkenny  ?  "  inquired  Sir  Harry. 

"  What !  ever  forget  him  !  "  said  Considine,  "  with  his  well- 
powdered  wig,  and  his  hessians.  There  never  was  his  equal 
for  lace  rufifles  and  rings." 

"  You  never  heard,  maybe,  how  he  lost  the  election  ?  " 
"  He  resigned,  I  believe,  or  something  of  that  sort." 
"  No,  no,"  said  another  ;  "  he  never  came  forward  at  all : 
there's  some  secret  in  it,  for  Tom  Butler  was  elected  without 
a  contest." 

"  Jack,  I'll  tell  you  how  it  happened.  I  was  on  my  way  up 
from  Cork,  having  finished  my  own  business,  and  just  carried 
the  day,  not  without  a  push  for  it.  When  we  reached — Lady 
Mary  was  with  me — when  we  reached  Killkenny,  the  night  be- 


THE  IRISH  DKA  GOOiV.  8  7 

fore  the  election,  I  was  not  ten  minutes  in  town  till  Butler  heard 
of  it,  and  sent  off  express  to  see  me ;  I  was  at  my  dinner  when 
the  messenger  came  and  promised  to  go  over  when  I'd  done  ; 
but,  faith,  Tom  didn't  wait,  but  came  rushing  upstairs  himself, 
and  dashed  into  the  room  in  the  greatest  hurry. 

"  '  Harry,'  says  he,  '  I'm  done  for ;  the  corporation  of  free 
smiths,  that  were  always  above  bribery,  having  voted  for  myself 
and  my  father  before,  for  four  pounds  ten  a  man,  won't  come 
forward  under  six  guineas  and  whisky.  Calvert  has  the  money  ; 
they  know  it.  The  divil  a  farthing  we  have  ;  and  we've  been 
paying  all  our  fellows  that  can't  read  in  Hennesy's  notes,  and 
you  know  the  bank's  broke  this  three  weeks.' 

"  On  he  went,  giving  me  a  most  disastrous  picture  of  his 
cause,  and  concluded  by  asking  if  I  could  suggest  anything 
under  the  circumstances. 

"  '  You  couldn't  get  a  decent  mob  and  clear  the  poll  ? ' 

"  '  I  am  afraid  not,'  said  he,  despondingly. 

"  *  Then  I  don't  see  what's  to  be  done,  if  you  can't  pick  a 
fight  with  himself.     Will  he  go  out  ? ' 

"  '  Lord  knows ;  they  say  he's  so  afraid  of  that,  that  it  has 
prevented  him  coming  down  till  the  very  day.  But  he  is  ar- 
rived now  ;  he  came  in  the  evening,  and  is  stopping  at  Walsh's 
in  Patrick  Street.' 

"  '  Then  I'll  see  what  can  be  done,"  said  I. 

"  '  Is  that  Calvert,  the  little  man  thatblushes  when  the  Lady- 
Lieutenant  speaks  to  him  ? '  said  Lady  Mary. 

"  '  The  very  man.' 

"  '  W'ould  it  be  of  any  use  to  you  if  he  could  not  come  on  the 
hustings  to-morrow  ?'  said  she  again. 

"  "Twould  gain  us  the  day;  half  the  voters  don't  believe 
he's  here  at  all,  and  his  chief  agent  cheated  all  the  people  on 
the  last  election,  and  if  Calvert  didn't  appear,  he  wouldn't  have 
ten  votes  to  register.     But  why  do  you  ask  ?  ' 

"  '  Why,  that,  if  you  like,  I'll  bet  you  a  pair  of  diamond  ear- 
rings he  sha'n't  show," 


88  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

"  *  Done,'  said  Butler  ;  '  and  I  promise  a  necklace  into  the 
bargain,  if  you  win,  but  I'm  afraid  you're  only  quizzing  me.' 

"  '  Here's  my  hand  on  it,'  said  she ;  '  and  now  let's  talk  of 
something  else.' 

"  As  Lady  Mary  never  asked  my  assistance,  and  as  I  knew 
she  was  very  well  able  to  perform  whatever  she  undertook, 
3'ou  may  be  sure  I  gave  myself  very  little  trouble  about  the 
whole  affair,  and,  when  they  came,  I  went  off  to  breakfast  with 
Tom's  committee,  not  knowing  anything  that  was  to  be  done. 

"  Calvert  had  given  orders  that  he  was  to  be  called  at  eight 
o'clock,  and  so  a  few  minutes  before  that  time  a  gentle  knock 
came  to  the  door. 

" '  Come  in,'  said  he,  thinking  it  was  the  waiter,  and  covering 
himself  up  in  the  clothes,  for  he  was  the  most  bashful  creature 
ever  was  seen — '  come  in.' 

"  The  door  opened,  and  what  was  his  horror  to  find  that  a 
lady  entered  in  her  dressing-gown,  her  hair  on  her  shoulders, 
very  much  tossed  and  dishevelled  !  The  moment  she  came  in 
she  closed  the  door,  and  locked  it,  and  then  sat  leisurely  down 
upon  a  chair. 

"  Billy's  teeth  chattered,  and  his  limbs  trembled,  for  this  was 
an  adventure  of  a  very  novel  kind  for  him.  At  last  he  took 
courage  to  speak. 

" '  I  am  afraid,  madam,'  said  he,  *  that  you  are  under  some 
unhappy  mistake,  and  that  you  suppose  this  chamber  is " 

*"  Mr.  Calvert's,'  said  the  lady,  with  a  solemn  voice,  'is  it 
not?' 

"  '  Yes,  madam,  I  am  that  person.* 

"'Thank  God,'  said  the  lady,  with  a  very  impressive  tone, 
'here  I  am  safe.' 

"  Billy  grew  very  much  puzzled  at  these  words  ;  but  hoping 
that,  by  his  silence,  the  lady  would  proceed  to  some  explana- 
tion, he  said  no  more.  She,  however,  seemed  to  think  that 
nothing  further  was  necessary,  and  sat  still  and  motionless, 
with  her  hands  before  her  and  her  eyes  fixed  on  Billy. 


THE  IRISJI  DRAGOON.  89 

"*You  seem  to  forget  me,  sir? 'said  she,  with  a  faint 
smile. 

" '  I  do,  indeed,  madam,  the  half-light,  the  novelty  of  your 
costume,  and  the  strangeness  of  the  circumstance  altogether, 
must  plead  for  me— if  I  appear  rude  enough.' 

"  '  I'm  Lady  Mary  Boyle,'  said  she. 

'"  I  do  remember  you,  madam  ;  but  may  I  ask ?' 

" '  Yes,  yes,  I  know  what  you  would  ask ;  you  would  say, 
why  are  you  here .''  how  comes  it  that  you  have  so  far  out- 
stepped the  propriety  of  which  your  whole  life  is  an  example, 
that  alone  at  such  a  time,  you  appear  in  the  chamber  of  a  man 
whose  character  for  gallantry ? ' 

"  '  Oh,  indeed — indeed,  my  lady,  nothing  of  the  kind.' 

*'  *  Ah,  alas  !  poor  defenceless  women  learn,  too  late,  how 
constantly  associated  is  the  retiring  modesty  which  decries, 
with  the  pleasing  powers  which  ensure  success ' 

"  Here  she  sobbed,  Billy  blushed,  and  the  clock  struck  nine. 

*'  *  May  I  then  beg,  madam ' 

"  *  Yes,  yes,  you  shall  hear  it  all ;  but  my  poor  scattered  fac- 
.Ities  will  not  be  the  clearer  by  your  hurrying  me.  You 
?«now,  perhaps,'  continued  she,  '  that  my  maiden  name  was 
Rogers  ?  He  of  the  blankets  bowed,  and  she  resumed.  '  It 
is  now  eighteen  years  since,  that  a  young,  unsuspecting,  fond 
creature,  reared  in  all  the  care  and  fondness  of  doting  parents, 
tempted  her  first  step  in  life,  and  trusted  her  fate  to  another's 
keeping.  I  am  that  unhappy  person  ;  the  other,  that  mon- 
ster in  human  guise  that  smiled  but  to  betray,  that  won  but  to 
ruin  and  destroy,  is  he  whom  you  know  as  Sir  Harry  Boyle.' 

"  Here  she  sobbed  for  some  minutes,  wiped  her  eyes,  and 
resumed  her  narrative.  Beginning  at  the  period  of  her  mar- 
riage, she  detailed  a  number  of  circumstances,  in  which  poor 
Calvert,  in  all  his  anxiety  to  come  aufond  at  matters,  could 
never  perceive  bore  upon  the  question  in  anyway;  but,  as  she 
recounted  them  all  with  great  force  and  precision,  entreating 
him  to  bear  in  mind  certain  circumstances  to  which  she  should 


90  CJJARLES  O'MALLJiV, 

recur  by-and-by,  his  attention  was  kept  on  the  stretch,  and  it 
was  only  when  the  clock  struck  ten  that  he  was  fully  aware 
how  his  morning  was  passing,  and  what  surmises  his  absence 
might  originate. 

"  '  May  I  interrupt  you  for  a  moment,  dear  madam  ?  Was 
it  nine  or  ten  o'clock  which  struck  last  ? ' 

"  '  How  should  I  know  ? '  said  she  frantically.  '  What  are 
hours  and  minutes  to  her  who  has  passed  long  years  of 
misery  ? ' 

"  '  Very  true — very  true,'  replied  he,  timidly,  and  rather  fear- 
ing for  the  intellects  of  his  fair  companion. 

"  She  continued. 

"  The  narrative,  however,  so  far  from  becoming  clearer,  grew 
gradually  more  confused  and  intricate,  and,  as  frequent  refer- 
ences were  made  by  the  lady  to  some  previous  statement,  Cal- 
vert was  more  than  once  rebuked  for  forgetfulness  and  inatten- 
tion, where,  in  reality,  nothing  less  than  shorthand  could  have 
borne  him  through, 

"  *  Was  it  in  '93  I  said  that  Sir  Harry  left  me  at  Tuam  ?' 

"  *  Upon  my  life,  madam,  I  am  afraid  to  aver ;  but  it  strikes 
me ' 

"  *  Gracious  powers  !  and  this  is  he  whom  I  fondly  trusted 
to  make  the  depository  of  my  woes — cruel,  cruel  man.'  Here 
she  sobbed  considerably  for  several  minutes,  and  spoke  not. 

"  A  loud  cheer  of  '  Butler  forever  ! '  from  the  mob  without, 
now  burst  upon  their  hearing,  and  recalled  poor  Calvert  at 
once  to  the  thought  that  the  hours  were  speeding  fast,  and  no 
prospect  of  the  everlasting  tale  coming  to  an  end. 

"  '  I  am  deeply,  most  deeply  grieved,  my  dear  madam,'  said 
the  little  man,  sitting  up  in  a  pyramid  of  blankets,  '  but  hours, 
minutes,  are  most  precious  to  me  this  morning.  I  am  about  to 
be  proposed  as  member  for  Kilkenny.' 

"  At  these  words  the  lady  straightened  her  figure  out,  threw 
her  arms  at  either  side,  and  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  which 
poor  Calvert  knew  at  once  to  be  hysterics.    Here  was  a  pretty 


J'JJE  J RISJJ  DRAGOON.  ()  t 

situation  :  the  bell-rope  lay  against  the  opposite  wall,  and,  even 
if  it  did  not,  would  he  be  exactly  warranted  in  pulling  it  ? 

"  '  May  the  devil  and  all  his  angels  take  Sir  Harry  Boyle 
and  his  whole  connection  to  the  fifth  generation,'  was  his  sin- 
cere prayer,  as  he  sat,  like  a  Chinese  juggler,  under  his 
canopy. 

"  At  length  the  violence  of  the  paroxysm  seemed  to  subside, 
the  sobs  became  less  frequent,  the  kicking  less  forcible,  and 
the  lady's  eyes  closed,  and  she  appeared  to  have  fallen  asleep. 

*'  '  Now  is  the  moment,'  said  Billy  ;  '  if  I  could  only  get  as 
far  as  my  dressing-gown.'  So  saying,  he  worked  himself  down 
noiselessly  to  the  foot  of  his  bed,  looked  fixedly  at  the  fallen 
lids  of  the  sleeping  lady,  and  essayed  one  leg  from  the  blankets. 
'  Now  or  never,'  said  he,  pushing  aside  the  curtain,  and  pre- 
paring for  a  spring.  One  more  look  he  cast  at  his  companion, 
and  then  leaped  forth  ;  but  just  as  he  lit  upon  the  floor,  she 
again  roused  herself,  screaming  with  horror.  Billy  fell  upon 
the  bed,  and  rolling  himself  in  the  bedclothes,  vowed  never  to 
rise  again  till  she  was  out  of  the  visible  horizon. 

"  '  What  is  all  this  ?  what  do  you  mean,  sir? '  said  the  lady, 
reddening  with  indignation. 

"  'Nothing,  upon  my  soul,  madam  ;  it  was  only  my  dressing- 
gown  ! ' 

"  *  Your  dressing-gown  ! '  said  she,  with  an  emphasis  worthy 
of  Siddons ;  *  a  likely  story  for  Sir  Harry  to  believe,  sir  ;  fie, 
fie,  sir.' 

"  This  last  allusion  seemed  a  settler;  for  the  luckless  Cal- 
vert heaved  a  profound  sigh,  and  sunk  down  as  if  all  hope  had 
left  him.  '  Butler  forever ! '  roared  the  mob  ;  '  Calvert  for- 
ever !  *  cried  a  boy's  voice  from  without ,  *  Three  groans  for 
the  runaway!'  answered  this  anouncement;  and  a  very 
tender  inquiry  of,  '  Where  is  he  ? '  was  raised  by  some  hundred 
mouths. 

"  *  Madam,'  said  the  almost  frantic  listener — '  Madam,  I 
must  get  up  ;  I  must  dress.     I  beg  of  you  to  permit  me." 


92  CHARLES  O'MALLEYy 

"  *  I  have  nothing  to  refuse,  sir.  Alas !  disdain  has  long 
been  my  only  portion.     Get  up,  if  you  will.' 

"  '  But,'  said  the  astonished  man,  who  was  well-nigh  deranged 
at  the  coolness  of  this  reply — '  but  how  am  I  to  do  so  if  you 
sit  there  ?  " 

"  '  Sorry  for  any  inconvenience  I  may  cause  you ;  but,  in  the 
crowded  state  of  the  hotel,  I  hope  you  see  the  impropriety  of 
my  walking  about  the  passages  in  this  costume  ? ' 

" '  And,  great  God  !  madam,  why  did  you  come  out  in  it .'' ' 

"  A  cheer  from  the  mob  prevented  her  reply  being  audible. 
One  o'clock  tolled  out  from  the  great  bell  of  the  cathedral. 

"  *  There's  one  o'clock,  as  I  live." 

"  '  I  heard  it,'  said  the  lady. 

"  '  The  shouts  are  increasing.  What  is  that  I  hear  .''  Butler 
is  in.     Gracious  mercy,  is  the  election  over  ? ' 

"  The  lady  stepped  to  the  window,  drew  aside  the  curtain, 
and  said,  '  Indeed,  it  would  appear  so.  The  mob  are  cheering 
Mr.  Butler.'  [A  deafening  shout  burst  from  the  street.]  *  Per- 
haps you'd  like  to  see  the  fun,  so  Til  not  detain  you  any 
longer.  So,  good-bye,  Mr.  Calvert ;  and  as  your  breakfast  will 
be  cold,  in  all  likelihood,  come  down  to  No.  4,  for  Sir  Harry's 
a  late  man,  and  will  be  glad  to  see  you.'  " 


CHAPTER  XI. 

AN    ADVENTURE. 

As  thus  we  lightened  the  road  with  chatting,  the  increasing 
concourse  of  people,  and  the  greater  throng  of  carriages  that 
filled  the  road,  announced  that  we  had  nearly  reached  our 
destination. 

"  Considine,"  said  my  uncle,  riding  up  to  where  we  were,  "I 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  93 

have  just  got  a  few  lines  from  Davern.  It  seems  that  Bodkin's 
people  are  afraid  to  come  in  :  they  know  what  they  must 
expect,  and  if  so,  more  than  half  of  that  barony  is  lost  to  our 
opponent." 

"  Then  he  has  no  chance  whatever." 

"  He  never  had,  in  my  opinion,"  said  Sir  Harry. 

"  We'll  see  soon,"  said  my  uncle,  cheerfully,  and  rode  to  the 
post. 

The  remainder  of  the  way  was  occupied  in  discussing  the 
various  possibilities  of  the  election,  into  which  I  was  rejoiced 
to  find  that  defeat  never  entered. 

In  the  goodly  days  I  speak  of,  a  county  contest  was  a  very 
different  thing  indeed  from  the  tame  and  insipid  farce  that 
now  passes  under  that  name ;  where  a  briefless  barrister, 
bullied  by  both  sides,  sits  as  assessor — a  few  drunken  voters — 
a  radical  O'Connelite  grocer — a  demagogue  priest — a  deputy 
grand  purple  something  from  the  Trinity  College  lodge,  with 
some  half-dozen  followers,  shouting,  "  To  the  devil  with 
Peel ! "  or  "  Down  with  Dens  !  "  form  the  whole  corps  dc  ballet. 
No,  no  ;  in  the  times  I  refer  to  the  voters  were  some  thousands 
in  number,  and  the  adverse  parties  took  the  field,  far  less  de- 
pendent for  success  upon  previous  pledge  or  promise  made 
them,  than  upon  the  actual  stratagem  of  the  day.  Each  went 
forth,  like  a  general  to  battle,  surrounded  by  a  numerous  and 
well-chosen  staff  ;  one  party  of  friends,  acting  as  commissariat, 
attended  to  the  victualling  of  the  voters, — that  they  obtained 
a  due,  or  rather  undue  allowance  of  liquor,  and  came  properly 
drunk  to  the  poll ;  others,  again,  broke  into  skirmishing 
parties,  and,  scattered  over  the  county,  cut  off  the  enemy's 
supplies,  breaking  down  their  post-chaises,  upsetting  their 
jaunting-cars,  stealing  their  poll-books,  and  kidnapping  their 
agents.  Then  there  were  secret  service  people,  bribing  the 
enemy  and  enticing  them  to  desert ;  and,  lastly,  there  was  a 
species  of  sapper-and-miner  force,  who  invented  false  doc- 
uments, denied  the  identity  of  the  opposite  party's  people,  and. 


94  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

when  hard-pushed,  provided  persons  who  took  bribes  from  the 
enemy,  and  gave  evidence  afterwards  on  a  petition.  Amid  all 
these  encounters  of  wit  and  ingenuity,  the  personal  friends  of 
the  candidates  formed  a  species  of  rifle  brigade,  picking  out 
the  enemy's  officers,  and  doing  sore  damage  to  their  tactics,  by 
shooting  a  proposer,  or  wounding  a  seconder — a  considerable 
portion  of  every  lending  agent's  fee  being  intended  as  compensa- 
tion for  the  duels  he  might,  could,  would,  should,  or  ought  to  fight 
during  the  election.  Such,  in  brief,  was  a  contest  in  the  olden 
time  ;  and,  when  it  is  taken  into  consideration  that  it  usually 
lasted  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks,  that  a  considerable  military 
force  was  always  engaged  (for  our  Irish  law  permits  this),  and 
which,  when  nothing  pressing  was  doing,  was  regularly  assailed 
by  both  parties — that  far  more  dependence  was  placed  in  a 
bludgeon  than  a  pistol — and  that  the  man  who  registered  a  vote 
without  a  cracked  pate  was  regarded  as  a  kind  of  natural 
phenomenon,  some  faint  idea  may  be  formed  how  much  such 
a  scene  must  have  contributed  to  the  peace  of  the  county, 
and  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  all  concerned  in  it. 

As  we  rode  along,  a  loud  cheer  from  a  road  that  ran  parallel 
to  the  one  we  were  pursuing  attracted  our  attention,  and  we 
perceived  that  the  cortege  of  the  opposite  party  was  hastening 
on  to  the  hustings.  I  could  distinguish  the  Blake's  girls  on 
horseback  among  a  crowd  of  officers  in  undress,  and  saw  some- 
thing like  a  bonnet  in  the  carriage-and-four  which  headed  the 
procession,  and  which  I  judged  to  be  that  of  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood.  My  heart  beat  strongly  as  I  strained  my  eyes  to  see  if 
Miss  Dashwood  was  there  ;  but  I  could  not  discern  her,  and 
it  was  with  a  sense  of  relief  that  I  reflected  on  the  possibility 
of  our  not  meeting  under  circumstances  wherein  our  feelings 
and  interests  were  so  completely  opposed.  While  I  was  en- 
gaged in  making  this  survey,  I  had  accidentally  dropped  behind 
my  companions  ;  my  eyes  were  firmly  fixed  upon  that  carriage, 
and,  in  the  faint  hope  that  it  contained  the  object  of  all  my 
wishes,  I  forgot  everything  else      At  length  the  cortege  entered 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  95 

the  town,  and,  passing  beneath  a  heavy  stone  gateway,  was 
lost  to  my  view.  I  was  still  lost  in  reverie,  when  an  under- 
agent  of  my  uncle's  rode  up. 

"Oh!  Master  Charles,"  said  he,  "what's  to  be  done? 
They've  forgotten  Mr.  Holmes  at  Woodford,  and  we  haven't  a 
carriage,  chaise,  or  even  a  car  left  to  send  for  him." 

"Have  you  told  Mr.  Considine  ?"  inquired  I. 

"And  sure  you  know  yourself  how  little  Mr.  Considine 
thinks  of  a  lawyer.  It's  small  comfort  he'd  give  me  if  I  went 
to  tell  him  :  if  it  was  a  case  of  pistols  or  a  bullet  mould,  he'd 
ride  back  the  whole  way  himself  for  them." 

"  Try  Sir  Harry  Boyle,  then." 

"  He's  making  a  speech  this  minute  before  the  Court- 
house." 

This  had  sufficed  to  show  me  how  far  behind  my  com- 
panions I  had  been  loitering,  when  a  cheer  from  the  distant 
road  again  turned  my  eyes  in  that  direction  ;  it  was  the  Dash- 
wood  carriage,  returning  after  leaving  Sir  George  at  the  hust- 
ings. The  head  of  the  britska,  before  thrown  open,  was  now 
closed,  and  I  could  not  make  out  if  any  one  were  inside. 

"  Devil  a  doubt  of  it,"  said  the  agent,  in  answer  to  some 
question  of  a  farmer  who  rode  beside  him  ;  "  will  you  stand 
to  me  ? " 

"Troth,  to  be  sure  I  will." 

"Here  goes,  then,"  said  he,  gathering  up  his  reins  and  turn- 
ing his  horse  towards  the  fence  at  the  roadside  ;  "  follow  me 
now,  boys." 

The  order  was  well  obeyed,  for,  when  he  had  cleared  the 
ditch,  a  dozen  stout  country  fellows,  well  mounted,  were  be- 
side him.  Away  they  went  at  a  hunting  pace,  taking  every 
leap  before  them,  and  heading  towards  the  road  before   us. 

Without  thinking  further  of  the  matter,  I  was  laughing  at 
the  droll  effect  the  line  of  frieze  coats  presented  as  they  rode 
side  by  side,  over  the  stone  walls,  when  an  observation  near 
iiic  aroused  niv  attention. 


96  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  Ah,  then,  av  they  know  anything  of  Tim  P'inucane,  they'll 
give  it  up  peaceably  :  it's  little  he'd  think  of  taking  the  coach 
from  under  the  judge  himself." 

"  What  are  they  about,  boys  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Goin'  to  take  the  chaise-  and-four  forninst  ye,  yer  honor," 
said  the  man. 

I  waited  not  to  hear  more,  but  darting  spurs  into  my  horse's 
sides,  cleared  the  fence  in  one  bound.  My  horse,  a  strong-knit 
half-bred,  was  as  fast  as  a  racer  for  a  short  distance  ;  so  that  when 
the  agent  and  his  party  had  come  up  with  the  carriage,  I  was 
only  a  few  hundred  yards  behind.  I  shouted  out  with  all  my 
might,  but  they  either  heard  not  or  heeded  not,  for  scarcely 
was  the  first  man  over  the  fence  into  the  road,  when  the  pos- 
tilion on  the  leader  was  felled  to  the  ground,  and  his  place 
supplied  by  his  slayer ;  the  boy  on  the  wheeler  shared  the 
same  fate,  and,  in  an  instant,  so  well  managed  was  the  attack, 
the  carriage  was  in  possession  of  the  assailants.  Four  stout 
fellows  had  climbed  into  the  box  and  the  rumble,  and  six 
others  were  climbing  to  the  interior,  regardless  of  the  aid  of 
steps.  By  this  time  the  Dash  wood  party  had  got  the  alarm, 
and  returned  in  full  force — not,  however,  before  the  other  had 
laid  whip  to  the  horses,  and  set  out  in  full  gallop ;  and  now 
commenced  the  most  terrific  race  I  ever  witnessed. 

The  four  carriage  horses,  which  were  the  property  of  Sir 
George,  were  English  thoroughbreds  of  great  value,  and, 
totally  unaccustomed  to  the  treatment  they  experienced,  dashed 
forv/ard  at  a  pace  that  threatened  annihilation  to  the  carriage 
at  every  bound.  The  pursuers,  though  well  mounted,  were 
speedily  distanced,  but  followed  at  a  pace  that,  in  the  end, 
was  certain  to  overtake  the  carriage.  As  for  myself,  I  rode  on 
beside  the  road,  at  the  full  speed  of  my  horse,  shouting,  curs- 
ing, imploring,  execrating,  and  beseeching  at  turns,  but  all  in 
vain — the  yells  and  shouts  of  the  pursuers  and  pursued  drowned 
all  other  sounds,  except  when  the  thundering  crash  of  the 
horses'  feet  rose  above  all.     The  road,  like  most  western  Irish 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  97 

roads  until  the  present  century,  lay  straight  as  an  arrow  for 
miles,  regardless  of  every  opposing  barrier,  and,  in  the  instance 
in  question,  crossed  a  mountain  at  its  very  highest  point. 
Towards  this  pinnacle  the  pace  had  been  tremendous  ;  but, 
owing  to  the  higher  breeding  of  the  cattle,  the  carriage  party 
had  still  the  advance,  and  when  they  reached  the  top  they  pro- 
claimed the  victory  by  a  cheer  of  triumph  and  derision.  The 
carriage  disappeared  beneath  the  crest  of  the  mountain,  and 
the  pursuers  halted,  as  if  disposed  to  relinquish  the  chase. 

"  Come  on,  boys.  Never  give  up,"  cried  I,  springing  over 
into  the  road,  and  heading  the  party  to  which  by  every  right  I 
was  opposed. 

It  was  no  time  for  deliberation,  and  they  followed  me  with 
a  hearty  cheer  that  convinced  me  I  was  unknown.  The  next 
instant  we  were  on  the  mountain  top,  and  beheld  the  carriage 
half  way  down  beneath  us,  still  galloping  at  full  stretch. 

"We  have  them  now,"  said- a  voice  behind  me;  "they'll 
never  turn  Lurra  Bridge,  if  we  only  press  on." 

The  speaker  was  right  :  the  road  at  the  mountain  foot  turned 
at  a  perfect  right  angle,  and  then  crossed  a  lofty  one-arched 
bridge,  over  a  mountain  torrent  that  ran  deep  and  boisterously 
beneath.  On  we  went,  gaining  at  every  stride,  for  the  fellows 
who  rode  postilion  well  knew  what  was  before  them,  and 
slackened  their  pace  to  secure  a  safe  turning.  A  yell  of  vic- 
tory arose  from  the  pursuers,  but  was  answered  by  the  others 
with  a  cheer  of  defiance.  The  space  was  now  scarcely  two 
hundred  yards  between  us,  when  the  head  of  the  britska  was 
flung  down,  and  a  figure  that  I  at  once  recognized  as  the  re- 
doubted Tim  Finucane,  one  of  the  boldest  and  most  reckless 
fellows  in  the  county,  was  seen  standing  on  the  seat,  holding 
— gracious  Heavens !  it  was  true — holding  in  his  arms  the  ap- 
parently lifeless  figure  of  Miss  Dashwood. 

"  Hold  in  !  "  shouted  the  ruffian,  with  a  voice  that  rose  high 
above  all  the  other  sounds.  "  Hold  in  or,  by  the  Eternal,  I'll 
throw  her,  body  and  bones,  into  the  Lurra  Gash  !  "  for  such 
7 


98  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

was  the  torrent  called,  that  boiled  and  foamed  a  few  yards 
before  us. 

He  had  by  this  time  got  firmly  planted  on  the  hind  seat,  and 
held  the  drooping  form  on  one  arm,  with  all  the  ease  of  a  giant's 
grasp. 

"  For  the  love  of  God!  "  said  I,  "pull  up.  I  know  him  well 
— he'll  do  it  to  a  certainty  if  you  press  on." 

"  And  we  know  you  too,"  said  a  ruffianly  fellow,  with  a  dark 
whisker  meeting  beneath  his  chin,  "  and  have  some  scores 
to  settle  ere  we  part " 

But  I  heard  no  more.  With  one  tremendous  effort  I  dashed 
my  horse  forward.  The  carriage  turned  an  angle  of  the  road 
— for  an  instant  was  out  of  sight — another  moment  I  was  be- 
hind it. 

"  Stop  ! "  I  shouted,  with  a  last  effort,  but  in  vain.  The 
horses,  maddened  and  infuriated,  sprang  forward,  and  heedless 
of  all  efforts  to  turn  them,  the  leaders  sprang  over  the  low 
parapet  of  the  bridge,  and  hanging  for  a  second  by  the  traces, 
fell  with  a  crash  into  the  swollen  torrent  beneath.  By  this 
time  I  was  beside  the  carriage.  Finucane  had  now  clambered 
to  the  box,  and,  regardless  of  the  death  and  ruin  around,  bent 
upon  his  murderous  object,  he  lifted  the  light  and  girlish  form 
above  his  head,  bent  backwards,  as  if  to  give  greater  impulse 
to  his  effort,  when,  twining  my  lash  around  my  wrist,  I  levelled 
my  heavy  and  loaded  hunting  whip  at  his  head  ;  the  weighted 
ball  of  lead  struck  him  exactly  beneath  his  hat,  he  staggered, 
his  hands  relaxed,  and  he  fell  lifeless  to  the  ground :  the  same 
instant  I  was  felled  to  the  earth  by  a  blow  from  behind,  and  saw 
no  more. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  99 


CHAPTER  XII. 


MICKEY   FREE. 


Nearly  three  weeks  followed  the  event  I  have  just  narrated 
ere  I  again  was  restored  to  consciousness.  The  blow  by  which 
I  was  felled — from  what  hand  coming  it  was  never  after  dis- 
covered— had  brought  on  concussion  of  the  brain,  and  for 
several  days  my  life  was  despaired  of.  As  by  slow  steps  I 
advanced  towards  recovery,  I  learned  from  Considine  that 
Miss  Dashwood,  whose  life  was  saved  by  my  interference,  had 
testified,  in  the  warmest  manner,  her  gratitude,  and  that  Sir 
George  had,  up  to  the  period  of  his  leaving  the  country,  never 
omitted  a  single  day  to  ride  over  and  inquire  for  me. 

"You  know,  of  course,"  said  the  Count,  supposing  such 
news  was  the  most  likely  to  interest  me — "  you  know  we  beat 
them  ? " 

"  No.  Pray  tell  me  all.  They've  not  let  me  hear  anything 
hitherto." 

"  One  day  finished  the  whole  affair.  We  polled  man  for  man 
till  past  two  o'clock,  when  our  fellows  lost  all  patience,  and 
beat  their  tallies  out  of  the  town.  The  police  came  up,  but 
they  beat  the  police  ;  then  they  got  soldiers,  but  begad  they  were 
too  strong  for  them,  too.  Sir  George  witnessed  it  all,  and, 
knowing  besides  how  little  chance  he  had  of  success,  deemed 
it  best  to  give  in  ;  so  that  a  little  before  five  o'clock  he  resigned. 
I  must  say  no  man  could  behave  better.  He  came  across  the 
hustings  and  shook  hands  with  Godfrey  ;  and,  as  the  news  of 
the  scrimmage  with  his  daughter  had  just  arrived,  said  that  he 
was  sorry  his  prospect  of  success  had  not  been  greater,  that, 


lOO  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

in  resigning,  he  might  testify  how  deeply  he  felt  the  debt  the 
O'Malleys  had  laid  him  under." 

"  And  my  uncle,  how  did  he  receive  his  advances  ? " 

"  Like  his  own  honest  self ;  grasped  his  hand  firmly ;  and 
upon  my  soul  I  think  he  was  half  sorry  that  he  gained  the  day. 
Do  you  know,  he  took  a  mighty  fancy  to  that  blue-eyed  daughter 
of  the  old  General's.     Faith,  Charley,  if  he  was  some  twenty 

years  younger,  I  would  not  say  but Come,  come,  I  didn't 

mean  to  hurt  your  feelings ;  but  I  have  been  staying  here  too 
long.  I'll  send  up  Mickey  to  sit  with  you.  Mind  and  don't 
be  talking  too  much  to  him." 

So  saying,  the  worthy  Count  left  the  room,  fully  impressed 
that,  in  hinting  at  the  possibility  of  my  uncle's  marrying  again, 
he  had  said  something  to  ruftie  my  temper. 

For  the  next  two  or  three  weeks  my  life  was  one  of  the  most 
tiresome  monotony.  Strict  injunctions  had  been  given  by  the 
doctors  to  avoid  exciting  me  ;  and,  consequently,  every  one 
that  came  in  walked  on  tiptoe,  spoke  in  whispers,  and  left  me 
in  five  minutes.  Reading  was  absolutely  forbidden  ;  and,  with 
a  sombre  half-light  to  sit  in,  and  chicken  broth  to  support  nat- 
ure, I  dragged  out  as  dreary  an  existence  as  any  gentleman 
west  of  Athlone. 

Whenever  my  uncle  or  Considine  were  not  in  the  room,  my 
companion  was  my  own  servant,  Michael,  or,  as  he  was  better 
known,  "  Mickey  Free."  Now,  had  Mickey  been  left  to  his 
own  free  and  unrestricted  devices,  the  time  would  not  have 
hung  so  heavily;  for,  among  Mike's  manifold  gifts,  he  was 
possessed  of  a  very  great  flow  of  gossiping  conversation  ;  he 
knew  all  that  was  doing  in  the  county,  and  never  was  barren 
in  his  information  wherever  his  imagination  could  come  into 
play,  Mickey  was  the  best  hurler  in  the  barony,  no  mean  per- 
former on  the  violin,  could  dance  the  national  bolero  of  "  Tat- 
ter Jack  Walsh  "  in  a  way  that  charmed  more  than  one  soft 
heart  beneath  a  red  woolsey  bodice,  and  had,  withal,  the  pecu- 
liar free-and-easy  devil-may-care  kind  of  ofif-hand  Irish  way,  that 


TJIE  JKJ^n  VKAGOON.  lOl 

never  deserted  him  in  the  midst  of  his  wiliest  and  most  subtle 
moments,  giving  to  a  very  deep  and  cunning  fellow  all  the 
apparent  frankness  and  openness  of  a  country  lad. 

He  had  attached  himself  to  me  as  a  kind  of  sporting  compan- 
ion ;  and,  growing  daily  more  and  more  useful,  had  been  gradu- 
ally admitted  to  the  honors  of  the  kitchen  and  the  prerogatives 
of  cast  clothes,  without  ever  having  been  actually  engaged  as 
a  servant ;  and  while  thus  no  warrant  ofhcer,  as,  in  fact,  he 
discharged  all  his  duties  well  and  punctually,  was  rated  among 
the  ship's  company,  though  no  one  could  say  at  what  precise 
period  he  changed  his  caterpillar  existence  and  became  the  gay 
butterfly,  with  cords  and  tops,  a  striped  vest,  and  a  most  know- 
ing jerry  hat,  who  stalked  about  the  stable-yard  and  bullied  the 
helpers.  Such  was  Mike.  He  had  made  his  fortune,  such  as 
it  was,  and  had  a  most  becoming  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  made 
himself  indispensable  to  an  establishment  which,  before  he 
entered  it,  never  knew  the  want  of  him.  As  for  me,  he  was  every- 
thing to  me.  Mike  informed  me  what  horse  was  wrong,  why  the 
chestnut  mare  couldn't  go  out,  and  why  the  black  horse  could. 
He  knew  the  arrival  of  a  new  covey  of  partridges  quicker  than 
the  Moniirig  PostdoQS  of  a  noble  family  from  the  Continent,  and 
could  tell  their  whereabouts  twice  as  accurately ;  but  his  tal- 
ents took  a  wider  range  than  field  sports  afford,  and  he  was  the 
faithful  chronicler  of  every  wake,  station,  wedding,  or  christen- 
ing for  miles  round  ;  and  as  I  took  no  small  pleasure  in  those 
very  national  pastimes,  the  information  was  of  great  value  to  me. 
To  conclude  this  brief  sketch,  Mike  was  a  devout  Catholic,  in 
the  same  sense  that  he  was  enthusiastic  about  anything  ;  that 
is,  he  believed  and  obeyed  exactly  as  far  as  suited  his  own  pe- 
culiar notions  of  comfort  and  happiness.  Beyond  t/iat,  his  scep- 
ticism stepped  in  and  saved  him  from  inconvenience  ;  and 
though  he  might  have  been  somewhat  puzzled  to  reduce 
his  faith  to  a  rubric,  still  it  answered  his  purpose,  and  that  was 
all  he  wanted.  Such,  in  short,  was  my  valet,  Mickey  Free, 
and  who,  had   not  heavy  injunctions  been  laid  on  him  as  to 


102  CIJARLEU  O'M ALLEY, 

silence  and  discretion,  would  well  have  lightened  my  weary 
hours. 

"  Ah !  then,  Misther  Charles,"  said  he,  with  a  half-sup- 
pressed yawn  at  the  long  period  of  probation  his  tongue  had 
been  undergoing  in  silence — "  ah !  then,  but  ye  were  mighty 
near  it." 

"  Near  what?  "  said  I. 

"  Faith,  then,  myself  doesn't  well  know.  Some  say  its  pur- 
gathory ;  but  it's  hard  to  tell." 

"  I  thought  you  were  too  good  a  Catholic,  Mickey,  to  show 
any  doubts  on  the  matter  "i  " 

"  May  be  I  am — may  be  I  ain't,"  was  the  cautious  reply. 

"  Wouldn't  Father  Roach  explain  any  of  your  difficulties  for 
you,  if  you  went  over  to  him  ?  " 

"  Faix,  it's  little  I'd  mind  his  explainings." 

"  And  why  not?" 

"  Easy  enough.  If  you  ax  ould  Miles  there,  without,  what 
does  he  be  doing  with  all  the  powther  and  shot,  wouldn't  he 
tell  you  he's  shooting  the  rooks,  and  the  magpies,  and  some 
other  varmint  ?  but  myself  knows  he  sells  it  to  Widow  Casey, 
at  two-and-fourpence  a  pound  :  so  belikes,  Father  Roach  may 
be  shooting  away  at  the  poor  souls  in  purgathory,  that  all  this 
time  are  enjoying  the  hoith  of  fine  living  in  heaven,  ye  under- 
stand." 

"  And  you  think  that's  the  way  of  it,  Mickey  ?  " 

"  Troth,  it's  likely.  Anyhow,  I  know  it's  not  the  place  they 
make  it  out." 

"  Why,  how  do  you  mean  ? " 

"  Well,  then,  I'll  tell  you,  Misther  Charles  ;  but  you  must 
not  be  saying  anything  about  it  afther ;  for  I  don't  like  to  talk 
about  these  kind  of  things." 

Having  pledged  myself  to  the  requisite  silence  and  secrecy, 
Mickey  began  : 

"  May  be  you  heard  tell  of  the  way  my  father,  rest  his  soul 
wherever  he  is,  came  to  his  end.     Well,  I  needn't  mind  partic- 


7'HE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  103 

ulars,  but,  in  short,  he  was  murdered  in  Ballinasloe  one  night, 
when  he  was  baitin'  the  whole  town  with  a  blackthorn  stick  he 
had,  more  by  token,  a  piece  of  a  scythe  was  stuck  at  the  end 
of  it ;  a  nate  weapon,  and  one  he  was  mighty  partial  to  :  but 
those  murdering  thieves,  the  cattle-dealers,  that  never  cared 
for  diversion  of  any  kind,  fell  on  him  and  broke  his  skull. 

"  Well,  we  had  a  very  agreeable  wake,  and  plenty  of  the  best 
of  everything,  and  to  spare,  and  I  thought  it  was  all  over ;  but 
somehow,  though  I  paid  Father  Roach  fifteen  shillings,  and 
made  him  mighty  drunk,  he  always  gave  me  a  black  look 
wherever  I  met  him,  and  when  I  took  off  my  hat,  he'd  turn 
away  his  head  displeased  like. 

"  '  Murder  and  ages,'  says  I,  '  what's  this  for  ? '  but  as  I've  a 
light  heart,  I  bore  up,  and  didn't  think  more  about  it.  One 
day,  however,  I  was  coming  home  from  Athlone  market,  by 
myself  on  the  road,  when  Father  Roach  overtook  me.  '  Devil 
a  one  a  me  'ill  take  any  notice  of  you  now,'  says  I,  '  and  we'll 
see  what'll  come  out  of  it.'  So  the  priest  rid  up,  and  looked 
me  straight  in  the  face. 

"  *  Mickey,'  says  he — '  Mickey.' 

"  '  Father,'  says  I. 

"  '  Is  it  that  way  you  salute  your  clargy,'  says  he,  *  with  your 
caubeen  on  your  head  ? ' 

" '  Faix,'  says  I,  '  it's  little  ye  mind  whether  it's  an  or  aff, 
for  you  never  take  the  trouble  to  say,  "  By  your  leave," 
or  "  Damn  your  soul,"  or  any  other  politeness,  when  we 
meet.' 

"  '  You're  an  ungrateful  creature,'  says  he  ;  '  and  if  you  only 
knew,  you'd  be  trembling  in  your  skin  before  me,  this  minute.' 

" '  Devil  a  tremble,'  says  I,  '  after  walking  six  miles  this 
way.' 

" '  You're  an  obstinate,  hard-hearted  sinner,'  says  he,  '  and 
it's  no  use  in  telling  you.' 

"'Telling  me  what.?'  says  I,  for  1  was  getting  curious  to 
make  out  what  he  meant. 


104  CIJAHLES  OWI ALLEY, 

"  *  Mickey,'  says  he,  changing  his  voice,  and  putting  his  head 
down  close  to  me — '  Mickey,  I  saw  your  father  last  night." 

"  *  The  saints  be  merciful  to  us  !  '  said  I,  '  did  ye  ? ' 

"  *  I  did,'  says  he. 

*'  *  Tear  an  ages,'  says  I,  '  did  he  tell  you  what  he  did  with 
the  new  corduroys  he  bought  in  the  fair  ? ' 

"  *  Oh  !  then,  you  are  a  could-hearted  creature,'  says  he, 
'  and  ril  not  lose  time  with  you.'  ^^'ith  that  he  was  going  to 
ride  away,  when  I  took  hold  of  the  bridle. 

"  *  Father,  darling,'  says  I,  '  God  pardon  me,  but  them 
breeches  is  goin'  between  me  an'  my  night's  rest;  but  tell  me 
about  my  father  ? ' 

"  *  Oh  !  then  he's  in  a  melancholy  state  ! ' 

"  *  Whereabouts  is  he  ! '  says  I. 

"  *  In  purgathory,'  says  he  ;  '  but  he  won't  be  there  long.' 

"  *  Well,'  says  I,  '  that's  a  comfort,  anyhow.' 

" '  I  am  glad  you  think  so,'  says  he ;  '  but  there's  more  of 
the  other  opinion.' 

"  '  What's  that  ?  '  says  I. 

"  *  That  hell's  worse.' 

" '  Oh  !  melia-murther,'  says  I,  *  is  that  it  V 

" '  Ay,  that's  it,' 

"  Well,  I  was  so  terrified  and  frightened,  I  said  nothing  for 
some  time,  but  trotted  along  beside  the  priest's  horse. 

"  '  Father,'  says  I,  'how  long  will  it  be  before  they  send  him 
where  you  know  ? ' 

*"  It  will  not  be  long  now,'  says  he,  'for  they're  tired  en- 
tirely with  him ;  they've  no  peace  night  or  day,'  says  he. 
*  Mickey,  your  father  is  a  mighty  hard  man.' 

"  '  True  for  you,  Father  Roach,'  says  I  to  myself  ;  *  av  he 
had  only  the  ould  stick  with  the  scythe  in  it,  I  wish  them  joy 
of  his  company.' 

"'Mickey,'  says  he,  'I  see  you're  grieved,  and  I  don't 
wonder  ;  sure,  it's  a  great  disgrace  to  a  decent  family.' 

"  '  Troth,'  it  is,  says  I,  '  but  my  father  always  liked  low  com- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  105 

pany.  Could  nothing  be  done  for  him  now,  Father  Roach  ? " 
says  I,  looking  up  in  the  priest's  face. 

" '  I'm  greatly  afraid,  Mickey,  he  was  a  bad  man,  a  very  bad 
man.' 

"  '  And  ye  think  he'll  go  there  ? '  says  I. 

"  '  Indeed,  Mickey,  I  have  my  fears.' 

"'Upon  my  conscience,'  says,  I,  •  I  believe  your're  right; 
he  was  always  a  restless  crayture.' 

"  '  But  it  doesn't  depind  on  him,'  says  the  priest,  crossly.' 

"  '  And,  then,  who  then  ? '  says  I. 

"  '  Upon  yourself,  Mickey  Free,'  says  he ;  '  God  pardon  you  for 
it  too.' 

"  '  Upon  me  ? '  says  I. 

"  'Troth  no  less,'  says  he  ;  '  how  many  masses  was  said  for 
your  father's  soul  ? — how  many  aves  ? — how  many  paters  ? — 
answer  me.' 

"  '  Devil  a  one  of  me  knows  ! — maybe  twenty.' 

"  '  Twenty,  twenty — no,  nor  one.' 

"  '  And  why  not  ? '  says  I ;  '  what  for  wouldn't  you  be  helping 
a  poor  crayture  out  of  trouble  when  it  wouldn't  cost  you  more 
nor  a  handful  of  prayers  ? ' 

" '  Mickey,  I  see,'  says  he,  in  a  solemn  tone,  '  you're  worse 
nor  a  haythen  ;  but  ye  couldn't  be  other  ;  ye  never  come  toyer 
duties.' 

"  '  Well,  father,'  says  T,  looking  very  penitent,  '  how  many 
masses  would  get  him  out?" 

" '  Now  you  talk  like  a  sensible  man,'  says  he.  '  Now, 
Mickey,  I've  hopes  for  you.  Let  me  see ' — here  he  went 
countin'  upon  his  fingers,  and  numberin'  to  himself  for  five 
minutes — *  Mickey,'  says  he,  *  I've  a  batch  coming  out  on 
Tuesday  week,  and  if  you  were  to  make  great  exertions,  perhaps 
your  father  could  come  with  them  ;  that  is,  av  they  have  made 
no  objections.' 

"  '  And  what  for  would  they  ?  '  says  I  ;  '  he  was  always  the 
hoith  of  company,  and  av  singing's  allowed  in  them  parts ' 


lo6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  *  God  forgive  you,  Mickey,  but  yer  in  a  benighted  state,' 
says  he,  sighing. 

"  '  Well,'  says  I,  '  hovv'U  we  get  him  out  on  Tuesday  week  ? 
for  that's  bringing  things  to  a  focus.' 

"  *  Two  masses  in  the  morning,  fastin','  says  Father  Roach, 
half  aloud,  '  is  two,  and  two  in  the  afternoon  is  four,  and  two 
at  vespers  is  six,'  says  he  ;  '  six  masses  a  day  for  nine  days  is 
close  by  sixty  masses — say  sixty,'  says  he  ;  *  and  they'll  cost  you 
— mind,  Mickey,  and  don't  be  telling  it  again,  for  it's  only  to 
yourself  I'd  make  them  so  cheap — a  matter  of  three  pounds.' 

"  *  Three  pounds  ! '  says  I ;  '  be-gorra  ye  might  as  well  ax 
me  to  give  you  the  rock  of  Cashel.' 

"  *  I'm  sorry  for  ye,  Mickey,'  says  he,  gatherin'  up  the  reins 
to  ride  off — 'I'm  sorry  for  ye  ;  and  the  time  will  come  when 
the  neglect  of  your  poor  father  will  be  a  sore  stroke  agin  your- 
self.' 

"  *  Wait  a  bit,  your  reverence,'  says  I — '  wait  a  bit.  Would 
forty  shillings  get  him  out  ? ' 

"  '  Av  course  it  wouldn't,'  says  he. 

"  '  Maybe,'  says  I,  coaxing — '  Maybe,  av  you  said  that  his 
son  was  a  poor  boy  that  lived  by  his  indhustry,  and  the  times 
was  bad ' 

"  '  Not  the  least  use,'  says  he. 

"  '  Arrah,  but  it's  hard-hearted  they  are,'  thinks  I.  'Well, 
see  now,  I'll  gave  you  the  money,  but  I  can't  afford  it  all  at 
on'st ;  but  I'll  pay  five  shillings  a  week — will  that  do  t ' 

"  '  I'll  do  my  endayvors,'  says  Father  Roach  ;  '  and  I'll 
speak  to  them  to  treat  him  peaceably  in  the  mean  time.' 

"  '  Long  life  to  yer  reverence,  and  do.  Well,  here  now, 
here's  five  hogs  to  begin  with  ;  and,  musha,  but  I  never  thought 
I'd  be  spending  my  loose  change  that  way.' 

"  Father  Roach  put  the  six  tinpinnies  in  the  pocket  of  his 
black  leather  breeches,  said  something  in  Latin,  bid  me  good- 
morning,  and  rode  off. 

"  '  Well,  to  make  my  story  short,  I  worked  late  and  early  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  107 

pay  the  five  shillings  a  week,  and  I  did  do  it  for  three  weeks 

regular  ;  then  I  brought   four  and  fourpence — then    it   came 

down  to  one  and  tenpence  halfpenny — then  ninepence — and, 

at  last,  I  had  nothing  at  all  to  bring. 

"  '  Mickey  Free,'  says  the  priest,  '  ye  must  stir  yourself  ;  your 

father  is    mighty  displeased    at  the  way   you've   been  doing 

of  late  ;  and  av  ye  kept  yer  word,  he'd  be  near  out  by  this 

time." 

" '  Troth,'  says  I,  '  it's  a  very  expensive  place. ' 

*' '  By  coorse  it   is,'  says   he  ;  '  sure  all   the  quality  of  the 

land's  there.     But,  Mickey,  my  man,  with  a  little    exertion, 

your  father's  business  is  done.     What  are  you  jingling  in  your 

pocket  there  ? ' 

" '  It's   ten   shillings,  your  reverence,  I  have   to   buy  seed 

potatoes.' 

"  '  Hand  it  here,  my  son.     Isn't  it  better  your  father  would 

be  enjoying  himself  in  paradise,  than  if  ye  were  to  have  all  the 

potatoes  in  Ireland  ? ' 

"  '  And  how  do  ye  know,'  says  I,  '  he's  so  near  out  ? ' 

"  '  How  do  I  know — how  do  I  know,  is  it  ? — didn't  I  see 

him?' 

"  *  See  him  !  tear  an  ages,  was  you  down  there  again  } ' 

"  *  I  was,'  says  he  ;  •  I  was  down  there  for  three-quarters  of 

an  hour  yesterday  evening,  getting  out  Luke  Kennedy's  mother. 

Decent  people  the  Kennedys — never  spared  expense.' 
"  '  And  ye  seen  my  father  ? '  says  I. 
"  *  I  did,'  say  he  ;  *  he  had   an   ould  flannel  waistcoat   on, 

and  a  pipe  sticking  out  of  the  pocket  av  it.' 
"  '  That's  him,'  says  I.     *  Had  he  a  hairy  cap  ? ' 
" '  I    didn't   mind   the    cap,'    says    he,  '  but    av   coorse    he 

wouldn't  have  it  on  his  head  in  that  place.' 

"  *  Thrue  for  you,'  says  I.    '  Did  he  speak  to  you  ? ' 

" '  He  did,'  says  Father  Roach  ;  *  he  spoke  very  hard  about 

the  way  he  was  treated  down  there,  that  they  was  always  jibin' 

and  jeerin'  him   about  drink^  and  fightin',  and  the  course  he 


I08  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

led  up  here,  and  that  it  was  a  queer  thing,  for  the  matter  of 
ten  shillings,  he  was  to  be  kept  there  so  long.' 

"  'Well,'  says  I,  taking  out  the  ten  shillings  and  counting  it 
with  one  hand,  '  we  must  do  our  best,  anyhow ;  and  ye  think 
this'U  get  him  out  surely  ? ' 

" '  I  know  it  will,'  says  he ;  '  for  when  Luke's  mother  was 
leaving  the  place,  and  yer  father  saw  the  door  open,  he  made 
a  rush  at  it,  and,  be-gorra,  before  it  was  shut  he  got  his  head 
and  one  shoulder  outside  av  it,  so  that,  ye  see,  a  thrifle  more  '11 
do  it." 

" '  Faix,  and  yer  reverence,'  says  I,  '  you've  lightened  my 
heart  this  morning.'  And  I  put  my  money  back  again  in  my 
pocket. 

"  '  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ? '  says  he,  growing  very  red,  for 
he  was  angry. 

"  '  Just  this,'  says  I,  *  that  I've  saved  my  money ;  for  av  it 
was  my  father  you  seen,  and  that  he  got  his  head  and  one 
shoulder  outside  the  door,  oh,  then,  by  the  powers  ! '  says  I, 
'  the  devil  a  jail  or  jailer  from  hell  to  Connaught  id  hould  him  ; 
so,  Father  Roach,  I  wish  you  the  top  of  the  morning,'  And  I 
went  away  laughing;  and  from  that  day  to  this  I  never  heard 
more  of  purgathory ;  and  ye  see,  Master  Charles,  I  think  I  was 
right." 

Scarcely  had  Mike  concluded  when  my  door  was  suddenly 
burst  open,  and  Sir  Harry  Boyle,  without  assuming  any  of  his 
usual  precautions  respecting  silence  aad  quiet,  rushed  into  the 
room,  a  broad  grin  upon  his  honest  features,  and  his  eyes 
twinkling  in  a  way  that  evidently  showed  me  something  had 
occurred  to  amuse  him. 

"  By  Jove,  Charley,  I  mustn't  keep  it  from  you,  it's  too 
good  a  thing  not  to  tell  you ;  do  you  remember  that  very  es- 
senced  young  gentleman  who  accompanied  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood  from  Dublin,  as  a  kind  of  electioneering  friend  ? " 

"  Do  you  mean  Mr.  Prettyman  ?  " 

"  The  very  man ;  he  was,  you  are  aware,  an  under-secretary 


THE  IRISH  DA'ACOOiV.  IO9 

;n  some  government  department.  Well,  it  seems  that  he  had 
come  down  among  us  poor  savages  as  much  from  motives  of 
learned  research  and  scientific  inquiry,  as  though  we  had  been 
South  Sea  Islanders ;  report  had  gifted  us  humble  Galwayans 
with  some  very  peculiar  traits,  and  this  gifted  individual  re- 
solved to  record  them.  Whether  the  election  week  might  have 
sufficed  his  appetite  for  wonders  I  know  not,  but  he  was  peace- 
ably taking  his  departure  from  the  west  on  Saturday  last,  when 
Phil  Macnamara  met  him,  and  pressed  him  to  dine  that  day 
with  a  few  friends  at  his  house.  You  know  Phil ;  so  that  when 
I  tell  you  Sam  Burke  of  Greenmount,  and  Roger  Doolan  were 
of  the  party,  I  need  not  say  that  the  English  traveller  was  not 
left  to  his  own  unassisted  imagination  for  his  facts  ;  such  anec- 
dotes of  our  habits  and  customs  as  they  crammed  him  with,  it 
would  appear,  never  were  heard  before — nothing  was  too  hot 
or  too  heavy  for  the  luckless  cockney,  who,  when  not  sipping 
his  claret,  was  faithfully  recording  in  his  tablet  the  mems.  for 
a  very  brilliant  and  very  original  work  on  Ireland. 

"  '  Fine  country — splendid  country — glorious  people — gifted 
— brave — intelligent — but  not  happy — alas  !  Mr,  Macnamara, 
not  happy.  But  we  don't  know  you,  gentlemen — we  don't  in- 
deed, at  the  other  side  of  the  Channel ;  our  notions  regarding 
you  are  far,  very  far  from  just.' 

"  '  I  hope  and  trust,'  said  old  Burke,  '  you'll  help  them  to  a 
better  understanding  ere  long.' 

'"  Such,  my  dear  sir,  will  be  the  proudest  task  of  my  life. 
The  facts  I  have  heard  here  this  evening  have  made  so  pro- 
found an  impression  upon  me,  that  I  burn  for  the  moment 
when  I  can  make  them  known  to  tlie  world  at  large.  To  think 
— just  to  think,  that  a  portion  of  this  beautiful  island  should 
be  steeped  in  poverty — that  the  people  not  only  live  upon 
the  mere  potatoes,  but  are  absolutely  obliged  to  wear  the 
skins  for  raiment,  as  Mr.  Doolan  has  just  mentioned  to 
me." 

"  *  Which  accounts  for  our  cultivation  of  lumpers,"  added 


no  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

Mr.  Doolan,  '  they  being  the  largest  species  of  the  root,  and 
best  adapted  for  wearing  apparel.' 

" '  I  should  deem  myself  culpable,  indeed  I  should,  did  I 
not  inform  my  countrymen  upon  the  real  condition  of  this 
great  country.' 

" '  Why,  after  your  great  opportunities  for  judging,'  said 
Phil,  '  you  ought  to  speak  out.  You've  seen  us  in  a  way,  I 
may  fairly  affirm,  few  Englishmen  have,  and  heard  more.' 
.  " '  That's  it — that's  the  very  thing,  Mr.  Macnamara.  I've 
looked  at  you  more  closely,  I've  watched  you  more  narrowly, 
I've  witnessed  what  the  French  call  your  "77V  intime."^ 

" '  Begad  you  have,'  said  old  Burke,  with  a  grin,  *  and 
profited  by  it  to  the  utmost.' 

"  '  I've  been  a  spectator  of  your  election  contests — I've  par- 
taken of  your  hospitality — I've  witnessed  your  popular  and 
national  sports — I've  been  present  at  your  weddings,  your  fairs, 
your  wakes ;  but  no,  I  was  forgetting,  I  never  saw  a  wake.' 

" '  Never  saw  a  wake  !  '  repeated  each  of  the  company  in 
turn,  as  though  the  gentleman  was  uttering  a  sentiment  of  very 
dubious  veracity. 

" '  Never,'  said  Mr.  Prettyman,  rather  abashed  at  this  proof 
of  his  incapacity  to  instruct  his  English  friends  upon  a// matters 
of  Irish  interest. 

'"  Well,  then,'  said  Macnamara,  '  with  a  blessing,  we'll  show 
you  one.  Lord  forbid  that  we  shouldn't  do  the  honors  of  our 
poor  country  to  an  intelligent  foreigner  when  he's  good  enough 
10  come  amongst  us.' 

"  '  Peter,'  said  he,  turning  to  the  servant  behind  him,' who's 
dead  hereabouts  ? ' 

"  '  Sorra  one,  yer  honor.  Since  the  scrimmage  of  Portumna 
the  place  is  peaceable.' 

"  '  Who  died  lately  in  the  neighborhood  ? ' 

"' The  widow  Macbride,  yer  honor.' 

"  '  Couldn't  they  take  her  up  again,  Peter  ?  My  friend  her'e 
never  saw  a  wake.' 


TJIE  JKISH  DRA  GOON.  1 1 1 

"  '  I'm  afeered  not,  for  it  was  the  boys  roasted  her,  and 
she  wouldn't  be  a  decent  corpse  for  to  show  a  stranger,"  said 
Peter,  in  a  whisper. 

"  Mr.  Prettyman  shuddered  at  these  peaceful  indications  of 
the  neighborhood,  and  said  nothing. 

" '  Well,  then,  Peter,  tell  Jemmy  Divine  to  take  the  old  mus- 
ket in  my  bedroom,  and  go  over  to  the  Clunagh  bog — he  can't 
go  wrong — there's  twelve  families  here  that  never  pay  a  half- 
penny rent,  and  when  it's  done,  let  him  give  notice  to  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  we'll    have  a  rousing  wake.' 

"  '  You  don't  mean,  Mr.  Macnamara — you  don't  mean  to 
say , '  stammered  out  the  cockney,  with  a  face  like  a  ghost. 

"*I  only  mean  to  say,'  said  Phil,  laughing,  'that  you're 
keeping  the  decanter  very  long  at  your  right  hand.' 

"  Burke  contrived  to  interpose  before  the  Englishman  could 
ask  any  explanation  of  what  he  had  just  heard — and  for  some 
minutes  he  could  only  wait  in  impatient  anxiety — when  a  loud 
report  of  a  gun  close  beside  the  house  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  guests  ;  the  next  moment  old  Peter  entered,  his  face 
radiant  with  smiles. 

"  '  Well,  what's  that  ? '  said  Macnamara. 

"  '  '  Twas  Jimmy,  yer  honor.  As  the  evening  was  rainy,  he 
said  he'd  take  one  of  the  neighbors,  and  he  hadn't  to  go 
far  for  Andy  Moore  was  going  home,  and  he  brought  him  down 
at  once.' 

"  '  Did  he  shoot  him  ? '  said  Mr.  Prettyman,  while  cold  per- 
spiration broke  over  his  forehead.     '  Did  he  murder  the  man  V 

"  '  Sorra  murder,'  said  Peter,  disdainfully;  'but  why  wouldn't 
he  shoot  him  when  the  master  bid  him  ?  ' 

"I  needn't  tell  you  more,  Charley  ;  but  in  ten  minutes  after, 
feigning  some  excuse  to  leave  the  room,  the  terrified  cockney 
took  flight,  and,  offering  twenty  guineas  for  a  horse  to  convey 
him  to  Athlone,  he  left  Galway,  fully  convinced  that  they 
don't  yet  know  us  on  the  other  side  of  the  Channel." 


113  CHARLL^  O'MALLEV, 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  JOURNEY. 

The  election  concluded — the  turmoil  and  excitement  of  the 
contest  over — all  was  fast  resuming  its  accustomed  routine 
around  us,  when  one  morning  my  uncle  informed  me  that  I 
was  at  length  to  leave  my  native  county,  and  enter  upon  the 
great  world  as  a  student  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  Although 
long  since  in  expectation  of  this  eventful  change,  ii,  was  with 
no  slight  feeling  of  emotion  I  contemplated  tho  step,  which,  re- 
moving me  at  once  from  all  my  early  friends  and  associations, 
was  to  surround  me  with  new  companions  and  new  influences, 
and  place  before  me  very  different  objects  of  ambition  from 
those  I  had  hitherto  been  regarding. 

My  destiny  had  been  long  ago  decided  ;  the  army  had  had 
its  share  of  the  family,  who  bror;ght  little  more  back  with  them 
from  the  wars  than  a  short  allowance  of  members  and  shattered 
constitutions;  the  navy  had  proved,  on  more  than  one  occasion, 
that  the  fate  of  the  O'Malleys  did  not  incline  to  hanging;  so 
that,  in  Irish  estimation,  but  one  alternative  remained,  and  that 
was  the  bar.  Besides,  as  my  uncle  remarked, with  great  truth 
and  foresight,  "  Charley  will  be  tolerably  independent  of  the 
public,  at  all  events  ;  for,  even  if  they  never  send  him  a  brief, 
there's  law  enough  in  the  family  to  last  his  time  " — a  rather 
novel  reason,  by-the-bye,  for  making  a  man  a  lawyer,  and  which 
induced  Sir  Harry,  with  his  usual  clearness,  to  observe  to  me. 

"  Upon  my  conscience,  boy,  you  are  in  luck.  If  there  had 
been  a  Bible  in  the  house,  I  firmly  believe  he'd  have  made 
you  a  parson." 

Considine  alone,  of  all   my  uncle's   advisers,  did  not  concur 


THE  IRISH  DRAUOOiV.  1 13 

in  this  determination  respecting  me.  He  set  forth  with  an  elo- 
quence that  certainly  converted  nie^  that  my  head  was  better 
calculated  for  bearing  hard  knocks  than  unravelling  knotty 
points ;  that  a  shako,  would  become  it  infinitely  better  than  a 
wig;  and  declared,  roundly,  that  a  boy  who  began  so  well,  and 
had  such  very  pretty  notions  about  shooting,  was  positively 
thrown  away  in  the  Four  Courts.  My  uncle,  however,  was  firm, 
and,  as  old  Sir  Harry  supported  him,  the  day  was  decided 
against  us,  Considine  murmuring,  as  he  left  the  room,  some- 
thing that  did  not  seem  quite  a  brilliant  anticipation  of  the 
success  awaiting  me  in  my  legal  career.  As  for  myself,  though 
only  a  silent  spectator  of  the  debate,  all  my  wishes  were  with 
the  Count.  From  my  earliest  boyhood  a  military  life  had  been 
my  strongest  desire  ;  the  roll  of  the  drum,  and  the  shrill  fife 
that  played  through  the  little  village,  with  its  ragged  troop  of 
recruits  following,  had  charms  for  me  I  cannot  describe ;  and 
had  a  choice  been  allowed  me,  I  would  infinitely  rather  have 
been  a  sergeant  in  the  dragoons  than  one  of  his  Majesty's 
learned  in  the  law.  If,  then,  such  had  been  the  cherished  feel- 
ing of  many  a  year,  how  much  more  strongly  were  my  aspira- 
tions heightened  by  the  events  of  the  last  few  days.  The  tone 
of  superiority  I  had  witnessed  in  Hammersley,  whose  conduct 
to  me  at  parting  had  placed  him  high  in  my  esteem^the  quiet 
contempt  of  civilians,  implied  in  a  thousand  sly  ways — the  ex- 
alted estimate  of  his  own  profession,  at  once  wounded  my  pride 
and  stimulated  my  ambition  ;  and,  lastly,  more  than  all,  the 
avowed  preference  that  Lucy  Dashwood  evinced  for  a  military 
life,  were  stronger  allies  than  my  own  conviction  needed  to 
make  me  long  for  the  army.  So  completely  did  the  thought 
possess  me,  that  I  felt,  if  I  were  not  a  soldier,  I  cared  not 
what  became  of  me.  Life  had  no  other  object  of  ambition  for 
me  than  military  renown,  no  other  success  for  which  I  cared 
to  struggle,  or  would  value  when  obtained.  ^'' Aut  Ccesar  aut 
minus,'"  thought  I ;  and  when  my  uncle  determined  I  should 
be  a  lawyer,  I  neither  murmured  nor  objected,  but  hugged  my 
8 


114  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

self  in  the  prophecy  of  Considine,  that  hinted  pretty  broadly, 
"  the  devil  a  stupider  fellow  ever  opened  a  brief ;  but  he'd 
have  made  a  slashing  light  dragoon." 

The  preliminaries  were  not  long  in  arranging.  It  was  settled 
that  I  should  be  immediately  despatched  to  Dublin  to  the  care 
of  Doctor  Mooney,  then  a  junior  fellow  in  the  University,  who 
would  take  me  into  his  especial  charge ;  while  Sir  Harry  was 
to  furnish  me  with  a  letter  to  his  old  friend,  Doctor  Barret, 
w^hose  advice  and  assistance  he  estimated  at  a  very  high  price. 
Provided  with  such  documents,  I  was  informed  that  the  gates 
of  knowledge  were  more  than  half  ajar  for  me,  without  an 
effort  upon  my  part.  One  only  portion  of  all  the  arrangements 
I  heard  with  anything  like  pleasure ;  it  was  decided  that  my 
man  Mickey  was  to  accompany  me  to  Dublin,  and  remain  with 
me  during  my  stay. 

It  was  upon  a  clear,  sharp  morning  in  January,  of  the  year 
18 — ,  that  I  took  my  place  upon  the  box-seat  of  the  old  Galway 
mail,  and  set  out  on  my  journey.  My  heart  was  depressed  and 
my  spirits  were  miserably  low.  I  had  all  that  feeling  of  sad- 
ness which  leave-taking  inspires,  and  no  sustaining  prospect  to 
cheer  me  in  the  distance.  For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  had 
seen  a  tear  glisten  in  my  poor  uncle's  eye,  and  heard  his  voice 
falter  as  he  said,  "  Farewell !  "  Notwithstanding  the  differ- 
ence of  age,  we  had  been  perfectly  companions  together  ;  and, 
as  I  thought  now  over  all  the  thousand  kindnesses  and  affec- 
tionate instances  of  his  love  I  had  received,  my  heart  gave  way, 
and  the  tears  coursed  slowly  down  my  cheeks.  I  turned  to 
give  one  last  look  at  the  tall  chimneys  and  the  old  woods,  my 
earliest  friends ;  but  a  turn  of  the  road  had  shut  out  the  pros- 
pect, and  thus  I  took  my  leave  of  Galway. 

■  My  friend  Mickey,  who  sat  behind  with  the  guard,  partici- 
pated but  little  in  my  feelings  of  regret.  The  potatoes  in  rhe 
metropolis  could  scarcely  be  as  wet  as  the  lumpers  in  Scariff ; 
he  had  heard  that  whisky  was  not  dearer,  and  looked  forward 
to  the  other  delights  of  the  capital  with  a  longing  heart.     Mean- 


THE  IKIsn  DKAGOOX.  1 15 

while,  resolved  that  no  portion  of  his  career  should  be  lost,  he 
was  lightening  the  road  by  anecdote  and  song,  and  held  an 
audience  of  four  people,  a  verj^  crusty-looking  old  guard  in- 
cluded, in  roars  of  laughter.  Mike  had  contrived,  with  his  usual 
savoir  /aire,  to  make  himself  very  agreeable  to  an  extremely 
pretty  looking  country  girl,  around  whose  waist  he  had  most 
iovingly  passed  his  arm,  under  pretence  of  keeping  her  from 
falling,  and  to  whom,  in  the  midst  of  all  his  attentions  to  the 
party  at  large,  he  devoted  himself  considerably,  pressing  his 
suit  with  all  the  aid  of  his  native  minstrelsy. 

"  Hould  me  tight,  Miss  Matilda,  dear." 

"  My  name's  Mary  Brady,  av  ye  plase." 

"  Ay,  and  I  do  plase. 

"  '  Oh,  Mary  Brady,  you  are  my  darlin'. 

You  are  my  looking-glass,  from  night  till  morning; 

I'd  rayther  have  ye  without  one  farthen. 

Nor  Shusey  Gallagher  and  her  house  and  garden.' 

May  I  never  av  I  wouldn't,  then  ;  and  ye  needn't  be  laughing." 

"  Is  his  honor  at  home  ?  " 

This  speech  was  addressed  to  a  gaping  country  fellow,  that 
leaned  on  this  spade  to  see  the  coach  pass. 

*'  Is  his  honor  at  home  ?  I've  something  for  him  from  Mr. 
Davern." 

Mickey  well  knew  that  few  western  gentlemen  were  without 
constant  intercourse  with  the  Athlone  attorney.  The  poor 
countryman  accordingly  hastened  through  the  fence,  and  pur- 
sued the  coach  with  all  speed  for  above  a  mile,  Mike  pretend- 
ing all  the  time  to  be  in  the  greatest  anxiety  for  his  overtaking 
them  ;  until  at  last,  as  he  stopped  in  despair,  a  hearty  roar  of 
laughter  told  him  that,  in  Mickey's /ar/a;/(V',  he  was  "sould." 

"  Taste  it,  my  dear ;  devil  a  harm  it'll  do  ye  ;  it  never  paid 
the  king  sixpence." 

Here  he  filled  a  little  horn  vessel  from  a  black  bottle  he 
carried,  accompanying  the  action  with  a  song,  the  air  to  which 
if  any  of  my  readers  feel  disposed  to  sing  it,  I  may  observe  bore 


ii6  Charles  o\m alley, 

a  resemblance   to  the  well-known    "  A  Fig  for  St.  Denis  of 
France." 

"  POTTEEN,  GOOD  LUCK  TO  YE,  DEAR. 

**  Av  I  was  a  monarch  in  state, 

Like  Romulus  or  Julius  Caysar, 
With  the  best  of  fine  victuals  to  eat. 

And  drink  like  great  Nebuchadnezzar, 
A  rasher  of  bacon  I'd  have, 

And  potatoes  the  finest  was  seen,  sir; 
And  for  drink,  it's  no  claret,  I'd  crave. 
But  a  keg  of  ould  Mullen's  potteen,  sir. 

With  the  smell  of  the  smoke  on  it  still. 

"  They  talk  of  the  Romans  of  ould. 

Whom  they  say  in  their  own  times  was  frisky  ; 
But  trust  me,  to  keep  out  the  cowld. 
The  Romans  at  home  here  like  whisky, 
*  Sure  it  warms  both  the  head  and  the  heart. 

It's  the  soul  of  all  readin'  and  writin* 
It  teaches  both  science  and  art, 
And  disposes  for  love  or  for  fightin'. 

Oh,  potteen,  good  luck  to  ye,  dear." 

This  very  classic  production,  and  the  black  bottle  which  ac- 
companied it,  completely  established  the  singer's  pre-eminence 
in  the  company  ;  and  I  heard  sundry  sounds  resembling  drink- 
ing, with  frequent  good  wishes  to  the  provider  of  the  feast. 
"  Long  life  to  ye,  Mr.  Free,"  "  Your  health  and  inclinations, 
Mr.  Free,"  etc. ;  to  which  Mr.  Free  responded  by  drinking 
those  of  the  company,  "  av  they  were  vartuous."  The  ami- 
cable relations  thus  happily  established,  promised  a  very  lasting 
reign,  and  would,  doubtless,  have  enjoyed  such,  had  not  a  slight 
incident  occurred,  which  for  a  brief  season  interrupted  them. 
At  the  village  where  we  stopped  to  breakfast,  three  very  vener- 
able figures  presented  themselves  for  places  in  the  inside  of  the 
coach  :  they  were  habited  in  black  coats,  breeches,  and  gaiters, 
wore  hats  of  a  very  ecclesiastic  breadth  in  their  brim,  and  had 
altogether  the  peculiar  air  and  bearing  which  distinguishes  their 
calling,  being  no  less  than  three  Roman  Catholic  prelates  on 
their  way  to  Dublin  to  attend  a  convocation.  While  Mickey 
and  his  friends,  with  the  ready  t?.ct  which  every  low  Irishman 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  1 17 

possesses,  immediately  perceived  who  and  what  these  worship- 
ful individuals  were,  another  traveller,  who  had  just  assumed 
his  place  on  the  outside,  participated  but  little  in  the  feelings 
of  reverence  so  manifestly  displayed,  but  gave  asneer  of  a  very 
ominous  kind,  as  the  skirt  of  the  last  black  coat  disappeared 
within  the  coach.  This  latter  individual  was  a  short,  thick-set, 
bandy-legged  man,  of  about  fifty,  with  an  enormous  nose,  which, 
whatever  its  habitual  coloring,  on  the  morning  in  question  was 
of  a  brilliant  purple.  He  wore  a  blue  coat,  with  bright  buttons, 
upon  which  some  letters  were  inscribed,  and  around  his  neck 
was  fastened  a  ribbon  of  the  same  color,  to  which  a  medal  was 
attached.  This  he  displayed  with  something  of  ostentation, 
whenever  an  opportunity  occurred,  and  seemed  altogether  a 
person  who  possessed  a  most  satisfactory  impression  of  his  own 
importance.  In  fact,  had  not  this  feeling  been  participated  in 
by  others,  Mr,  Billy  Crow  would  never  have  been  deputed  by 
No.  13,476  to  carry  their  warrant  down  to  the  west  country, 
and  establish  the  nucleus  of  an  Orange  Lodge  in  the  town  of 
Foxleigh  ;  such  being,  in  brief,  the  reason  why  he,  a  very  well- 
known  manufacturer  of  "leather  continuations"  in  Dublin,  had 
ventured  upon  the  perilous  journey  from  which  he  was  now  re- 
turning. Billy  was  going  on  his  way  to  town  rejoicing,  for  he 
had  had  most  brilliant  success  ;  the  brethren  had  feasted  and 
feted  him  ;  he  had  made  sev^eral  splendid  orations,  with  the 
usual  number  of  prophecies  about  the  speedy  downfall  of 
Romanism  ;  the  inevitable  return  of  Protestant  ascendency  ; 
the  pleasing  prospect  that,  with  increased  effort  and  improved 
organization,  they  should  soon  be  able  to  have  everything  their 
own  way,  and  clear  the  Green  Isle  of  the  horrible  vermin  St. 
Patrick  forgot  when  banishing  the  others ;  and  that,  if  Daniel 
O'Connell  (whom  might  the  Lord  confound  !)  could  only  be 
hanged,  and  Sir  Ilarcourt  Lees  made  Primate  of  all  Ireland, 
there  were  still  some  hopes  of  peace  and  prosperity  to  the 
country. 

Mr.  Crow  had  no  sooner  assumed  his  place  upon  the  coach 


Il8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

than  he  saw  that  he  was  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy.  Happily 
for  all  parties,  indeed,  in  Ireland,  political  differences  have  so 
completely  stamped  the  externals  of  each  party,  that  he  must 
be  a  man  of  small  penetration  who  cannot,  in  the  first  five 
minutes  he  is  thrown  among  strangers  calculate  with  consider- 
able certainty,  whether  it  will  be  more  conducive  to  his  happi- 
ness to  sing  "  Croppies  Lie  Down,"  or  "  The  Battle  of  Ross." 
As  for  Billy  Crow,  long  life  to  him !  you  might  as  well  attempt 
to  pass  a  turkey  upon  M.  Audubon  for  a  giraffe,  as  endeavor 
to  impose  a  Papist  upon  him  for  a  true  follower  of  King 
William.  He  could  have  given  you  more  generic  distinctions 
to  guide  you  in  the  decision,  than  ever  did  Cuvier  to  designate 
and  antediluvian  mammoth ;  so  that  no  sooner  had  he  seated 
himself  upon  the  coach,  than  he  buttoned  up  his  great-coat 
stuck  his  hands  firmly  in  his  side-pockets,  pursed  up  his  lips, 
and  looked  altogether  like  a  man  that,  feeling  himself  out  of 
his  element,  resolves  to  "  bide  his  time  "  in  patience,  until 
chance  may  throw  him  among  more  congenial  associates. 
Mickey  Free,  who  was  himself  no  mean  proficient  in  reading  a 
character,  at  one  glance  saw  his  man,  and  began  hammering 
his  brains  to  see  if  he  could  not  overreach  him.  The  small 
portmanteau  which  contained  Billy's  wardrobe  bore  the  con- 
spicuous announcement  of  his  name  ;  and  as  Mickey  could 
read,  this  was  one  important  step  already  gained. 

He  accordingly  took  the  first  opportunity  of  seating  himself 
beside  him,  and  opened  the  conversation  by  some  very  polity 
observation  upon  the  other's  wearing  apparel,  which  is  alway 
in  the  west,  considered  a  piece  of  very  courteous  attention 
By  degrees  the  dialogue  prospered,  and  Mickey  began  to  make 
some  very  important  revelations  about  himself  and  his  master 
intimating  that  the  "state  of  the  country"  was  such  that 
man  of  his  way  of  thinking  had  no  peace  or  quiet  in  it. 

"  That's  him  there,  forenent  ye,"  said  Mickey,  "  and  a  betta 
Protestant  never  hated  mass.     Ye  understand." 

"  What  1 "  said  Billy,  unbuttoning  the  collar  of  his  coat  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  119 

get  a  fairer  view  at  his  companion  ;  "  wliy,  I  thought  you 
were " 

Here  he  made  some  resemblance  of  the  usual  manner  of 
blessing  oneself. 

"  Me,  devil  a  more  nor  yourself,  Mr.  Crow." 

"  Why,  do  you  know  me,  too  ?  " 

"  Troth,  more  knows  you  than  you  think," 

Billy  looked  very  much  puzzled  at  all  this ;  at  last  he 
said : — 

"  And  ye  tell  me  that  your  master  there's  the  right  sort  ? " 

"  Thrue  blue,"  said  Mike,  with  a  wink,  "  and  so  is  his 
uncles." 

"  And  where  are  they,  when  they  are  at  home  ?  " 

"  In  Galway,  no  less  ;  but  they're  here  now." 

"  Where  ? " 

"  Here." 

At  these  words  he  a  gave  knock  of  his  heel  to  the  coach,  as 
if  to  intimate  their  "  whereabouts." 

"  You  don't  mean  in  the  coach — do  ye  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  I  do  :  and  troth,  you  can't  know  much  of  the 
west,  av  ye  don't  know  the  three  Mr.  Trenches  of  Tallybash ! 
them's  they." 

"  You  don't  say  so  ?  " 

"  Faix,  but  I  do." 

"May  I  never  drink  the  12th  of  July  if  I  didn't  think  they 
were  priests." 

"  Priests  1 "  said  Mickey,  in  a  roar  of  laughter — "  priests !  " 

"Just  priests." 

"  Be-gorra,  though,  ye  had  better  keep  that  to  yourself,  for 
they're  not  the  men  to  have  that  same  said  to  them." 

"  Of  course,  T  wouldn't  offend  them,"  said  Mr.  Crow  ;  "  faith, 
it's  not  me  would  cast  reflections  upon  such  real  out-and-outers 
as  they  are.     And  where  are  they  going  now  ?  " 

"  To  Dublin  straight ;  there's  to  be  a  grand  lodge  next  week ; 
l)ut  sure  Mr,  Crow  knows  better  than  me." 


120  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Billy  after  this  became  silent.  A  moody  reverie  seeme  to 
steal  over  him,  and  he  was  evidently  displeased  with  himuelf 
for  his  want  of  tact  in  not  discovering  the  three  Mr.  Trenches 
of  Tallybash,  though  he  only  caught  sight  of  their  backs. 

Mickey  Free  interrupted  not  the  frame  of  mind  in  which  he 
saw  conviction  was  slowly  working  its  way,  but,  by  gently 
humming  in  an  undertone  the  loyal  melody  of  "  Croppies  Lie 
Down,"  fanned  the  flame  he  had  so  dexterously  kindled.  At 
length,  they  reached  the  small  town  of  Kinnegad.  While  the 
coach  changed  horses,  Mr.  Crow  lost  not  a  moment  in  descend- 
ing from  the  top,  and,  rushing  into  the  little  inn,  disappeared 
for  a  few  moments.  When  he  again  issued  forth,  he  carried  a 
smoking  tumbler  of  whisky  punch,  which  he  continued  to  stir 
with  a  spoon.  As  he  approached  the  coach-door  he  tapped 
gently  with  his  knuckles,  upon  which  the  reverend  prelate  of 
Maronia,  or  Mesopotamia,  I  forget  which,  inquired  what  he 
wanted. 

"  I  ask  your  pardon,  gentlemen,"  said  Billy,  "but  I  thought 
I'd  made  bold  to  ask  you  to  take  something  warm  this  cold 
day." 

"  Many  thanks,  my  good  friend  ;  but  we  never  do,"  said  a 
bland  voice  from  within. 

"I  understand,"  said  Billy,  with  a  sly  wink;  "but  there 
are  circumstances  now  and  then — and  one  might  for  the 
honor  of  the  cause,  you  know.  Just  put  it  to  your  lips,  won't 
you  ? " 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  a  very  rosy-cheeked  little  prelate,  "  but 
nothing  stronger  than  water " 

"  Botheration,"  thought  Billy,  as  he  regarded  the  speaker's 
nose.  "  But  I  thought,"  said  he,  aloud,  "  that  you  would  not 
refuse  this." 

Here  he  made  a  peculiar  manifestation  in  the  air,  which, 
whatever  respect  and  reverence  it  might  carry  to  the  honest 
brethren  of  13,476,  seemed  only  to  increase  the  wonder  and 
astonishment  of  the  bishops. 


'J'ilE  JRJSH  DRAGOON.  121 

**  What  doeshe  mean  ?  "  said  one. 

"  Is  he  mad?"  said  another. 

"Tear  and  ages,"  said  Mr.  Crow,  getting  quite  impatient  at 
the  slowness  of  his  friends'  perception,  "tear  and  ages,  I'm 
one  of  yourselves." 

"  One  of  us,"  said  the  three  in  chorus — "  one  of  us  ?  " 

"  Ay,  to  be  sure  " — here  he  took  a  long  pull  at  the  punch — 
"  to  be  sure  I  am  ;  here's  No  surrender,'  your  souls  !  whoop  " 
— a  loud  yell  accompanying  the  toast  as  he  drank  it. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  insult  us  ?  "  said  feather  P .     "  Guard, 

take  the  fellow." 

"  Are  we  to  be  outraged  in  this  manner  ?  "  chorused  the 
priests. 

"  '  July  the  ist,  in  Oldbridge  town,'  "  sang  Billy,  "  and  here  it 
is,  '  The  glorious,  pious,  and  immortal  memory  of  the  great, 
and  good '  " 

"  Guard  !     Where  is  the  guard  ?  " 

"  '  And  good  King  William,  that  saved  us  from  Popery '  " 

"  Coachman  ! — guard  !  "  screamed  Father . 

"  '  Brass  money '  " 

*'  Policeman  !  policeman  !  "  shouted  the  priests. 

"  '  Brass  money  and  wooden  shoes ; '  devil  may  care  who 
jcarsme,"  said  Billy,  who,  supposing  that  the  three  Mr.  Trenches 
were  skulking  the  avowal  of  their  principles,  resolved  to  assert 
the  pre-eminence  of  the  great  cause  single-handed  and  alone. 

"  '  Here's  the  Pope  in  the  pillory,  and  the  devil  pelting  him 
•with  priests.'  " 

At  these  words  a  kick  from  behind  apprised  the  loyal  cham- 
pion that  a  very  ragged  auditory,  who  for  some  time  past  had  not 
well  understood  the  gist  of  his  eloquence,  had  at  length  com- 
prehended enough  to  be  angry.  Ce  ii'est  que  Ic premier  pas  qui 
conte,  certainly,  in  an  Irish  row,  "  The  merest  urchin  may 
liglit  the  train  ;  one  handful  of  nuid  often  ignites  a  shindy  that 
ends  in  a  most  bloody  battle."  And  here,  no  sooner  did  the 
vis  a  tergo  impel  Billy  forward    than  a  severe  rap  of  a  closed 


122  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fist  in  the  eye  drove  him  back,  and  in  one  instant  he  became 
the  centre  to  a  periphery  of  kicks,  cuffs,  puUings,  and  haul- 
ings,  that  left  the  poor  Deputy-Grand  not  only  orange,  but 
blue. 

He  fought  manfully,  but  numbers  carried  the  day  ;  and,  when 
the  coach  drove  off,  which  it  did  at  last  without  him,  the  last 
thing  visible  to  the  outsides  was  the  figure  of  Mr  Crow,  whose 
hat,  minus  the  crown,  had  been  driven  over  his  head  down 
upon  his  neck,  where  it  remained  like  a  dress  cravat,  buffeting 
a  mob  of  ragged  vagabonds,  who  had  so  completely  metamor- 
phosed the  unfortunate  man  with  mud  and  bruises,  that  a  com- 
mittee of  the  grand  lodge  might  actually  have  been  unable  to 
identify  him. 

As  for  Mickey  and  his  friends  behind,  their  mirth  knew  no 
bounds;  and,  except  the  respectable  insides  there  was  not  an 
individual  about  the  coach  who  ceased  to  think  of  and  laugh 
at  the  incident  till  we  arrived  in  Dublin,  and  drew  up  at  the 
Hibernian,  in  Dawson  Street. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

DUBLIN. 

No  sooner  had  I  arrived  in  Dublin  than  my  first  care  was  to 
present  myself  to  Dr.  Mooney,  by  whom  I  was  received  in  the 
most  cordial  manner.  In  fact,  in  my  utter  ignorance  of  such 
persons,  I  had  imagined  a  College  fellow  to  be  a  character  nec- 
essarily severe  and  unbending  ;  and,  as  the  only  two  very  great 
people  I  had  ever  seen  in  my  life  were  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam, 
And  the  Chief  Baron,  when  on  circuit,  I  pictured  to  myself  that 
a  University  fellow  was,  in  all  probability,  a  cross  between  the 
two,  and  feared  him  accordingly. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  123 

The  Doctor  read  over  my  uncle's  letter  attentively,  invited 
me  to  partake  of  his  breakfast,  and  then  entered  upon  some- 
thing like  an  account  of  the  life  before  me,  for  which  Sir  Harry 
Boyle,  had,  however,  in  some  degree  prepared  nae. 

"  Your  uncle,  I  find,  wishes  you  to  live  in  college ;  perhaps 
it  is  better,  too ;  so  that  I  must  look  out  for  chambers  for  you. 
Let  me  see  :  it  will  be  rather  difficult,  just  now,  to  find  them." 
Here  he  fell  for  some  moments  into  a  musing  fit,  and  merely 
muttered  a  few  broken  sentences,  as,  "  To  be  sure,  if  other 
chambers,  could  be  had — but  then — and,  after  all,  perhaps,  as 
he  is  young — besides,  Frank  will  certainly  be  expelled  before 
long,  and  then  he  will  have  them  all  to  himself.  I  say, 
O'Malley,  I  believe  I  must  quarter  you  for  the  present  with  a 
rather  wild  companion  ;  but  as  your  uncle  says  you're  a  prudent 
fellow  " — here  he  smiled  very  much,  as  if  my  uncle  had  not 
said  any  such  thing — "  why,  you  must  only  take  the  better  care 
of  yourself,  until  we  can  make  some  better  arrangement.  My 
pupil,  Frank  Webber,  is  at  this  moment  in  want  of  a  '  chum,' 
as  the  phrase  is,  his  last  three  having  only  been  domesticated 
with  him  for  as  many  weeks  ;  so  that,  until  we  find  you  a  more 
quiet  resting-place,  you  may  take  up  your  abode  with  him." 

During  breakfast,  the  Doctor  proceeded  to  inform  me  that 
my  destined  companion  was  a  young  man  of  excellent  family 
and  good  fortune,  who,  with  very  considerable  talents  and  ac- 
quirements, preferred  a  life  of  rackery  and  careless  dissipation 
to  prospects  of  great  success  in  public  life,  which  his  connec- 
tion and  family  might  have  secured  for  him  ;  that  he  had  been 
originally  entered  at  Oxford,  which  he  was  obliged  to  leave ; 
then  tried  Cambridge,  from  which  he  escaped  expulsion  by 
being  rusticated,  that  is,  having  incurred  a  sentence  of  tempo- 
rary banishment ;  and,  lastly,  was  endeavoring,  with  what  he 
himself  believed  to  be  a  total  reformation,  to  stumble  on  to  a 
degree  in  the  "  silent  sister." 

"This  is  his  third  year,"  said  the  Doctor,  "and  he  is  only  a 
freshman,  having  lost  every  examination,  with  abilities  enough 


124  CHARLES  OWALLEV, 

to  sweep  the  University  of  its  prizes.     But  come  over  now, 
and  I'll  present  you  to  him." 

I  followed  him  downstairs,  across  the  court,  to  an  angle  of 
the  old  square,  where,  up  the  first  floor  left,  to  use  the  college 
direction,  stood  the  name  of  Mr.  Webber,  a  large  No.  2  being 
conspicuously  painted  in  the  middle  of  the  door,  and  not  over 
it,  as  is  usually  the  custom.  As  we  reached  the  spot,  the  ob- 
servations of  my  companion  were  lost  to  me  in  the  tremendous 
noise  and  uproar  that  resounded  from  within.  It  seemed  as 
if  a  number  of  people  were  fighting,  pretty  much  as  a  banditti 
in  a  melodrama  do,  with  considerable  more  of  confusion  than 
requisite ;  a  fiddle  and  a  French  horn  also  lent  their  assistance 
to  shouts  and  cries,  which,  to  say  the  best,  were  not  exactly  the 
aids  to  study  I  expected  in  such  a  place. 

Three  times  was  the  bell  pulled,  with  a  vigor  that  threat- 
ended  its  downfall,  when,  at  last,  as  the  jingle  of  it  rose  above 
all  other  noises,  suddenly  all  became  hushed  and  still ;  a  mo- 
mentary pause  succeeded,  and  the  door  was  opened  by  a  very 
respectable  looking  servant,  who,  recognizing  the  Doctor,  at 
once  introduced  us  into  the  apartment  where  Mr.  Webber  was 
sitting. 

In  a  large  and  very  handsomely  furnished  room,  where 
Brussels  carpeting  and  softly-cushioned  sofas  contrasted 
strangely  with  the  meagre  and  comfortless  chambers  of  the 
Doctor,  sat  a  young  man  at  a  small  breakfast-table,  beside  the 
fire.  He  was  attired  in  a  silk  dressing-gown  and  black  velvet 
slippers,  and  supported  his  forehead  upon  a  hand  of  most  lady- 
like whiteness,  whose  fingers  were  absolutely  covered  with 
rings  of  great  beauty  and  price.  His  long  silky  brown  hair 
fell  in  rich  profusion  upon  the  back  of  his  neck,  and  over  his 
arm,  and  the  whole  air  and  attitude  was  one  which  a  painter 
might  have  copied.  So  intent  was  he  upon  the  volume  before 
him,  that  he  never  raised  his  head  at  our  approach,  but  con- 
tinued to  read  aloud,  totally  unaware  of  our  presence. 

"  Dr  Mooney,  sir,"  said  the  servant. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOO  A'.  1 2  5 

"  Ton  dapamey  bominos,  proscphe,  crmte  Agatnefmion"  repeat- 
ed the  student,  in  an  ecstasy,  and  not  paying  the  slightest  at- 
tntion  to  the  anouncement. 

"  Dr.  Mooney,  sir,"  repeated  the  servant  in  a  louder  tone, 
while  the  Doctor  looked  around  on  every  side  for  an  explanation 
of  the  late  uproar,  with  a  face  of  the  most  puzzled  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Be  dakiown  para  i/iif?a  dolekoskion  enkos,"  said  Mr. 
Webber,  finishing  a  cup  of  coffee  at  a  draught. 

"Well,  Webber,  hard  at  work  I  see,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Ah,  Doctor,  I  beg  pardon  !  Have  you  been  long  here  ?  " 
said  the  most  soft  and  insinuating  voice,  while  the  speaker 
passed  his  taper  fingers  across  his  brow,  as  if  to  dissipate  the 
traces  of  deep  thought  and  study. 

While  the  Doctor  presented  me  to  my  future  companion,  I 
could  perceive,  in  the  restless  and  searching  look  he  threw 
around,  that  the  fracas  he  had  so  lately  heard  was  still  an  un- 
explained and  7'exata  qiicstio  in  his  mind. 

"  May  I  offer  you  a  cup  of  coffee,  Mr.  O'Malley  ? "  said  the 
youth,  with  an  air  of  almost  timid  bashfulness.  "  The  Doctor,  I 
know,  breakfasts  at  a  very  early  hour." 

"  I  say,  Webber,"  said  the  Doctor,  who  could  no  longer 
restrain  his  curiosity,  "  what  an  awful  row  I  heard  here  as  I 
came  up  to  the  door.  I  thought  Uedlam  was  broke  loose. 
What  could  it  have  been  ? " 

"Ah,  you  heard  it  too,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Webber,  smiling  most 
benignly, 

"  Hear  it  ?  to  be  sure  I  did.  O'Malley  and  I  could  not  hear 
ourselves  talking  with  the  uproar." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  it  is  very  provoking ;  but,  then,  what's  to  be 
done  ?     One  can't  complain,  under  the  circumstances." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ? "  said  Mooney,  anxiously. 

"  Nothing,  sir ;  nothing.  I'd  much  rather  you'd  not  ask 
me  ;  for,  after  all,  I'll  change  my  chambers." 

"  But  why  ?     Explain  this  at  once.     1  insist  upon  it." 


126  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

"  Can  I  depend  upon  the  discretion  of  your  young  friend  ?  " 
said  Mr.  Webber,  gravely. 

"  Perfectly,"  said  the  Doctor,  now  wound  up  to  the  greatest 
anxiety  to  learn  a  secret. 

"  And  you'll  promise  not  to  mention  the  thing  except  among 
your  friends  ? " 

"  I  do,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Well,  then,"  said  he,  in  a  low  and  confident  whisper,  "  it's 
the  Dean." 

"  The  Dean  !  "  said  Mooney,  with  a  start.  "  The  Dean  ! 
Why,  how  can  it  be  the  Dean  ?  " 

"  Too  true,"  said  Mr.  Webber,  making  a  sign  of  drinking ; 
"  too  true.  Doctor.  And  then,  the  moment  he  is  so,  he  begins 
smashing  the  furniture.  Never  was  anything  heard  like  it.  As 
for  me,  as  I  am  now  become  a  reading  man,  I  must  go  else- 
where." 

Now,  it  so  chanced  that  the  worthy  Dean,  who  albeit  a  man 
of  most  abstemious  habits,  possessed  a  nose  which,  in  color 
and  development,  was  a  most  unfortunate  witness  to  call  to 
character,  and  as  Mooney  heard  Webber  narrate  circumstan- 
tially the  frightful  excesses  of  the  great  functionary,  I  saw  that 
something  like  conviction  was  stealing  over  him. 

"  You'll,  of  course,  never  speak  of  this  except  to  your  most 
intimate  friends,"  said  Webber. 

"Of  course  not,"  said  the  Doctor,  as  he  shook  his  hand 
warmly,  and  prepared  to  leave  the  room.  "  O'Malley,  I  leave 
you  here,"  said  he  ;  "  Webber  and  you  can  talk  over  your  ar- 
rangements." 

Webber  followed  the  Doctor  to  the  door,  whispered  some- 
thing in  his  ear,  to  which  the  other  replied,  "  Very  well,  I  will 

write ;  but  if  your  father  sends  the  money,  I  must  insist " 

The  rest  was  lost  in  protestations  and  professions  of  the  most 
fervent  kind,  amid  which  the  door  was  shut,  and  Mr.  Webber 
returned  to  the  room. 

Short  as  was  the  interspace  from  the  door  without  to  the 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOO.W 


127 


room  within,  it  was  still  ample  enough  to  efifect  a  very  thorough 
and  remarkable  change  in  the  whole  external  appearance  of 
Mr.  Frank  Webber ;  for,  scarcely  had  the  oaken  panel  shut  out 
the  Doctor,  when  he  appeared  no  longer  the  shy,  timid,  and 
silvery-toned  gentleman  of  five  minutes  before,  but,  dashing 
boldly  forward,  he  seized  a  key-bugle  that  lay  hid  beneath  a 
sofa-cushion,  and  blew  a  tremendous  blast. 

"Come  forth,  ye  demons  of  the  lower  world,"  said  he, 
drawing  a  cloth  from  a  large  table,  and  discovering  the  figures 
of  three  young  men,  coiled  up  beneath.  "  Come  forth,  and 
fear  not,  most  timorous  freshmen  that  ye  are,"  said  he,  un- 
locking a  pantry,  and  liberating  two  others.  "  Gentlemen,  let 
me  introduce  to  your  acquaintance  Mr.  O'Malley.  My  chum, 
gentlemen.  Mr.  O'Malley,  that  is  Harry  Nesbitt,  who  has  been 
in  college  since  the  days  of  old  Perpendicular,  and  numbers 
more  cautions  than  any  man  who  ever  had  his  name  on  the 
books.  Here  is  my  particular  friend,  Cecil  Cavendish,  the 
only  man  who  could  ever  devil  kidneys.  Captain  Power,  Mr. 
O'Malley ;  a  dashing  dragoon,  as  you  see  ;  aide-de-camp  to  his 
Excellency  the  Lord-Lieutenant,  and  love-maker-general  to 
Merrion  Square  West.  These,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the 
late  denizens  of  the  pantry,  "  are  jibs,  whose  names 
are  neither  known  to  the  proctor  nor  the  police-office ;  but, 
with  due  regard  to  their  education  and  morals  we  don't 
despair." 

"  By  no  means,"  said  Power  ;  "  but  come,  let  us  resume  our 
game."  At  these  words  he  took  a  folio  atlas  of  maps  from  a 
small  table,  and  displayed  beneath  a  pack  of  cards,  dealt  as  if 
for  whist.  The  two  gentlemen  to  whom  I  was  introduced  by 
name,  returned  to  their  places  ;  the  unknown  two  put  on  their 
boxing  gloves,  and  all  resumed  the  hilarity  which  Dr.  Mooney's 
advent  had  so  suddenly  interrupted. 

*'  Where's  Moore  ?  "  said  Webber,  as  he  once  more  seated 
himself  at  his  breakfast. 

"  Making  a  spatch-cock,  sir/'  said  the  servant. 


123  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

At  the  same  instant,  a  little,  dapper,  jovial-looking  person- 
age  appeared  with  the  dish  in  question. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  Mr.  Moore,  the  gentleman  who,  by  repeated 
remonstrances  to  the  board,  has  succeeded  in  getting  eatable 
food  for  the  inhabitants  of  this  penitentiary,  and  has  the 
honored  reputation  of  reforming  the  commons  of  college. 

"  Anything  to  Godfrey  O'Malley,  may  I  ask,  sir  ? "  said 
Moore. 

"  His  nephew,"  I  replied. 

"  Which  of  you  winged  the  gentleman  the  other  day  for  not 
passing  the  decanter,  or  something  of  that  sort  ?  " 

"  If  you  mean  the  affair  with  Mr.  Bodkin,  it  was  I." 

"  Glorious,  that ;  begad,  I  thought  you  were  one  of  us.  I 
say,  Power,  it  was  he  pinked  Bodkin." 

"  Ah,  indeed,"  said  Power,  not  turning  his  head  from  his 
game  ;  "  a  pretty  shot,  I  heard — two  by  honors — and  hit  him 
fairly — the  odd  trick.  Hammersley  mentioned  the  thing  to 
me." 

"  Oh !  is  he  in  town  ?  "  said  I. 

"  No ;  he  sailed  for  Portsmouth  yesterday.  He  is  to  join 
the  nth — game — I  say,  Webber,  you've  lost  the  rubber." 

"  Double  or  quit,  and  a  dinner  at  Dunleary,"  said  Webber. 
"We  must  show  O'Malley — confound  the  Mister — something 
of  the  place." 

"  Agreed." 

The  whist  was  resumed ;  the  boxers,  now  refreshed  by  a  leg 
of  the  spatch-cock,  returned  to  their  gloves  ;  Mr.  Moore  took 
up  his  violin,  Mr.  Webber  his  French  horn,  and  I  was  left  the 
only  unemployed  man  in  the  company. 

'*  I  say.  Power,  you'd  better  bring  the  drag  over  here  for  us ; 
we  can  all  go  down  together." 

"  I  must  inform  you,"  said  Cavendish,  "  that,  thanks  to  your 
philanthropic  efforts  of  last  night,  the  passage  from  Grafton 
Street  to  .Stephen's  Green  is  impracticable."  A  tremendous 
roar  of  laughter  followed   this  announcement ;  and,  though  at 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  129 

the  time  the  cause  was  unknown  to  me,  I  may  as  well  mention 
it  here,  as  I  subsequently  learned  it  from  my  companions. 

Among  the  many  peculiar  tastes  which  distinguished  Mr. 
Francis  Webber,  was  an  extraordinary  fancy  for  street  beg- 
ging ;  he  had,  over  and  ov^er,  won  large  sums  upon  his  success 
in  that  difficult  walk ;  and  so  perfect  were  his  disguises,  both 
of  dress,  voice  and  manner,  that  he  actually,  at  one  time,  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  charity  from  his  very  opponent  in  the 
wager.  He  wrote  ballads  with  the  greatest  facility,  and  sang 
them  with  infinite  pathos  and  humor;  and  the  old  woman  at 
the  corner  of  College  Green  was  certain  of  an  audience  when 
the  severity  of  the  night  would  leave  all  other  minstrelsy 
deserted.  As  these  feats  of  jonglerie  usually  terminated  in  a 
row,  it  was  a  most  amusing  part  of  the  transaction  to  see  the 
singer's  part  taken  by  the  mob  against  the  college  men,  who, 
growing  impatient  to  carry  him  off  to  supper  somewhere,  would 
invariably  be  obliged  to  have  a  fight  for  the  booty. 

Now,  it  chanced  that  a  few  evenings  before,  Mr.  Webber 
was  returning  with  a  pocket  well  lined  with  copper,  from  a 
musical  reunioti  he  had  held  at  the  corner  of  York  Street, 
when  the  idea  struck  him  to  stop  at  the  end  of  Grafton  Street, 
where  a  huge  stone  grating  at  that  time  exhibited,  perhaps  it 
exhibits  still,  the  descent  to  one  of  the  great  main  sewers  of 
the  city. 

The  light  was  shining  brightly  from  a  pastrycook's  shop,  and 
showed  the  large  bars  of  stone  between  which  the  muddy 
water  was  rushing  rapidly  down,  and  plashing  in  the  torrent 
that  ran  boisterously  several  feet  beneath. 

To  stop  in  the  street  of  any  crowded  city  is,  under  any 
circumstances,  an  invitation  to  others  to  do  likewise,  which  is 
rarely  unaccepted  ;  but  wMien  in  addition  to  this,  you  stand 
fixedly  in  one  spot,  and  regard  with  stern  intensity  any  object 
near  you,  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  that  you  have  several 
companions  in  your  curiosity  before  a  minute  expires. 

Now,  Webber,  who  had  at  first  stood  still,  without  any  pecul- 

9 


130  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

iar  thought  in  view,  no  sooner  perceived  that  he  was  joined 
by  others,  than  the  idea  of  making  something  out  of  it  imme- 
diately occurred  to  him. 

"  What  is  it,  agra  ? "  inquired  an  old  woman,  very  much  in 
his  own  style  of  dress,  pulling  at  the  hood  of  his  cloak. 

"  And  can't  you  see  for  yourself,  darling  ? "  replied  he, 
sharply,  as  he  knelt  down,  and  looked  most  intensely  at  the 
sewer. 

"  Are  ye  long  there,  avick  ! "'  inquired  he  of  an  imaginary 
individual  below,  and  then  waiting  as  if  for  a  reply,  said,  "  Two 
hours  !     Blessed  Virgin  !  he's  two  hours  in  the  drain  !  " 

By  this  time  the  crowd  had  reached  entirely  across  the 
street,  and  the  crushing  and  squeezing  to  get  near  the  impor- 
tant spot  was  awful. 

"  Where  did  he  come  from.^"  "Who  is  he  ?  "  "How  did 
he  get  there  ? "  were  questions  on  every  side,  and  various  sur- 
mises were  afloat,  till  Webber,  rising  from  his  knees,  said,  in  a 
mysterious  whisper  to  those  nearest  him,  "  He's  made  his 
escape  to-night  out  o'  Newgate  by  the  big  drain  and  lost  his 
way ;  he  was  looking  for  the  Liffey,  and  took  the  wrong 
turn." 

To  an  Irish  mob,  what  appeal  could  equal  this?  A  culprit, 
at  anytime,  has  his  claim  upon  their  sympathy  ;  but  let  him  be 
caught  in  the  very  act  of  cheating  the  authorities  and  evading 
the  law,  and  his  popularity  knows  no  bounds.  Webber  knew 
this  well,  and,  as  the  mob  thickened  around  him,  sustained  an 
imaginary  conversation  that  Savage  Landor  might  have  envied, 
imparting  now  and  then  such  hints  concerning  the  runaway  as 
raised  their  interest  to  the  highest  pitch,  and  fifty  different 
versions  were  related  on  all  sides — of  the  crime  he  was  guilty 
— the  sentence  that  was  passed  on  him — and  the  day  he  was 
to  suffer. 

"  Do  you  see  the  light,  dear } "  said  Webber,  as  some 
ingeniously  benevolent  individual  had  lowered  down  a  candle 
with  a  string — "  do  ye    see  the  light  ?     Oh  !  he's  fainted,  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGO OA'.  1 3  i 

creature."  A  cry  of  horror  from  the  crowd  burst  forth  at  these 
words,  followed  by  a  universal  shout  of  "  Break  open  the 
street." 

Pickaxes,  shovels,  spades,  and  crowbars  seemed  absolutely 
the  walking  accompaniments  of  the  crowd,  so  suddenly  did 
they  appear  upon  the  field  of  action,  and  the  work  of 
exhumation  was  begun  with  a  vigor  that  speedily  covered 
nearly  half  of  the  street  with  mud  and  paving-stones.  Parties 
relieved  each  other  at  the  task,  and  ere  half  an  hour,  a  hole 
capable  of  containing  a  mail  coach  was  yawning  in  one  of  the 
most  frequented  thoroughfares  of  Dublin.  Meanwhile,  as  no 
appearance  of  the  culprit  could  be  had,  dreadful  conjectures 
as  to  his  fate  began  to  gain  ground.  By  this  time  the  authorities 
had  received  intimation  of  what  was  going  forward,  and 
attempted  to  disperse  the  crowd ;  but  Webber,  who  still  con- 
tinued to  conduct  the  prosecution,  called  on  them  to  resist  the 
police,  and  save  the  poor  creature.  And  now  began  a  most 
terrific  fray ;  the  stones,  forming  a  ready  weapon,  were  hurled 
at  the  unprepared  constables,  who  on  their  side,  fought  man- 
fully, but  against  superior  numbers  ;  so  that,  at  last,  it  was  only 
by  the  aid  of  a  military  force  the  mob  could  be  dispersed,  and 
a  riot,  which  had  assumed  a  very  serious  character,  got  under. 
Meanwhile,  Webber  had  reached  his  chambers,  changed  his 
costume,  and  was  relating  over  a  supper-table  the  narrative  of 
his  philanthropy  to  a  very  admiring  circle  of  his  friends. 

Such  was  my  chum,  Frank  Webber  ;  and  as  this  was  the 
first  anecdote  1  had  heard  of  him,  I  related  it  here  that  my 
readers  may  be  in  possession  of  the  grounds  upon  which  my 
opinion  of  tliat  celebrated  character  was  founded,  while  yet  our 
acquaintance  was  in  its  infancy. 


132  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 


CHAPTER    XV. 


CAPTAIN    POWER. 


Within  a  few  weeks  after  my  arrival  in  town  I  had  become 
a  matriculated  student  of  the  University,  and  the  possessor  of 
chambers  within  its  walls,  in  conjunction  with  the  sage  and  pru- 
dent gentleman  I  have  introduced  to  my  readers  in  the  last 
chapter.  Had  my  intentions  on  entering  college  been  of  the 
most  studious  and  regular  kind,  the  companion  into  whose  so- 
ciety I  was  then  immediately  thrown  would  have  quickly  dis- 
sipated them.  He  voted  morning  chapels  a  bore,  Greek  lect- 
ures a  humbug,  examinations  a  farce,  and  pronounced  the 
statute-book,  with  its  attendant  train  of  fines  and  punishment, 
an  "  unclean  thing."  With  all  my  country  habits  and  predilec- 
tions fresh  upon  me,  that  I  was  an  easily  won  disciple  to  his 
code  need  not  be  wondered  at,  and,  indeed,  ere  many  days  had 
passed  over,  my  thorough  indifference  to  all  college  rules  and 
regulations  had  given  me  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of  Webber 
and  his  friends.  As  for  myself,  I  was  most  agreeably  surprised 
to  find  that  what  I  had  looked  forward  to  as  a  very  melancholy 
banishment,  was  likely  to  prove  a  most  agreeable  sojourn. 
Under  Webber's  directions,  there  was  no  hour  of  the  day  that 
hung  heavily  upon  our  hands.  We  rose  about  eleven,  and 
breakfasted ;  after  which  succeeded  fencing,  sparring,  billiards, 
or  tennis  in  the  park;  about  three,  got  on  horseback,  and  either 
cantered  in  the  Phoenix  or  about  the  squares  till  visiting  time  : 
after  which,  made  our  calls,  and  then  dressed  for  dinner,  whit  li 
we  never  thought  of  taking  at  commons,  but,  had  it  froin 
Morrison's,  we  both  being  reported  sick  in  the  Dean's  list,  and 
thereby  exempt  from  the  routine  fare  of  the  fellows'  table,      l;i 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  133 

the  evening  our  occupations  became  still  more  pressing  ;  there 
were  balls,  suppers,  whist  parties,  rows  at  the  theatre,  shindies 
in  the  street,  devilled  drumsticks  at  Hayes's,  select  oyster 
parties  at  the  Carlingford ;  in  fact,  every  known  method  of  re- 
maining up  all  night,  and  appearing  both  pale  and  penitent 
the  following  morning. 

Webber  had  a  large  acquaintance  in  Dublin,  and  soon  made 
me  known  to  them  all.  Among  others,  the  officers  of  the 
— th  Light  Dragoons,  in  which  regiment  Power  was  Captain, 
were  his  particular  friends,  and  we  had  frequent  invitations  to 
dine  at  their  mess.  There  it  was  first  that  military  life  present- 
ed itself  to  me  in  its  most  attractive  possible  form,  and  height- 
ened the  passion  I  had  already  so  strongly  conceived  for  the 
army.  Power,  above  all  others,  took  my  fancy.  He  was  a 
gay,  dashing-looking,  handsome  fellow  of  about  eight-and- 
twenty,  who  had  already  seen  some  service,  having  joined 
while  his  regiment  was  in  Portugal  ;  was  in  heart  and  soul  a 
soldier,  and  had  that  species  of  pride  and  enthusiasm  in  all 
that  regarded  a  military  career  that  form  no  small  part  of  the 
charm  of  the  character  of  a  young  officer. 

I  sat  near  him  the  second  day  we  dined  at  the  mess,  and 
was  much  pleased  at  many  slight  attentions  in  his  manner 
towards  me. 

"  I  called  on  you  to-day,  Mr.  O'AIalley,"  said  he,  "in  com- 
pany with  a  friend,  who  is  most  anxious  to  see  you." 

"  Indeed,"  said  I ;  "  I  did  not  hear  of  it." 

"  We  left  no  cards,  either  of  us,  as  we  were  determined  to 
make  you  out  on  another  day,  my  companion  has  most  urgent 
reasons  for  seeing  you.  I  see  you  are  puzzled,"  said  he,  "  and, 
although  I  promised  to  keep  his  secret,  I  must  blab  :  it  was 
Sir  George  Dashwood  was  with  me  ;  he  told  us  of  your  most  ro- 
mantic adventure  in  the  west,  and,  faith,  there  is  no  doubt  you 
saved  the  lady's  life." 

"  Was  she  worth  the  trouble  of  it  t  said  the  old  major,  whose 
conjugal  experience  imparted  a  very  crusty  tone  to  the  question. 


t34  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  I  think,"  said  I,  I  need  only  tell  her  name  to  convince  you 
of  it." 

"  Here's  a  bumper  to  her,"  said  Power,  filling  his  glass  ;  "  and 
every  true  man  will  follow  my  example." 

When  the  hip,  hipping  which  followed  the  toast  was  over,  I 
found  myself  enjoying  no  small  share  of  the  attention  of  the 
party  as  the  deliverer  of  Lucy  Dashwood. 

"  Sir  George  is  cudgelling  his  brain  to  show  his  gratitude  to 
you,"  said  Power. 

"  What  a  pity,  for  the  sake  of  his  peace  of  mind,  that  you're 
not  in  the  army,"  said  another  ;  "  it's  so  easy  to  show  a  man  a 
delicate  regard  by  a  quick  promotion." 

"  A  devil  of  a  pity  for  his  own  sake,  too,"  said  Power,  again  ; 
'*  they're  going  to  make  a  lawyer  of  as  strapping  a  fellow  as 
ever  carried  a  sabretasche." 

*'  A  lawyer  !  "  cried  out  half-a-dozen  together,  pretty  much 
with  the  same  tone  and  emphasis  as  though  he  had  said  a  two- 
penny postman — "  the  devil  they  are." 

"  Cut  the  service  at  once  :  you'll  get  no  promotion  in  it," 
said  the  colonel ;  "  a  fellow  with  a  black  eye  like  you  would 
look  much  better  at  the  head  of  a  squadron  than  a  string  of 
witnesses.  Trust  me,  you'd  shine  more  in  conducting  a  picket 
than  a  prosecution." 

"  But  if  I  can't  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Then  take  my  plan,"  said  Power,  "  and  make  it  cut_>'0//." 

"Yours  ?  "  said  two  or  three  in  a  breath — "yours?" 

"  Ay,  mine ;  did  you  never  know  that  I  was  bred  to  the  bar  .'' 
Come,  come,  if  it  was  only  for  O'Malley's  use  and  benefit — as 
we  say  in  the  parchments — I  must  tell  you  the  story." 

The  claret  was  pushed  briskly  round,  chairs  drawn  up  to  fill 
any  vacant  spaces,  and  Power  began  his  story. 

"  As  I  am  not  over  long-winded,  don't  be  scared  at  my  begin- 
ning my  history  somewhat  far  back.  I  began  life  that  most  un- 
lucky of  all  earthly  contrivances  for  supplying  casualties  in 
case  anything  may  befall  the  heir  of  the  house — a  species  of 


THE   IRISH  DRAGOON.  135 

domestic  jury-mast,  only  lugged  out  in  a  gale  of  wind — a 
younger  son.  My  brother  Tom,  a  thick-skulled,  pudding- 
headed  dog,  that  had  no  taste  for  anything  save  his  dinner, 
look  it  into  his  wise  head  one  morning  that  he  would  go  into 
the  army,  and,  although  I  had  been  originally  destined  for  a 
soldier,  no  sooner  was  his  choice  made  than  all  regard  for  my 
taste  and  inclination  was  forgotten;  and,  as  the  family  interest 
was  only  enough  for  one,  it  was  decided  that  I  should  be  put 
in  what  is  called  a  '  learned  professsion,'  and  let  push  my  for- 
tune. 'Take  your  choice,  Dick,'  said  my  father,  with  a  most 
benign  smile — take  your  choice,  my  boy:  will  you  be  a  lawyer, 
or  a  parson,  or  a  doctor  ?' 

"  Had  he  said,  'Will  you  be  put  in  the  stocks,  the  pillory, 
or  publicly  whipped  ? '  I  could  not  have  looked  more  blank 
than  at  the  question. 

"  As  a  decent  Protestant,  he  should  have  grudged  me  to  the 
church;  as  a  philanthropist,  he  might  have  scrupled  at  making 
me  a  physician;  but,  as  he  had  lost  deeply  by  lawsuits,  there 
looked  something  very  like  a  lurking  malice  in  sending  me  to 
the  bar.  Now,  so  far  I  concurred  with  him,  for  having  no  gift 
for  enduring  either  sermons  or  senna,  I  thought  I'd  make  a 
bad  administrator  of  either,  and  as  I  was  ever  regarded  in  the 
family  as  rather  of  a  shrewd  and  quick  turn,  with  a  very  natural 
taste  for  roguery,  I  began  to  believe  he  was  right,  and  that 
nature  intended  me  for  the  circuit. 

"  P'rom  the  hour  my  vocation  was  pronounced  it  had  been 
happy  for  the  family  that  they  could  have  got  -rid  of  me.  A 
certain  ambition  to  rise  in  my  profession  laid  hold  on  me,  and 
I  meditated  all  day  and  night  how  I  was  to  get  on.  Every 
trick,  every  subtle  invention  to  cheat  the  enemy  that  I  could 
read  of,  I  treasured  up  carefully,  being  fully  impressed  with  the 
notion  that  roguery  meant  law,  and  equity  was  only  another 
name  for  odd  and  even. 

"My  days  were  spent  haranguing  special  juries  of  house- 
maids and  laundresses,  cross-examining  the  cook,  charging  the 


136  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

under  butler,  and  passing  sentence  of  death  upon  the  pantry 
boy,  who,  I  may  add,  was  invariably  hanged  when  the  court 
rose. 

"  If  the  mutton  were  overdone,  or  the  turkey  burned,  I  drew 
up  an  indictment  against  old  Margaret,  and  against  the  kitchen- 
maid  as  accomplice ;  and  the  family  hungered  while  I 
harangued ;  and,  in  fact,  into  such  disrepute  did  I  bring  the 
legal  profession,  by  the  score  of  annoyance  of  which  I  made  it 
the  vehicle,  that  my  father  got  a  kind  of  holy  horror  of  law 
courts,  judges,  and  crown  solicitors,  and  absented  himself  from 
the  assizes  the  same  year,  for  which,  being  a  high  sheriff,  he 
paid  a  penalty  of  ;^5oo. 

"  The  next  day  I  was  sent  off  in  disgrace  to  Dublin  to  begin 
my  career  in  college,  and  eat  the  usual  quartos  and  folios  of 
beef  and  mutton  which  qualify  a  man  for  the  woolsack. 

"  Years  rolled  over,  in  which,  after  an  ineffectual  effort  to 
get  through  college,  the  only  examination  I  ever  got  being  a 
jubilee  of  the  king's  birthday,  I  was  at  length  called  to  the 
Irish  bar,  and  saluted  by  my  friends  as  Counsellor  Power. 
The  whole  thing  was  so  like  a  joke  to  me,  that  it  kept  me  in 
laughter  for  three  terms,  and,  in  fact,  it  was  the  best  thing 
could  happen  me,  for  I  had  nothing  else  to  do.  The  hall  of 
the  Four  Courts  was  a  verypleasant  lounge,  plenty  of  agreeable 
fellows  that  never  earned  sixpence,  or  were  likely  to  do  so. 
Then  the  circuits  were  so  many  country  excursions,  that  sup- 
plied fun  of  one  kind  or  other,  but  no  profit.  As  for  me,  I  was 
what  was  called  a  good  junior :  I  knew  how  to  look  after  the 
waiters,  to  inspect  the  decanting  of  the  wine,  and  the  airing  of 
the  claret,  and  was  always  attentive  to  the  father  of  the  circuit, 
the  crossest  villain  that  ever  was  a  king's  counsel.  These 
eminent  qualities,  and  my  being  able  to  sing  a  song  in  honor 
of  our  own  bar,  were  recommendations  enough  to  make  me  a 
favorite,  and  I  was  one. 

"  Now  the  reputation  I  obtained  was  pleasant  enough  at 
first,  but  I  began  to  wonder  that  I  never  got  a  brief.     Some- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  137 

how,  if  it  rained  civil  bills  or  declarations,  devil  a  one  would 
fall  upon  my  head,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  only  object  I  had  in 
life  was  to  accompany  the  circuit,  a  kind  of  deputy-assistant 
commissary-general,  never  expected  to  come  into  action.  To 
be  sure,  I  was  not  alone  in  misfortune ;  there  were  several 
promising  youths  who  cut  great  figures  in  Trinity,  in  the  same 
predicament,  the  only  difference  being,  that  they  attributed  to 
jealousy  what  I  suspected  was  forgetfulness,  for  I  don't  think 
a  single  attorney  in  Dublin  knew  one  of  us. 

"  Two  years  passed  over,  and  then  I  walked  the  hall  with  a 
bag  filled  with  newspapers,  to  look  like  briefs,  and  was  regu- 
larly called  by  two  or  three  criers  from  one  court  to  the  other. 
It  never  took ;  even  when  I  used  to  seduce  a  country  friend  to 
visit  the  courts,  and  get  him  into  an  animated  conversation  in 
a  corner  between  two  pillars,  devil  a  one  would  believe  him  to 
be  a  client,  and  I  was  fairly  nonplussed. 

"  '  How  is  a  man  ever  to  distinguish  himself  in  such  a  walk 
as  this  ? '  was  my  eternal  question  to  myself  every  morning  as 
I  put  on  my  wig.  '  My  face  is  as  well  known  here  as  Lord 
Manners's  ;  every  one  says, '  How  are  you,  Dick  ? '  '  How  goes 
it,  Power  ? '  but  except  Holmes,  that  said  one  morning  as  he 
passed  me,  '  Eh,  always  busy  ?  no  one  alludes  to  the  possibility 
of  my  having  anything  to  do. 

"  '  If  I  could  only  get  a  footing,'  thought  I,  '  Lord,  how  I'd 
astonish  them  :  As  the  song  says, 

"  Perhaps  a  recruit 
Might  chance  to  slioot 

Great  General  BuonaparttS." 

'  So,'  said  I  to  myself,  '  I'll  make  these  halls  ring  for  it  some 
day  or  other,  if  the  occasion  ever  presents  itself.'  But,  faith, 
it  seemed  as  if  some  cunning  solicitor  overheard  me,  and  told 
his  associates,  for  they  avoided  me  like  a  leprosy.  The  home 
circuit  I  had  adopted  for  some  time  past,  for  the  very  palpable 
reason  that,  being  near  town,  it  was  least  costly,  and  it  had  all 
the  advantages  of  any  other  for  me,  in  getting  me  nothing  to 


138  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

do.  Well,  one  morning  we  were  in  Philipstown  ;  I  was  lying 
awake  in  bed,  thinking  how  long  it  would  be  before  I'd  sum 
up  resolution  to  cut  the  bar,  where  certainly  my  prospects  were 
not  the  most  cheering,  when  some  one  tapped  gently  at  my 
door. 

"  '  Come  in/  said  I. 

"  The  waiter  opened  gently,  and  held  out  his  hand  with  a 
large  roll  of  paper  tied  round  with  a  piece  of  red  tape. 

"  '  Counsellor,'  said  he,  '  handsel.' 

" '  What  do  you  mean  ; '  said  I,  jumping  out  of  bed  ;  *  what 
is  it,  you  villain  ? ' 

'"A  brief.' 

" '  A  brief ;  so  I  see,  but  it's  for  Counsellor  Kinshella,  below 
stairs.'     That  was  the  first  name  written  on  it. 

" '  Bethershin,'  said  he,  '  Mr.  M'Grath  bid  me  give  it  to  you 
carefully.' 

"  By  this  time  I  had  opened  the  envelope,  and  read  my  own 
name  at  full  length  as  junior  counsel  in  the  important  case  of 
Monaghan  v.  M'Shean,  to  be  tried  in  the  Record  Court  at 
Ballinasloe.  '  That  will  do,'  said  I,  flinging  it  on  the  bed  with 
a  careless  air  as  if  it  were  a  very  every-day  matter  with  me. 

" '  But  Counsellor,  darlin',  give  us  a  thrifle  to  dhrink  your 
health  with  your  first  cause,  and  the  Lord  send  you  plenty  of 
them.' 

" '  My  first,'  said  I,  with  a  smile  of  most  ineffable  compas- 
sion at  his  simplicity,  '  I'm  worn  out  with  them  ;  do  you  know, 
Peter,  I  was  thinking  seriously  of  leaving  the  bar,  when  you 
came  into  the  room.  Upon  my  conscience,  it's  in  earnest  I 
am.' 

"  Peter  believed  me,  I  think,  for  I  saw  him  give  a  very 
peculiar  look  as  he  pocketed  his  half-crown  and  left  the 
room. 

"  The  door  was  scarcely  closed  when  I  gave  way  to  the  free 
transport  of  my  ecstasy ;  there  it  lay  at  last,  the  long-looked- 
for,  long-wished-for  object  of  all  my  happiness,  and,  though  I 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  139 

well  knew  that  a  junior  counsel  has  about  as  much  to  do  in  the 
conducting  of  a  case  as  a  rusty  handspike  has  in  a  naval  en 
gagement,  yet  I  suffered  not  such  thoughts  to  mar  the  current 
of  my  happiness.  There  was  my  name  in  conjunction  with  the 
two  mighty  leaders  on  the  circuit,  and  though  they  each  pock- 
eted a  hundred,  I  doubt  very  much  if  they  received  their  briefs 
with  one  half  the  satisfaction.  My  joy  at  length  a  little  sub- 
dued, I  opened  the  roll  of  paper  and  began  carefully  to  peruse 
about  fifty  pages  of  narrative  regarding  a  watercourse  that  once 
had  turned  the  mill ;  but,  from  some  reasons  doubtless  known 
to  itself  or  its  friends,  would  do  so  no  longer,  and  thus  set  two 
respectable  neighbors  at  loggerheads,  and  involved  them  in  a 
record  that  had  been  now  heard  three  several  times. 

"  Quite  forgetting  the  subordinate  part  I  was  destined  to  fill, 
I  opened  the  case  in  a  most  flowery  oration,  in  which  I  descant- 
ed upon  the  benefits  accruing  to  mankind  from  water-communi- 
cation since  the  days  of  Noah  ;  remarking  upon  the  antiquit}'^ 
of  mills,  and  especially  of  millers,  and  consumed  half  an  hour 
in  a  preamble  of  generalities  that  I  hoped  would  make  a  very 
considerable  impression  upon  the  court.  Just  at  the  critical 
moment  when  I  was  about  to  enter  more  particularly  into  the 
case,  three  or  four  of  the  great  unbriefed  came  rattling  into  my 
room  and  broke  in  upon  the  oration. 

" '  I  say,  Power,'  said  one,  '  come  and  have  an  hour's  skat- 
ing on  the  canal ;  the  courts  are  filled,  and  we  shan't  be 
missed.' 

"  '  Skate,  my  dear  friend,'  said  I,  in  a  most  dolorous  tone, 
'  out  of  the  question  ;  see,  I  am  chained  to  a  devilish  knotty 
case  with  Kinshella  and  Mills.' 

"'Confound  your  humbugging,'  said  another;  'that  may 
do  very  well  in  Dublin  for  the  attorneys,  but  not  with  us.' 

"*I  don't  well  understand  you,'  I  replied;  'there  is  the 
brief.  Hennesy  expects  me  to  report  upon  it  this  ev^ening, 
and  I  am  so  hurried.' 

"  Here    a  very    chorus  of  laughing  broke  forth,  in  which. 


I40  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

after  several  vain  efforts  to  resist,  I  was  forced  to  join,  and 
kept  it  up  with  the  others. 

"  When  our  mirth  was  over,  my  friends  scrutinized  the  red 
tape-tied  packet,  and  pronounced  it  a  real  brief,  with  a  degree 
of  surprise  that  certainly  augured  little  for  their  familiarity  with 
such  objects  of  natural  history. 

"  Wlien  they  had  left  the  room,  I  leisurely  examined  the  all- 
important  document,  spreading  it  out  before  me  upon  the  table, 
and  surveying  it  as  a  newly-anointed  sovereign  might  be  sup- 
posed to  contemplate  a  map  of  his  dominions. 

"  'At  last,'  said  I  to  myself — 'at  last,  and  here  is  the  foot- 
step to  the  woolsack.'  For  more  than  an  hour  I  sat  motion- 
less, my  eyes  fixed  upon  the  outspread  paper,  lost  in  a  very 
maze  of  reverie.  The  ambition  which  disappointments  had 
crushed,  and  delay  had  chilled,  came  suddenly  back,  and  all 
my  day-dreams  of  legal  success,  my  cherished  aspirations  after 
silk  gowns  and  patents  of  precedence,  rushed  once  more  upon 
me,  and  I  resolved  to  do  or  die.  Alas !  a  very  little  reflection 
showed  me  that  the  latter  was  perfectly  practicable  ;  but  that, 
as  a  junior  counsel,  five  minutes  of  very  commonplace  recita- 
tion was  all  my  province,  and  with  the  main  business  of  the 
day  I  had  about  as  much  to  do  as  the  call-boy  of  a  playhouse 
has  with  the  success  of  a  tragedy. 

" '  My  Lord,  this  is  an  action  brought  by  Timothy  Higgin, 
etc.,  and  down  I  go,  no  more  to  be  remembered  and  thought  of 
than  if  I  had  never  existed,  How  different  it  would  be  were  I 
the  leader !  Zounds  !  how  I  would  worry  the  witnesses,  brow- 
beat the  evidence,  cajole  the  jury,  and  soften  the  judges  !  If 
the  Lord  were,  in  his  mercy,  to  remove  old  Mills  and  Kinshella 
before  Tuesday,  who  knows  but  my  fortune  might  be  made.-* 
This  supposition  once  started,  set  me  speculating  upon  all  the 
possible  chances  that  might  cut  oft'  two  king's  counsel  in  three 
days,  and  left  me  fairly  convinced  that  my  own  elevation  was 
certain,  were  they  only  removed  from  my  path. 

"  For  two  whole   days   the  thought   never   left   my  mind ; 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  14I 

and,  on  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  I  sat  moodily  over  my 
pint  of  port,  in  the  Clonbrock  Arms,  with  my  friend  Timothy 
Casey,  Captain  in  the  North  Cork  Militia,  for  my  compan- 
ion. 

"'  Fred,'  said  Tim,  'take  off  your  wine,  man.  When  does 
this  confounded  trial  come  on  ? ' 

"  '  To-morrow,'  said  I,  with  a  deep  groan. 

"  '  Well,  well,  and  if  it  does,  what  matter  ?'  he  said;  'you'll 
do  well  enough,  never  be  afraid.' 

"  '  Alas  ! '  said  I,  'you  don't  understand  the  cause  of  my  de- 
pression,' I  here  entered  upon  an  account  of  my  sorrows, 
which  lasted  for  above  an  hour,  and  only  concluded  just  as  a 
tremendous  noise  in  the  street  without  announced  an  arrival. 
For  several  minutes,  such  was  the  excitement  in  the  house, 
such  running  hither  and  thither,  such  confusion,  and  such  hub- 
bub, that  we  could  not  make  out  who  had  arrived. 

"  At  last  a  door  opened  quite  near  us,  and  we  saw  the  waiter 
assisting  a  very  portly-looking  gentleman  off  with  his  great- 
coat, assuring  him  the  while  that  if  he  would  only  walk  into 
the  coffee-room  for  ten  minutes,  the  fire  in  his  apartment  should 
be  got  ready.  The  stranger  accordingly  entered  and  seated  him- 
self at  the  fireplace,  having  never  noticed  that  Casey  and  my- 
self— the  only  persons  there — were  in  the  room. 

"  '  I  say,  Phil,'  who  is  he  ? '  inquired  Casey  of  the  waiter. 

"  *  Counsellor  Mills,  Captain, '  said  the  waiter,  and  left  the 
room. 

" '  That's  your  friend,'  said  Casey. 

" '  I  see,'  said  I  ;  '  and  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  he  was  at 
home  with  his  pretty  wife,  in  Lesson  Street.' 

"  '  Is  she  good-looking  ? '  inquired  Tim. 

"  *  Devil  a  better,'  said  I ;  *  and  he's  as  jealous  as  old 
Nick.' 

'"  Hem, '  said  Tim; 'mind  your  cue,  and  I'll  give  him  a 
start.'  Here  he  suddenly  changed  his  whispering  tone  for  one 
in   a  louder  key,  and  resumed  :  '  I   say,   Power,  it  will  make 


142  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

some  work  for  you  lawyers.  But  who  can  she  be  ?  that's  the 
question.'  Here  he  took  a  much-crumpled  letter  from  his 
pocket,  and  pretended  to  read  :  "  '  A  great  sensation  was  cre- 
ated in  the  neighborhood  of  Merrion  Square,  yesterday,  by 
the  sudden    disappearance   from  her  house  of  the  handsome 

Mrs. "     Confound  it — what's  the  name  ? — what  a  hand  he 

writes  !  Hill,  or  Miles,  or  something  like  that — "  the  lady  of 
an  eminent  barrister,  now   on  circuit.      The  gay   Lotharios, 

they  say,  the  Hon.  George "  '     I  was  so  thunderstruck  at 

the  rashness  of  the  stroke,  I  could  say  nothing ;  while  the  old 
gentleman  started  as  if  he  had  sat  down  on  a  pin.  Casey, 
meanwhile  went  on. 

"  '  Hell  and  fury ! '  said  the  king's  counsel,  rushing  over, 
*  what  is  it  you're  saying  ? ' 

"  '  You  appear  warm,  old  gentleman,'  said  Casey,  putting  up 
the  letter,  and  rising  from  the  table. 

*"  Show  me  that  letter — show  me  that  infernal  letter,  sir,  this 
instant ! ' 

"  *  Show  you  my  letter,'  said  Casey  ;  '  cool,  that,  anyhow. 
You  are,  certainly,  a  good  one,' 

"  *  Do  you  know  me,  sir  1  answer  me  that,'  said  the  lawyer, 
bursting  with  passion. 

" '  Not  at  present,'  said  Tim,  quietly  ;  'but  I  hope  to  do  so 
in  the  morning,  in  explanation  of  your  language  and  conduct.' 
A  tremendous  ringing  to  the  bell  here  summoned  the  waiter  to 
the  room. 

"  '  Who  is  that ? '  inquired   the  lawyer.     The  epithet  he 

judged  it  safe  to  leave  unsaid,  as  he  pointed  to  Casey. 

" '  Captain  Casey,  sir  ;  the  commanding  officer  here.' 

"  *  Just  so,'  said  Casey  ;  '  and  very  much  at  your  service,  any 
hour  after  five  in  the  morning.' 

"  '  Then  you  refuse,  sir,  to  explain  the  paragraph  I  have  just 
heard  you  read  ? ' 

"'  Well  done,  old  gentleman  ;  so  you  have  been  listening  to  a 
private  conversation  I  held  with  my  friend  here.     In  that  case 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  1 43 

we  had  better  retire  to  our  room.'  So  saying,  he  ordered  the 
waiter  to  send  a  fresh  bottle  and  glasses  to  No.  14,  and  taking 
my  arm,  very  politely  wished  Mr.  Mills  good-night  and  left  the 
coffee-room. 

"  Before  we  had  reached  the  top  of  -the  stairs  the  house  was 
once  more  in  commotion.  The  new  arrival  had  ordered  out 
fresh  horses,  and  was  hurrying  every  one  in  his  impatience  to 
get  away.  In  ten  minutes  the  chaise  rolled  off  from  the  door, 
and  Casey,  putting  his  head  out  of  the  window,  wished  him  a 
pleasent  journey  ;  while  turning  to  me,  he  said — 

"  '  There's  one  of  them  out  of  the  way  for  you,  if  we  are  even 
obliged  to  fight  the  other.' 

"  The  port  was  soon  despatched,  and  with  it  went  all  the 
scruples  of  conscience  I  had  at  first  felt  for  the  cruel  ruse  we  had 
just  practiced.  Scarcely  was  the  other  bottle  called  for  when 
we  heard  the  landlord  calling  out,  in  a  stentorian  voice — 

" '  Two  horses,  for  Goran  Bridge,  to  meet  Counsellor 
Kinshella.' 

"  '  That's  the  other  fellow  ? '  said    Casey. 

" '  It  is,'  said  I. 

"  '  Then  we  must  be  stirring,'  said  he.  '  Waiter,  chaise  and 
pair  in  five  minutes — d'ye  hear  ?  Power,  my  boy,  I  don't  want 
you  ;  stay  here,  and  study  your  brief.  It's  little  trouble 
Counsellor  Kinshella  will  give  you  in  the  morning.' 

All  he  would  tell  me  of  his  plans  was  that  he  didn't  mean 
any  serious  bodily  harm  to  the  counsellor,  but  that  certainly  he 
was  not  likely  to  be  heard  of  for  twenty-four  hours. 

"  '  Meanwhile,  Power,  go  in  and  win,  my  boy,'  said  he  ; '  such 
another  walk-over  may  never  occur.' 

"  I  must  not  make  my  story  longer.  The  next  morning,  the 
great  record  of  Monaghan  v.  M'Shean  was  called  on,  and,  as 
the  senior  counsel  were  not  present,  the  attorney  wished  a 
postponement.  I,  however,  was  firm  ;  told  the  court  I  was 
quite  prepared,  and  with  such  an  air  of  assurance  that  I  artu.Tlly 
puzzled    tlie  attorney.      The     case     was    accordingly  oj)(iu  d 


144  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

by  me  in  a  very  brilliant  speech,  and  the  witnesses  called ;  but 
such  was  my  unlucky  ingnorance  of  the  whole  matter  that  I 
actually  broke  down  the  testimony  of  our  own,  and  fought  like 
a  Trojan  for  the  credit  and  character  of  the  perjurers  against 
us  !  The  judge  rubbed  his  eyes — the  jury  looked  amazed — and 
the  whole  bar  laughed  outright.  However,  on  I  went,  blunder- 
ing, floundering,  and  foundering  at  every  step,  and,  at  half-past 
four,  amid  the  greatest  and  most  uproarious  mirth  of  the  whole 
court,  heard  the  jury  deliver  a  verdict  against  us,  just  as  old 
Kinshella  rushed  into  the  court,  covered  with  mud  and  spattered 
with  clay.  He  had  been  sent  for  twenty  miles  to  make  a  will  for 
Mr.  Daly  of  Daly's  Mount,  who  was  supposed  to  be  at  the 
point  of  death,  but  who,  on  his  arrival,  threatened  to  shoot 
him  for  causing  an  alarm  to  his  family  by  such  an  imputation. 

"  The  rest  is  soon  told.  They  moved  for  a  new  trial,  and 
I  moved  out  of  the  profession.  I  cut  the  bar,  for  it  cut  me. 
I  joined  the  gallant  14th  as  a  volunteer,  and  here  I  am  without 
a  single  regret,  I  must  confess,  that  I  didn't  succeed  in  the 
great  record  of  Monaghan  v.  M'Shean." 

Once  more  the  claret  went  briskly  round,  and  while  we  con- 
vassed  Power's  story,  many  an  anecdote  of  military  life  was 
told,  as  every  instant  increased  the  charm  of  that  career  I 
longed  for. 

"Another  cooper.  Major,"  said  Power. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  the  rosy  little  officer,  as  he  touched 
the  bell  behind  him ;  "  and  now  let's  have  a  song." 

"  Yes,  Power,"  said  three  or  four  together,  "  let  us  have 
'  The  Irish  Dragoon,'  if  it's  only  to  convert  your  friend 
O'Malley  there." 

"  Here  goes,  then,"  said  Dick,  taking  off  a  bumper  as  he 
began  the  following  chant  to  the  air  of  "  Love  is  the  soul  of  a 
gay  Irishman  :  '^ 

"THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 
"  Oh,  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  Dragoon, 
In  battle,  in  bivouac,  or  in  saloon— 

From  the  tip  of  his  spur  to  his  bright  sabretasche. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  G  O  (9A'.  1 45 

With  his  soldierly  gait  and  his  bearing  so  high, 
His  gay  laughing  look,  and  his  light  speaking  eye, 
He  frowns  at  his  rival,  he  ogles  his  wench, 
He  springs  in  his  saddle  and  chasses  the  French, 
With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 

"  His  spirits  are  high,  and  he  little  knows  care, 
Whether  sipping  his  claret,  or  charging  a  square — 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 
As  ready  to  sing  or  to  skirmish  he's  found, 
To  take  off  his  wine,  or  to  take  up  his  ground ; 
When  the  bugle  may  call  him,  how  little  he  fears. 
To  charge  forth  in  column  and  beat  the  Mounseers — 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 

"  When  the  battle  is  over,  he  gaily  rides  back 
To  cheer  every  soul  in  the  night  bivouac — 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche. 
Oh !  there  you  may  see  him  in  full  glory  crown'd. 
As  he  sits  'mid  his  friends  on  the  hardly  won  ground. 
And  hear  with  what  feeling  the  toast  he  will  give, 
As  he  drinks  to  the  land  where  all  Irishmen  live — 

With  his  jingling  spur  and  his  bright  sabretasche." 

It  was  late  when  we  broke  up  ;  but  among  all  the  recollections 
of  that  pleasant  evening,  none  clung  to  me  so  forcibly,  none 
sank  so  keeply  in  my  heart  as  the  gay  and  careless  tone  of 
Power's  manly  voice  ;  and  as  I  fell  asleep  towards  morning, 
the  words  of  "  The  Irish  Dragoon  "  were  floating  through  my 
mind  and  followed  me  in  my  dreams." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE    VICE-PROVOST. 

I  HAD  now  been  for  some  weeks  a  resident  within  the  walls 
of  the  University,  and  yet  had  never  presented  my  letter  of  in- 
troduction to  Dr.  Barret.  Somehow,  my  thoughts  and  occupa- 
tions had  left  me  little  leisure  to  reflect  upon  my  college  course, 
and  I  had  not  felt  the  necessity  suggested  by  my  friend  Sir 
10 


146  CHARLES  OWI ALLEY, 

Harry,  of  having  a  supporter  in  the  very  learned  and  gifted  in- 
dividual to  whom  I  was  accredited.  How  long  I  might  have 
continued  in  this  state  of  indifference  it  is  hard  to  say,  when 
chance  brought  about  my  acquaintance  with  the  doctor. 

Were  I  not  inditing  a  true  history  in  this  narrative  of  my 
life,  to  the  events  and  characters  of  which  so  many  are  living 
witnessess,  I  should  certainly  fear  to  attempt  anything  like  a  de- 
scription of  this  very  remarkable  man,  so  liable  would  any  sketch, 
however  faint  and  imperfect,  be,  to  the  accusation  of  caricature, 
when  all  was  so  singular  and  so  eccentric. 

Dr.  Barret  was,  at  the  time  I  speak  of,  close  upon  seventy 
years  of  age,  scarcely  five  feet  in  height,  and  even  that  diminu- 
tive stature  lessened  by  a  stoop.  His  face  was  thin,  pointed, 
and  russet-colored ;  his  nose  so  aquiline  as  nearly  to  meet  his 
projecting  chin,  and  his  small  gray  eyes,  red  and  bleary,  peered 
beneath  his  well-worn  cap,  with  a  glance  of  mingled  fear  and 
suspicion.  His  dress  was  a  suit  of  the  rustiest  black,  thread- 
bare, and  patched  in  several  places,  while  a  pair  of  large  brown 
leather  slippers,  far  too  big  for  his  feet,  imparted  a  sliding 
motion  to  his  walk,  that  added  an  air  of  indescribable  mean- 
ness to  his  appearance ;  a  gown  that  had  been  worn  for  twenty 
years,  browned  and  coated  with  the  learned  dust  of  the  Fagel, 
covered  his  rusty  habiliments,  and  completed  the  equipments 
of  a  figure  that  it  was  somewhat  difficult  for  the  young  student 
to  recognize  as  the  Vice-Provost  of  the  University.  Such  was 
he  in  externals.  Within,  a  greater  or  more  profound  scholar 
never  graced  the  walls  of  the  college ;  a  distinguished  Grecian, 
learned  in  all  the  refinements  of  a  hundred  dialects ;  a  deep 
Orientalist,  cunning  in  all  the  varieties  of  Eastern  languages 
and  able  to  reason  with  a  Moonshee,  or  chat  with  a  Persian 
ambassador.  With  a  mind  that  never  ceased  acquiring,  he 
possessed  a  memory  ridiculous  for  its  retentiveness,  even  of 
trifles ;  no  character  in  history,  no  event  in  chronology,  was 
unknown  to  him,  and  he  was  referred  to  by  his  contem- 
poraries for  information  in    doubtful  and  disputed  cases,  as 


THE  IRISH  DKA  G  O  OA'.  1 47 

men  consult  a  lexicon  or  dictionary.  With  an  intellect  thus 
stored  with  deep  and  far-sought  knowledge,  in  the  affairs  of 
the  world  he  was  a  child.  Without  the  walls  of  the  college,  for 
above  forty  years,  he  had  not  ventured  half  as  many  times,  and 
knew  absolutely  nothing  of  the  busy,  active  world  that  fussed  and 
fumed  so  near  him  ;  his  farthest  excursion  was  to  the  Bank  of 
Ireland,  to  which  he  made  occasional  visits  to  fund  the  ample 
income  of  his  office,  and  add  to  the  wealth  which  already  had 
acquired  for  him  a  well-merited  repute  of  being  the  richest  man 
in  college. 

His  little  intercourse  with  the  world  had  left  him,  in  all  his 
habits  and  manners,  in  every  respect  exactly  as  when  he  entered 
college,  nearly  half  a  century  before  ,  and  as  he  had  literally 
risen  from  the  ranks  in  the  University,  all  the  peculiarities  of 
voice,  accent,  and  pronunciation  which  distinguished  him  as  a 
youth,  adhered  to  him  in  old  age.  This  was  singular  enough, 
and  formed  a  very  ludicrous  contrast  with  the  learned  and 
deep-read  tone  of  his  conversation  ;  but  another  peculiarity, 
still  more  striking,  belonged  to  him.  When  he  became  a  fel- 
low, he  was  obliged,  by  the  rules  of  the  college,  to  take  holy 
orders  as  a  si/ie  qua  non  to  his  holding  his  fellowship  ;  this  he 
did,  as  he  would  have  assumed  a  red  hood  or  blue  one,  as 
bachelor  of  laws,  or  doctor  of  medicine,  and  thought  no  more 
of  it ;  but,  frequently,  in  his  moments  of  passionate  excitement 
the  venerable  character  with  which  he  was  invested  was  quite 
forgotten,  and  he  would  utter  some  sudden  and  terrific  oath, 
more  productive  of  mirth  to  his  auditors  than  was  seemly,  and 
for  which,  once  spoken,  the  poor  doctor  felt  the  greatest  shame 
and  contrition.  These  oaths  were  no  less  singular  than  forci- 
ble, and  many  a  trick  was  practised,  and  many  a  plan  devised, 
that  the  learned  Vice-Provost  might  be  entrapped  into  his 
favorite  exclamation  of  "  May  the  devil  admire  me  I  "  which 
no  place  or  presence  could  restrain. 

My  servant,  Mike,  who  had  not  been  long  in  making  him- 
self acquainted  with  all  the  originals  about  him,  was  the  cause 


t48  CHARLES  OWALLEy, 

of  my  first  meeting  the  Doctor,  before  whom  I  received  a  sum- 
mons to  appear,  on  the  very  serious  charge  of  treating  with  dis- 
respect the  heads  of  the  college. 

The  circumstances  were  shortly  these  : — Mike  had,  among  the 
other  gossip  of  the  place,  heard  frequent  tales  of  the  immense 
wealth  and  great  parsimony  of  the  Doctor,  of  his  anxiety  to 
amass  money  on  all  occasions,  and  the  avidity  with  which  even 
the  smallest  trifle  was  added  to  his  gains.  He  accordingly  re- 
solved to  amuse  himself  at  the  expense  of  this  trait,  and  pro- 
ceeded thus  : — Boring  a  hole  in  a  halfpenny,  he  attached  a 
long  string  to  it,  and,  having  dropped  it  on  the  Doctor's 
step  stationed  himself  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  court,  con- 
cealed from  view  by  the  angle  of  the  Commons'  wall.  He 
waited  patiently  for  the  chapel  bell,  at  the  first  toll  of  which 
the  door  opened,  and  the  Doctor  issued  forth.  Scarcely  was 
his  foot  upon  the  step,  when  he  saw  the  piece  of  money,  and 
as  quickly  stooped  to  seize  it ;  but  just  as  his  finger  had  nearly 
touched  it,  it  evaded  his  grasp,  and  slowly  retreated.  He  tried 
again,  but  with  the  like  success.  At  last,  thinking  he  miscal- 
culated the  distance,  he  knelt  leisurely  down,  and  put  forth  his 
hand,  but  lo  !  it  again  escaped  him  ;  on  which,  slowly  rising  from 
his  posture,  he  shambled  on  towards  the  chapel,  where,  meet- 
ing the  senior  lecturer  at  the  door,  he  cried  out,  "  H —  to  my 
soul.  Wall,  but  I  saw  the  halfpenny  walk  away  !  " 

For  the  sake  of  the  grave  character  whom  he  addressed,  I 
need  not  recount  how  such  a  speech  was  received ;  sufBce  it  to 
say,  that  Mike  had  been  seen  by  a  college  porter,  who  reported 
him  as  my  servant. 

I  was  in  the  very  act  of  relating  the  anecdote  to  a  large  party 
at  breakfast  in  my  room,  when  a  summons  arrived,  requiring 
my  immediate  attendance  at  the  Board,  then  sitting  in  solemn 
conclave  at  the  examination-hall. 

I  accordingly  assumed  my  academic  costume  as  speedily  as 
possible,  and,  escorted  by  that  most  august  functionary,  Mr. 
M'Alister,  presented  myself  before  the  seniors 


THE  IRISH  DRAGO  ON.  1 49 

The  members  of  the  Board,  with  the  Provost  at  their  head, 
were  seated  at  a  long  oak  table,  covered  with  books,  papers, 
etc.,  and  from  the  silence  they  maintained,  as  I  walked  up  the 
hall,  I  augured  that  a  very  solemn  scene  was  before  me. 

"Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  Dean,  reading  my  name  from  a 
paper  he  held  in  his  hand,  "  you  have  been  summoned  here  at 
the  desire  of  the  Vice-Provost,  whose  questions  you  will  reply  to." 

I  bowed.  A  silence  of  a  few  minutes  followed,  when,  at 
length,  the  learned  Doctor,  hitching  up  his  nether  garments 
with  both  hands,  put  his  old  and  bleary  eyes  close  to  my  face, 
while  he  croaked  out,  with  an  accent  that  no  hackney-coachman 
could  have  exceeded  in  vulgarity, — 

"  Eh,  O'Malley  ;  you're  quartids,  I  believe  ;  a'n't  you  ?" 

"  I  believe  not.  I  think  I  am  the  only  person  of  that  name 
now  on  the  books." 

"  That's  thrue ;  but  there  were  three  O'Malleys  before  you. 
Godfrey  O'Malley,  that  construed  Calve  Neroni  to  Nero  the 
Calvinist — ha  !  ha  !  ha  ! — was  cautioned  in  1788." 

"  My  uncle,  I  believe,  sir." 

"  More  than  likely,  from  what  I  hear  of  you — Ex  uno,  etc. 
I  see  your  name  every  day  on  the  punishment  roll.  Late 
hours,  never  at  chapel,  seldom  at  morning  lecture.  Here  ye 
are,  sixteen  shillings,  wearing  a  red  coat." 

"  Never  knew  any  harm  in  that,  Doctor." 

"Ay,  but  d'ye  see  me,  now.'  'Grave  raiment,'  says  the 
statute.  And  then,  ye  keep  numerous  beasts  of  prey,  dangerous 
in  their  habits,  and  unseemly  to  behold." 

"  A  bull  terrier,  sir,  and  two  game-cocks,  are,  I  assure  you, 
ihe  only  animals  in  my  household." 

"  Well,  I'll  fine  you  for  it." 

"  I  believe.  Doctor,"  said  the  Dean,  interrupting,  in  an  under- 
tone, "that  you  cannot  impose  a  penalty  in  this  matter." 

"  Ay,  but  I  can.  '  Singing-birds,'  says  the  statute,  '  are  for- 
bidden within  the  walls.'  " 

"  And  then,  ye  dazzled  my  eyes  at  Commons,  with  a  bit  of 


150  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

looking-glass,    on    Friday.       I    saw   you.       May    the    devil — 

ahem  ! As    I  was  saying,  that's  casting  reflections  on  the 

heads  of  the  college ;  and  your  servant  it  was,  Michaelis  Liber, 
Mickey  Free — may  the  flames  of — ahem  ! — an  insolent  varlet ! 
called  me  a  sweep." 

"  You,  Doctor  ;  impossible  ! "  said  I,  with  pretended  horror. 

"  Ay,  but  d'ye  see  me,  now .?  It's  thrue,  for  I  looked  about 
me  at  the  time,  and  there  wasn't  another  sweep  in  the  place 
but  myself.  Hell  to — I  mean — God  forgive  me  for  swearing ; 
but  I'll  fine  you  a  pound  for  this." 

As  I  saw  the  Doctor  was  getting  on  at  such  a  pace,  I  resolved, 
notwithstanding  the  august  presence  of  the  Board,  to  try  the 
efficacy  of  Sir  Harry's  letter  of  introduction,  which  I  had  taken 
in  my  pocket,  in  the  event  of  its  being  wanted. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  if  the  time  be  an  unsuitable  one  ; 
but  may  I  take  the  opportunity  of  presenting  this  letter  to 
you  ? " 

"  Ha  !  I  know  the  hand — Boyle's.  Boyle  secnndus.  Hem 
ha,  ay !  '  My  young  friend ;  and  assist  him  by  your  advice.' 
To  be  sure  !  Oh  !  of  course.  Eh,  tell  me,  young  man,  did 
Boyle  say  nothing  to  you  about  the  copy  of  Erasmus,  bound  in 
vellum,  that  I  sold  him  in  Trinity  term,  1782  ? " 

"  I  rather  think  not,  sir,"  said  I,  doubtfully. 

"  Well,  then,  he  might.  He  owes  me  two-and-fourpence  of 
the  balance." 

"  Oh  !  I  beg  pardon,  sir  ;  I  now  remember  he  desired  me  to 
repay  you  that  sum  ;  but  he  had  just  sealed  the  letter  when  he 
recollected  it." 

"  Better  late  than  never,"  said  the  Doctor,  smiling  graciously. 
"  Where's  the  money  ?  Ay  !  half-a-crown.  I  haven't  twopence, 
— never  mind.  Go  away,  young  man  ;  the  case  is  dismissed. 
Veheme?iter  miror  quare  hue  venisti.  You're  more  fit  for  any- 
thing than  a  college  life.  Keep  good  hours  ;  mind  the  terms  ; 
and  dismiss  Michaelis  Liber.  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  May  the  devil ! — 
fiem) — that  is  do "     So  saying,  the  little  Doctor's  hand 


THE  IRISH  DRA GOOiV.  1 5 1 

pushed  me  from  the  hall,  his  mind  evidently  relieved  of  all  the 
griefs  from  which  he  had  been  suffering,  by  the  recovery  of  his 
long-lost  two-and-fourpence. 

Such  was  my  first  and  last  interview  with  the  Vice-Provost, 
and  it  made  an  impression  upon  me  that  ali  the  intervening 
years  have  neither  dimmed  nor  erased. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

TRINITY  COLLEGE — A  LECTURE. 

I  HAD  not  been  many  weeks  a  resident  of  Old  Trinity  ere 
the  flattering  reputation  my  chum,  Mr.  Francis  Webber,  had 
acquired,  extended  also  to  myself;  and,  by  universal  consent, 
we  were  acknowledged  the  most  riotous,  ill-conducted,  dis- 
orderly men  on  the  books  of  the  University.  Were  the  lamps 
of  the  square  extinguished,  and  the  college  left  in  total  dark- 
ness, we  were  summoned  before  the  Dean  ;  was  the  Vice  Provost 
serenaded  with  a  chorus  of  trombones  and  French  horns,  to 
our  taste  in  music  was  the  attention  ascribed  ;  did  a  sudden 
alarm  of  fire  disturb  the  congregation  at  morning  chapel, 
Messrs.  Webber  and  O'Malley  were  brought  before  the  Board; 
and  I  must  do  them  the  justice  to  say  that  the  most  trifling 
circumstantial  evidence  was  ever  sufficient  to  bring  a  conviction. 
Reading  men  avoided  the  building  where  we  resided  as  they 
would  have  done  the  plague.  Our  doors,  like  those  of  a  certain 
classic  precinct  commemorated  by  a  Latin  writer,  lay  open 
night  and  day  ;  while  moustached  dragoons,  knowingly  dressed 
four-in-hand  men,  fox-hunters  in  pink  issuing  forth  to  the 
Dubber,  or  returning  splashed  from  a  run  with  the  Kildare 
hounds,  were  everlastingly  seen  passing  and  repassing.  \\'ithin, 
the  noise  and  confusion  resembled  rather  the  mess-room  of  a 


152  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

regiment  towards  eleven  at  night  than  the  chambers  of  a  college 
student ;  while,  with  the  double  object  of  affecting  to  be  in  ill 
health,  and  to  avoid  the  reflections  that  daylight  occasionally 
inspires,  the  shutters  were  never  opened,  but  lamps  and  candles 
kept  always  burning.  Such  was  No.  2,  Old  Square,  in  the 
goodly  days  I  write  of.  All  the  terrors  of  fines  and  punishments 
fell  scathless  on  the  head  of  my  worthy  chum.  In  fact,  like  a 
well  known  political  character,  whose  pleasure  and  amusement 
it  has  been  for  some  years  past  to  drive  through  acts  of  Parlia- 
ment and  deride  the  powers  of  the  law,  so  did  Mr.  Webber 
tread  his  way,  serpenting  through  the  statute-book,  ever 
grazing,  but  rarely  trespassing  upon  some  forbidden  ground, 
which  might  involve  the  great  punishment  of  expulsion. 
So  expert,  too,  had  he  become  in  his  special  pleadings,  so 
dexterous  in  the  law  of  the  University,  that  it  was  no  easy 
matter  to  bring  crime  home  to  him  ;  and  even  when  this  was 
done,  his  pleas  of  mitigation  rarely  failed  of  success. 

There  was  a  sweetness  of  demeanor,  a  mild,  subdued  tone 
about  him,  that  constantly  puzzled  the  worthy  heads  of  the 
college  how  the  accusations  ever  brought  against  him  could  be 
founded  on  truth  ;  that  the  pale,  delicate-looking  student,  whose 
harsh,  hacking  cough  terrified  the  hearers,  could  be  the  boister- 
ous performer  upon  a  key-bugle,  or  the  terrific  assailant  of 
watchmen,  was  something  too  absurd  for  belief  ;  and  when  Mr, 
Webber,  with  his  hand  upon  his  heart,  and  in  his  most  dulcet 
accents,  assured  them  that  the  hours  he  was  not  engaged  in 
reading  for  the  medal  were  passed  in  the  soothing  society  of  a 
few  select  and  intimate  friends  of  literary  tastes  and  refined 
minds,  who,  knowing  the  delicacy  of  his  health — here  he  would 
cough — were  kind  enough  to  sit  with  him  for  an  hour  or  so  in 
the  evening,  the  delusion  was  perfect ;  and  the  story  of  Dean's 
riotous  habits  having  got  abroad,  the  charge  was  usually 
suppressed. 

Like  most  idle  men,  Webber  never  had  a  moment  to  spare. 
Except  read,  there  was  nothing  he  did  not  do  ;  training  a  hack 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOjV.  153 

for  a  race  in  the  Phcc-nix — arranging  a  rowing-match — getting 
up  a  mock  duel  between  two  white-feather  acquaintances,  were 
his  almost  daily  avocations.  Besides  that,  he  was  at  the  head 
of  many  organized  societies,  instituted  for  various  benevolent 
p' I'poses.  One  .vas  jalbd  "The  Association  for  Discounte- 
-nancmg  Watchmen;  "  another,  "The  Board  of  Works,"  whose 
object  was  principally  devoted  to  the  embellishment  of  the 
Univers'ty,  i  .  which,  to  do  them  justice,  their  labors  were 
unceasing,  and  hat  with  the  assistance  of  some  black  paint, 
a  ladder,  and  r;  few  pounds  of  gunpowder,  they  certainly  con- 
trived to  effect  many  important  changes.  Upon  an  examination 
morning,  some  hundred  luckless  "jibs  "  might  be  seen  peram- 
bulating the  courts,  in  the  vain  effort  to  discover  their  tutors' 
chambers,  the  names  having  undergone  an  alteration  that  left 
all  trace  of  their  original  proprietors  unattainable  ;  Doctor 
Francis  Mooney  having  become  Doctor  Full  Moon — Doctor 
Hare  being,  by  the  change  of  two  letters,  Doctor  Ape — Romney 
Robinson,  Romulus  and  Remus,  etc.  While,  upon  occasions 
like  these,  there  could  be  but  little  doubt  of  Master  Frank's 
intentions,  upon  many  others,  so  subtle  were  his  inventions,  so 
well-contrived  his  plots,  it  became  a  matter  of  considerable  dif- 
ficulty to  say  whether  the  mishap  which  l)efell  some  luckless 
acquaintance  were  the  result  of  design  c  r  mere  accident ;  and 
rot  unfrequently  well-disposed  individuals  were  found  condol- 
ing with  "  Poor  Frank  !  "  upon  his  ignorance  of  some  college 
rule  or  etiquette,  his  breach  of  which  had  been  long  and  delib- 
erately planned.  Of  this  latter  description  was  a  circumstance 
which  occurred  about  this  time,  and  which  some  who  may  throw 
an  eye  over  these  pages  will  perhaps  remember. 

The  Dean  having  heard  (and,  indeed,  the  preparations  were 
not  intended  to  sect:re  secrecy)  that  Webber  destined  to  enter- 
tain a  '".arty  of  his  friends  at  dinner  on  a  certain  day,  sent  a 
most  peremptory  order  for  his  appearance  at  Jommons,  his 
name  being  erased  from  the  sick  list,  and  a  pretty  strong  hint 
conveyed  to  him  that  any  evasion  upon  his  part  would  be  cer- 


154  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

tainly  followed  by  an  inquiry  into  the  real  reasons  for  his  ab^ 
sence.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  That  was  the  very  day  he  had 
destined  for  his  dinner.  To  be  sure,  the  majority  of  his  guests 
were  college  men,  who  would  understand  the  difficulty  at  once  ; 
but  still  there  were  some  others,  officers  of  the  14th,  with  whom 
he  was  constantly  dining,  and  whom  he  could  not  so  easily  put 
off.  The  affair  was  difficult,  but  still  Webber  was  the  man  for 
a  difficulty  ;  in  fact,  he  rather  liked  one.  A  very  brief  con- 
sideration accordingly  sufficed,  and  he  sat  down  and  wrote  to 
his  friends  at  the  Royal  Barracks  thus : — 

"  Dear  Power, 

"  I  have  a  better  plan  for  Tuesday  than  that  I  had  proposed.  Lunch 
here  at  three — (we'll  call  it  dinner) — in  the  hall  with  the  great  guns  :  I  can't 
say  much  for  the  grub,  but  the  company — glorious  !  After  that  we'll  start 
for  Lucan  in  the  drag — take  our  coffee,  strawberries,  etc.,  and  return  to 
No.  2,  for  supper  at  ten.  Advertise  your  fellows  of  this  change,  and  be- 
lieve me, 

"  Most  unchangeably  yours, 

"  Frank  Webber. 
"  Saturday." 

Accordingly,  as  three  o'clock  struck,  six  dashing- looking  light 
dragoons  were  seen  slowly  sauntering  up  the  dining-hall,  es- 
corted by  Webber,  who,  in  full  academic  costume,  was  leisurely 
ciceroning  his  friends  and  expatiating  upon  the  excellences  of 
the  very  remarkable  portraits  which  graced  the  walls. 

The  porters  looked  on  with  some  surprise  at  the  singular 
hour  selected  for  sight-seeing,  but  what  was  their  astonishment 
to  find  that  the  party,  having  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  hall,  in- 
stead of  turning  back  again,  very  composedly  unbuckled  their 
belts,  and  having  disposed  of  their  sabres  in  a  corner,  took  their 
places  at  the  Fellows'  table,  and  sat  down  amid  the  collective 
wisdom  of  Greek  Lecturers  and  Regius  Professors,  as  though 
they  had  been  mere  mortals  like  themselves. 

Scarcely  was  the  long  Latin  grace  concluded,  when  Web- 
ber, leaning  forward,  enjoined  his  friends,  in  a  very  audible 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  155 

whisper,  that  if  they  intended  to  dine,  no  time  was  to  be  lost. 
"  We  have  but  little  ceremony  here,  and  all  we  ask  is  a  fair 
start,"  said  he,  as  he  drew  over  the  soup,  and  proceeded  to  help 
himself. 

The  advice  was  not  thrown  away,  for  each  man,  with  an 
alacrity  a  campaign  usually  teaches,  made  himself  master  of 
some  neighboring  dish — a  very  quick  interchange  of  good 
things  speedily  following  the  appropriation.  It  was  in  vain 
that  the  Senior  Lecturer  looked  aghast — that  the  Professor  of 
Astronomy  frowned — the  whole  table,  indeed,  were  thunder- 
struck, even  to  the  poor  Vice-Provost  himself,  who,  albeit 
given  to  the  comforts  of  the  table,  could  not  lift  a  morsel  to 
his  mouth,  but  muttered  between  his  teeth, — "  May  the  devil 
admire  me,  but  they're  dragoons  !  "  The  first  shock  of  sur- 
prise over,  the  porters  proceeded  to  inform  them  that  except 
Fellows  of  the  University  or  Fellow-commoners,  none  were 
admitted  to  the  table.  Webber,  however,  assured  them  that 
it  was  a  mistake,  there  being  nothing  in  the  statute  to  exclude 
the  14th  Light  Dragoons,  as  he  was  prepared  to  prove,  Mean- 
while dinner  proceeded.  Power  and  his  party  performing  with 
great  self-satisfaction  upon  the  sirloins  and  saddles  about 
them  ;  regretting  only,  from  time  to  time,  that  there  was  a  most 
unaccountable  absence  of  wine,  and  suggesting  the  propriety 
of  napkins  whenever  they  should  dine  there  again.  What- 
ever chagrin  these  unexpected  guests  caused  among  their  en- 
tertainers of  the  upper  table,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  hall 
the  laughter  was  loud  and  unceasing,  and  long  before 
the  hour  concluded,  the  Fellows  took  their  departure,  leaving 
to  Master  Frank  Webber  the  task  of  doing  the  honors  alone 
and  unassisted.  When  summoned  before  the  Board  for  the 
offence  on  the  following  morning,  Webber  excused  himself  by 
throwing  the  blame  upon  his  friends,  with  whom,  he  said, 
nothing  short  of  a  personal  quarrel — a  thing  for  a  reading  man 
not  to  be  thought  of — could  have  prevented  intruding  in  the 
manner  related.     Nothine:  less  than  his  tact  could   have  saved 


156  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

him  on  this  occasion,  and  at  last  he  carried  the  day ;  while  by 
an  act  of  the  Board,  the  14th  Light  Dragoons  were  pronounced 
the  most  insolent  corps  in  the  service. 

An  adventure  of  his,  however,  got  wind  about  this  time,  and 
served  to  enlighten  many  persons  as  to  his  real  character,  who 
had  hitherto  been  most  lenient  in  their  expressions  about  him. 
Our  worthy  tutor,  with  a  zeal  for  our  welfare  far  more  praise- 
worthy than  successful,  was  in  a.  habit  of  summoning  to  his 
chambers,  on  certain  mornings  of  the  week,  his  various  pupils, 
whom  he  lectured  in  the  books  for  the  approaching  examina- 
tions. Now,  as  these  seances  were  held  at  six  o'clock  in 
winter  as  well  as  summer,  in  a  cold  fireless  chamber — the  lect- 
urer lying  snug  amid  his  blankets,  while  we  stood  shivering 
around  the  walls — the  ardor  of  learning  must,  indeed,  have 
proved  strong  that  prompted  a  regular  attendance.  As 
to  Frank,  he  would  have  as  soon  thought  of  attending  chapel  as 
of  presenting  himself  on  such  an  occasion.  Not  so  with 
me.  I  had  not  yet  grown  hackneyed  enough  to  fly  in  the  face 
of  authority,  and  I  frequently  left  the  whist-table,  or  broke  off 
in  a  song  to  hurry  over  to  the  Doctor's  chambers,  and  spout 
Homer  and  Hesiod.  I  suffered  on  in  patience,  till  at  last  the 
bore  became  so  insupportable  that  I  told  my  sorrows  to  my 
friend,  who  listened  to  me  out,  and  promised  me  succor. 

It  so  chanced  that  upon  some  evening  in  each  week  Dr. 
Mooney  was  in  the  habit  of  visiting  some  friends  who  resided 
a  short  distance  from  town,  and  spending  the  night  at  their 
house.  He,  of  course  did  not  lecture  the  following  morning — 
a  paper  placard,  announcing  no  lecture,  being  affixed  to  the 
door  on  such  occasions.  Frank  waited  patiently  till  he  per- 
ceived the  Doctor  affixing  this  announcement  upon  his  door 
one  evening  ;  and  no  sooner  had  he  left  the  college,  than  he 
withdrew  the  paper  and  departed. 

On  the  next  morning  he  rose  early,  and  concealing  himself 
on  the  staircase,  waited  the  arrival  of  the  venerable  damsel 
who  acted  as    servant  to  the    Doctor.      No    sooner  had  she 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  157 

opened  the  door  and  groped  her  way  into  the  sitting-room, 
than  Frank  crept  forward,  and,  stealing  gently  into  the  bed- 
room, sprung  into  the  bed,  and  wrapped  himself  up  in  the 
blankets.  The  great  bell  boomed  forth  at  six  o'clock,  and 
soon  after  the  sounds  of  the  feet  were  heard  upon  the  stairs — 
one  by  one  they  came  along — and  gradually  the  room  was 
filled  with  cold  and  shivering  wretches,  more  than  half  asleep, 
and  trying  to  arouse  themselves  into  an  approach  to  at- 
tention. 

"  Who's  there  ? "  said  Frank,  mimicking  the  Doctor's  voice, 
as  he  yawned  three  or  four  times  in  succession,  and  turned  in 
the  bed. 

"  Collisson,  O'Malley,  Nesbitt,"  etc.,  said  a  number  of  voices, 
anxious  to  have  all  the  merit  such  a  penance  could  confer. 

"  Where's  Webber  ?  " 

'•  Absent,  sir,"  chorused  the  whole  party. 

'•  Sorry  for  it,"  said  the  mock  Doctor.  "  Webber  is  a  man 
of  first-rate  capacity,  and  were  he  only  to  apply,  I  am  not 
certain  to  what  eminence  his  abilities  might  raise  him.  Come, 
Collisson — any  three  angles  of  a  triangle  are  equal  to — are 
equal  to — what  are  they  equal  to  ? "  Here  he  yawned  as 
though  he  would  dislocate  his  jaw. 

••  Any  three  angles  of  a  triangle  are  equal  to  two  right 
angles,"  said  Collisson,  in  the  usual  sing-song  tone  of  a 
freshman. 

As  he  proceeded  to  prove  the  proposition,  his  monotonous 
tone  seemed  to  have  lulled  the  Doctor  into  a  doze,  for  in  a  few 
minutes  a  deep  long-drawn  snore  announced  from  the  closed 
curtains  that  he  listened  no  longer.  After  a  little  time,  however, 
a  short  snort  from  the  sleeper  awoke  him  suddenly,  and  he 
called  out : 

"  Go  on  ;  I'm  wailing.  Do  ycju  think  1  can  arouse  at  this 
hour  of  the  morning  for  nothing  but  to  listen  to  your  bungling  ? 
( 'an  no  one  give  me  a  free  translation  of  the  passage  .' " 

This  digression  from    mathematics  to  classics   did  not  sur- 


158  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

prise  the  hearers,  though  it  somewhat  confused  them,  no  one 
being  precisely  aware  what  the  line  in  question  might  be. 

"  Try  it,  Nesbitt — you,  O'Malley — silent  all — really  this  is 
too  bad  !  "  An  indistinct  muttering  here  from  the  crowd  was 
followed  by  an  announcement  from  the  Doctor  that  "  the  speaker 
was  an  ass,  and  his  head  a  turnip  !  Not  one  of  you  capable  of 
translating  a  chorus  from  Euripides — '  Ou,  ou,  papai,  papai,' 
etc. ;  which  after  all  means  no  more  than — '  Oh,  whilleleu, 
murder,  why  did  you  die  ? '  etc.  What  are  you  laughing  at, 
gentlemen  ?  May  I  ask  does  it  become  a  set  of  ignorant,  ill- 
informed  savages — yes,  savages,  I  repeat  the  word — to  behave 
in  this  manner?  Webber  is  the  only  man  I  have  with  common 
intellect — the  only  man  among  you  capable  of  distinguishing 
himself.  But  as  for  you — I'll  bring  you  before  the  Board — 
I'll  write  to  your  friends — I'll  stop  your  college  indulgences — 
I'll  confine  you  to  the  walls — I'll  be  damned,  eh " 

This  lapse  confused  him;  he  stammered,  stuttered,  en- 
deavored to  recover  himself ;  but  by  this  time  we  had  ap- 
proached the  bed,  just  at  the  moment  when  Master  Frank, 
well  knowing  what  he  might  expect  if  detected,  had  bolted 
from  the  blankets  and  rushed  from  the  room.  In  an  instant 
we  were  in  pursuit ;  but  he  regained  his  chambers,  and  double 
locked  the  door  before  we  could  overtake  him,  leaving  us  to 
ponder  over  the  insolent  tirade  we  had  so  patiently  sub- 
mitted to. 

That  morning  the  affair  got  wind  all  over  college.  As  for  us 
we  were  scarcely  so  much  laughed  at  as  the  Doctor ;  the  world 
wisely  remembering,  if  such  were  the  nature  of  out  morning's 
orisons,  we  might  nearly  as  profitably  have  remained  snug  in 
in  our  quarters. 

Such  was  our  life  in  Old  Trinity ;  and  strange  enough  it  is 
that  one  should  feel  tempted  to  the  confession,  but  I  really 
must  acknowledge  these  were,  after  all,  happy  times,  and  I 
look  back  upon  them  vv'ith  mingled  pleasure  and  sadness.  The 
noble  lord  who  so  pathetically  lamented  that  the  devil  was  not 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOiW 


159 


SO  strong  in  him  as  he  used  to  be  forty  years  before,  has  an 
echo  in  my  regrets,  that  the  student  is  not  as  young  in  me  as 
when  these  scenes  were  enacting  of  which  I  write. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE  INVITATION — THE    WAGER. 


I  WAS  sitting  at  breakfast  with  Webber,  a  few  mornings  after 
the  mess  dinner  I  have  spoken  of,  when  Power  came  in  hastily. 

''  Ha,  the  very  man  !  "  said  he.  "  I  say,  O'Malley,  here's  an 
invitation  for  you  from  Sir  George,  to  dine  on  Friday.  He 
desired  me  to  say  a  thousand  civil  things  about  his  not  having 
made  you  out,  regrets  that  he  was  not  at  home  when  you  called 
yesterday,  and  all  that.  By  Jove,  I  know  nothing  like  the 
favor  you  stand  in  ;  and,  as  for  Miss  Dashwood,  faith  !  the 
fair  Lucy  blushed,  and  tore  her  glove  in  most  approved  style, 
when  the  old  General  began  his  laudation  of  you." 

"  Pooh,  nonsense,"  said  I  ;  "  that  silly  affair  in  the  west." 

"  Oh,  very  probably  ;  there's  reason  the  less  for  you  looking 
so  excessively  conscious.  But  I  must  tell  you,  in  all  fairness, 
that  you  have  no  chance  ;  nothing  short  of  a  dragoon  will  go 
down." 

"  Be  assured,"  said  I,  somewhat  nettled,  "  my  pretensions  do 
not  aspire  to  the  fair  Miss  Dashwood." 

"  Tant  mieux  et  tant  pis,  mon  cher.  I  wish  to  Heaven  mine 
did;  and,  by  St.  Patrick,  if  T  only  played  the  knight-errant  half 
as  gallantly  as  yourself,  I  would  not  relinquish  my  claims  to 
the  Secretary  at  War  himself." 

"  What  the  devil  brought  the  old  General  down  to  your  wild 
regions  ?  "  inquired  Webber. 

"  To  contest  the  county  " 


I  Go  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  A  bright  thought,  truly.  When  a  man  was  looking  for  a 
seat,  why  not  try  a  place  where  the  law  is  occasionally  heard 
of  ?  " 

"  I'm  sure  I  can  give  you  no  information  on  that  head  ;  nor 
have  I  ever  heard  how  Sir  George  came  to  learn  that  such  a 
place  as  Galway  existed." 

"  I  believe  I  can  enlighten  you,"  said  Power.  "  Lady 
Dash  wood — rest  her  soul! — came  west  of  the  Shannon;  she 
had  a  large  property  somewhere  in  Mayo,  and  owned  some 
hundred  acres  of  swamp,  with  some  thousand  starving  tenantry 
thereupon,  that  people  dignified  as  an  estate  in  Connaught. 
This  first  suggested  to  him  the  notion  of  setting  up  for  the 
county ;  probably  supposing,  that  the  people;  who  never  paid 
in  rent  might  like  to  do  so  in  gratitude.  How  he  was  unde- 
ceived, O'Malley  there  can  inform  us.  Indeed,  I  believe  the 
worthy  General,  who  was  confoundedly  hard  up  when  he 
married,  expected  to  have  got  a  great  fortune,  and  little  anti- 
cipated the  three  chancery  suits  he  succeeded  to,  nor  the  four- 
teen rent-charges  to  his  wife's  relatives  that  made  up  the  bulk 
of  the  dower.  It  was  an  unlucky  hit  for  him  when  he  fell  in 
with  the  old  '  maid '  at  Bath  ;  and,  had  she  lived,  he  must  have 
gone  to  the  colonies.  But  the  Lord  took  her  one  day,  and 
Major  Dashwood  was  himself  again.  The  Duke  of  York,  the 
story  goes,  saw  him  at  Hounslow  during  a  review — was  much 
struck  with  his  air  and  appearance — made  some  inquiries — 
found  him  to  be  of  excellent  family  and  irreproachable  conduct 
— made  him  an  aide-de-camp — and,  in  fact,  made  his  fortune. 
I  do  not  believe  that,  while  doing  so  kind,  he  could  by  possi- 
bility have  done  a  more  popular  thing.  Every  man  in  the 
army  rejoiced  at  his  good  fortune  ;  so  that,  after  all,  though  he 
has  had  some  hard  rubs,  he  has  come  well  through,  the  only 
vestige  of  his  unfortunate  matrimonial  connection  being  a  cor- 
respondence kept  up  by  a  maiden  sister  of  his  late  wife's  with 
him.  She  insists  upon  claiming  the  ties  of  kindred  upon  about 
twenty  family  eras  during  the  year,  when  she  regularly  writes  a 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  i6i 

most  loving  and  ill-spelled  epistle,  containing  the  latest  informa- 
tion from  Mayo,  with  all  particulars  of  the  Macan  family,  of 
which  she  is  a  worthy  member.  To  her  constant  hints  of  the 
acceptable  nature  of  certain  small  remittances,  the  poor  General 
is  never  inattentive  ;  but  to  the  pleasing  prospect  of  a  visit  in 
the  flesh  from  Miss  Judy  Macan,  the  good  man  is  dead.  In 
fact,  nothing  short  of  being  broke  by  a  general  court-martial 
could  at  all  complete  his  sensations  of  horror  at  such  a  stroke 
of  fortune ;  and  I  am  not  certain,  if  choice  were  allowed  him, 
that  he  would  not  prefer  the  latter." 

"  Then  he  has  never  yet  seen  her  ?  "  said  Webber. 

"  Never,"  replied  Power ;  "  and  he  hopes  to  leave  Ireland 
without  that  blessing,  the  prospect  of  which,  however  remote 
and  unlikely,  has,  I  know  well,  more  than  once  terrified  him 
since  his  arrival." 

"  I  say  Power,  and  has  your  worthy  General  sent  me  a  card 
for  his  ball .?  " 

''  Not  through  me.  Master  Frank." 

"  Well,  now,  I  call  that  devilish  shabby,  do  you  know.  He 
asks  O'Malley  there  from  viy  chambers,  and  never  notices  the 
other  man,  the  superior  in  the  firm.  Eh,  O'Malley,  what  say 
you  ? " 

"  Why,  I  didn't  know  you  were  acquainted." 

"  And  who  said  we  were  ?  It  was  his  fault,  though,  entirely, 
that  we  were  not.  I  am,  as  I  have  ever  been,  the  most  easy 
fellow  in  the  world  on  that  score — never  give  myself  airs  to 
military  people — endure  anything,  everything — and  you  see  the 
result — hard,  ain't  it .-' " 

"  But,  Webber,  Sir  George  must  really  be  excused  in  this 
matter.  He  has  a  daughter,  a  most  attractive,  lovely  daughter, 
just  at  that  budding,  unsuspecting  age  when  the  heart  is  most 
susceptible  of  impressions  ;  and  where,  let  me  ask,  could  she 
run  such  a  risk  as  in  the  chance  of  a  casual  meeting  with  the 
redoubted  lady-killer.  Master  Frank  Webber  ?  If  he  has  not 
iought  you  out,  then  here  be  his  apology." 


l62  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  A  very  strong  case,  certainly,"  said  Frank  ;  "  but,  still,  had 
he  confided  his  critical  position  to  my  honor  and  secrecy,  he 
might  have  depended  on  me ;  now,  having  taken  the  other 
line " 

"  Well,  what  then  ?  " 

"  Why,  he  must  abide  the  consequences.  I'll  make  fierce 
love  to  Louisa  ;  isn't  that  the  name  ?  " 

"  Lucy,  so  please  you." 

"  Well,  be  it  so — to  Lucy — talk  the  little  girl  into  a  most 
deplorable  attachment  for  me." 

"  But  how,  may  I  ask,  and  when  ?  " 

"  I'll  begin  at  the  ball,  man." 

"  Why,  I  thought  you  said  you  were  not  going  ?  " 

"  There  you  mistake  seriously.  I  merely  said  that  I  had 
not  been  invited." 

"  Then  of  course,"  said  I,  "  Webber,  you  can't  think  of 
going,  in  any  case,  on  my  account." 

"  My  very  dear  friend,  I  go  entirely  upon  my  own.  I  not 
only  shall  go,  but  I  intend  to  have  most  particular  notice  and 
attention  paid  me.  I  shall  be  prime  favorite  with  Sir  George 
— kiss  Lucy " 

"  Come,  come,  this  is  too  strong." 

"  What  do  you  bet  I  don't  ?  There,  now,  I'll  give  you  a 
pony  apiece,  I  do.     Do  you  say  done  .-'  " 

"  That  you  kiss  Miss  Dashwood,  and  are  not  kicked  down- 
stairs for  your  pains  ;  are  those  the  terms  of  the  wager }  "  in- 
quired Power. 

"  With  all  my  heart.  That  I  kiss  Miss  Dashwood,  and  am 
not  kicked  downstairs  for  my  pains." 

"  Then  I  say,  done." 

"  And  with  you  too,  O'Malley  ?  " 

"  I  thank  you,"  said  I,  coldly ;  "  I  am  not  disposed  to  make 
such  a  return  for  Sir  George  Dashwood's  hospitality  as  to  make 
an  insult  to  his  family  the  subject  of  a  bet." 

"  Why,  man,  what  are  you  dreaming  of  ?     Miss  Dashwood 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  163 

will  not  refuse  my  chaste  salute.  Come,  Power,  I'll  give  you 
the  other  pony." 

"  Agreed  !  "  said  he.  "  At  the  same  time,  understand  me  dis- 
tinctly— that  I  hold  myself  perfectly  eligible  to  winning  the 
wager  by  my  own  interference  ;  for,  if  you  do  kiss  her,  by  Jove  ! 
I'll  perform  the  remainder  of  the  compact." 

"  So  I  understand  the  agreement,"  said  Webber,  arranging 
his  curls  before  the  looking-glass.  "Well,  now,  who's  for 
Howth  ?  the  drag  will  be  here  in  half-an-hour." 

"  Not  I,"  said  Power  ;  "  I  must  return  to  the  barracks." 

"Nor  I,"  said  I,  "for  I  shall  take  this  opportunity  of  leaving 
my  card  at  Sir  George  Dashwood's." 

"  I  have  won  my  fifty,  however,"  said  Power,  as  we  walked 
out  in  the  courts. 

"  I  am  not  quite  certain " 

"Why,  the  devil,  he  would  not  risk  a  broken  neck  for  that 
sum  ;  besides,  if  he  did,  he  loses  the  bet." 

"  He's  a  devilish  keen  fellow." 

"  Let  him  be.  In  any  case  I  am  determined  to  be  on  my 
guard  here." 

So  chatting,  we  strolled  along  to  the  Royal  Hospital,  when, 
having  dropped  my  pasteboard,  I  returned  to  the  college. 


l64  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE    BALL. 


I  HAVE  often  dressed  for  a  storming  party  with  less  of  trep- 
idation than  I  felt  on  the  evening  of  Sir  George  Dashwood's 
ball.  Since  the  eventful  day  of  the  election  I  had  never  seen 
Miss  Dashwood  ;  therefore,  as  to  what  precise  position  I 
might  occupy  in  her  favor  was  a  matter  of  great  doubt  in  my 
mind,  and  great  import  to  my  happiness.  That  I  myself  loved 
her  was  a  matter  of  which  all  the  badinage  of  my  friends 
regarding  her  made  me  painfully  conscious  ;  but  that,  in  our 
relative  positions,  such  an  attachment  was  all  but  hopeless,  I 
could  not  disguise  from  myself.  Young  as  I  was,  I  well  knew 
to  what  a  heritage  of  debt,  lawsuit,  and  difficulty  I  was  born  to 
succeed.  In  my  own  resources  and  means  of  advancement  I 
had  no  confidence  whatever,  had  even  the  profession  to  which 
I  was  destined  been  more  of  my  choice.  I  daily  felt  that  it 
demanded  greater  exertions,  if  not  far  greater  abilities,  than  I 
could  command,  to  make  success  at  all  likely;  and  then,  even 
if  such  a  result  were  in  store,  years,  at  least,  must  elapse  before 
it  could  happen,  and  where  would  she  then  be,  and  where  should 
I  ? — where  the  ardent  affection  I  now  felt  and  gloried  in — 
perhaps  all  the  more  for  its  desperate  hopelessness — when  the 
sanguine  and  buoyant  spirit  to  combat  with  difficulties  which 
youth  suggests,  and  which  later  manhood  refuses,  should  have 
passed  away  ?  And,  even  if  all  these  survived  the  toil  and  labor 
of  anxious  days  and  painful  nights,  what  of  her  ?  Alas  !  I  now 
reflected  that,  although  only  of  my  own  age,  her  manner  to  me 
had  taken  all  that  tone  of  superiority  and  patronage  which  an 
elder  assumes  towards  one  younger,  and  which,  in  the  spirit  of 


THE  IRI^H  DRAGOON.  165 

protection  it  proceeds  upon,  essentially  bars  up  every  inlet  to 
a  dearer  or  warmer  feeling — at  least,  when  the  lady  plays  the 
former  part.  "  What,  then,  is  to  be  done  ?  "  thought  I.  "  For- 
get her  ? — but,  how  ?  How  shall  I  renounce  all  my  plans,  and 
unweave  the  web  of  life  I  have  been  spreading  around  me  for 
many  a  day,  without  that  one  golden  thread  that  lent  it  more 
than  half  its  brilliancy  and  all  its  attraction  ?  But  then,  the 
alternative  is  even  worse,  if  I  encourage  expectations  and 
nurture  hopes  never  to  be  reaHzed.  Well,  we  meet  to-night, 
after  a  long  and  eventful  absence  ;  let  my  future  fate  be  ruled 
by  the  results  of  this  meeting.  If  Lucy  Dashwood  does  care 
for  me — if  I  can  detect  in  her  manner  enough  to  show  me  that 
my  affection  may  meet  a  return,  the  whole  effort  of  my  life 
shall  be  to  make  her  mine  ;  if  not — if  my  own  feelings  be  all 
that  I  have  to  depend  upon  to  extort  a  reciprocal  affection — 
then  shall  I  take  my  last  look  of  her,  and  with  it  the  first  and 
brightest  dream  of  happiness  my  life  has  hitherto  presented. 
******* 

It  need  not  be  wondered  at  if  the  brilliant  coup  d'oeil  of  the 
ball-room,  as  I  entered,  struck  me  with  astonishment,  accus- 
tomed as  I  had  hitherto  been  to  nothing  more  magnificent  than 
an  evening  party  of  squires  and  their  squiresses,  or  the  annual 
garrison  ball  at  the  barracks.  The  glare  of  wax-lights,  the 
well-furnished  saloons,  the  glitter  of  uniforms,  and  the  blaze  of 
plumed  and  jewelled  dames,  with  the  clang  of  military  music, 
was  a  species  of  enchanted  atmosphere  which,  breathing  for 
the  first  time,  rarely  fails  to  intoxicate.  Never  before  had  I 
seen  so  much  beauty  :  lovely  faces,  dressed  in  all  the  seductive 
flattery  of  smiles,  were  on  every  side ;  and,  as  I  walked  from 
room  to  room,  I  felt  how  much  more  fatal  to  a  man's  peace  and 
heart's  ease  the  whispered  words  and  silent  glances  of  those 
fair  damsels,  than  all  the  loud  gaiety  and  boisterous  freedom 
of  our  country  belles,  who  sought  to  take  tlie  heart  by  storm 
and  escalade. 

As  yet  I  had  seen  neither  Sir  George  nor  his  daughter,  and, 


1 66  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

while  I  looked  on  every  side  for  Lucy  Dashwood,  it  was  with  a 
beating  and  anxious  heart  I  longed  to  see  how  she  would  bear 
comparison  with  the  blaze  of  beauty  around. 

Just  at  this  moment  a  very  gorgeously-dressed  hussar  stepped 
from  a  doorway  beside  me,  as  if  to  make  a  passage  for  some  one, 
and  the  next  moment  she  appeared,  leaning  upon  the  arm  of 
another  lady.  One  look  was  all  that  I  had  time  for,  when  she 
recognized  me, 

"  Ah,  Mr.  O'Malley — how  happy — has  Sir  George — has  my 
father  seen  you  .''  " 

"  I  have  only  arrived  this  moment ;  I  trust  he  is  quite  well  ? ' 

"  Oh  yes,  thank  you " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  with  all  humility.  Miss  Dashwood," 
said  the  hussar,  in  a  tone  of  the  most  knightly  courtesy,  "  but 
they  are  waiting  for  us." 

"  But,  Captain  Fortescue,  you  must  excuse  me  one  moment 
more,  Mr.  Lechmere,  will  you  do  me  the  kindness  to  iind  out 
Sir  George  ?  Mr.  O'Malley — Mr.  Lechmere."  Here  she  said 
something  in  French  to  her  companion,  but  so  rapidly  that  I 
could  not  detect  what  it  was,  but  merely  heard  the  reply — 
"  Pas  trial  /" — which,  as  the  lady  continued  to  canvass  me  most 
deliberately  through  her  eyeglass,  I  supposed  referred  to  me. 

"  And  now,  Captain  Fortescue -"     And  with  a  look  of  most 

courteous  kindness  to  me  she  disappeared  in  the  crowd. 

The  gentleman  to  whose  guidance  I  was  entrusted  was  one 
of  the  aides-de-camp,  and  w-as  not  long  in  finding  Sir  George. 
No  sooner  had  the  good  old  General  heard  my  name,  than  he 
held  out  both  his  hands  and  shook  mine  most  heartily. 

"  At  last,  O'Malley — at  last  I  am  able  to  thank  you  for  the 
greatest  service  ever  man  rendered  me.  He  saved  Lucy,  my 
Lord ;  rescued  her  under  circumstances  where  anything  short 
of  his  courage  and  determination  must  have  cost  her  her  life." 

"  Ah  .'  very  pretty  indeed,"  said  a  stiff  old  gentleman  ad- 
dressed, as  he  bowed  a  most  superbly-powdered  scalp  before 
me  ;  *'  most  happy  to  make  your  acquaintance." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  167 

"  Who  is  he  ? "  added  he,  in  nearly  as  loud  a  tone  to  Sir 
George. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  of  O'Malley  Castle." 

"  True,  I  forgot — why  is  he  not  in  uniform  ?  " 

"  Because,  unfortunately,  my  Lord,  we  don't  own  him  ;  he's 
not  in  the  army. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  thought  he  was," 

"You  dance,  O'-NIalley,  I  suppose  ?  I'm  sure  you'd  rather 
be  over  there  than  hearing  all  my  protestations  of  gratitude, 
sincere  and  heartfelt  as  they  really  are." 

"  Lechmere,  introduce  my  friend  Mr.  O'Malley ;  get  him  a 
partner." 

I  had  not  followed  my  new  acquaintance  many  steps,  when 
Power  came  up  to  me.  "  I  say,  Charley,"  cried  he,  "  I  have 
been  tormented  to  death  by  half  the  ladies  in  the  room  to 
present  you  to  them,  and  have  been  in  quest  of  you  this  half- 
hour.  Your  brilliant  exploit  in  savage  land  has  made  you  a 
regular /r^«^  chevalier ;  and  if  you  don't  trade  on  that  advent- 
ure to  your  most  lasting  profit,  you  deserve  to  be~a  lawyer. 
Come  along  here  !  Lady  Muckleman,  the  adjutant-general's 
lady  and  chief,  has  four  Scotch  daughters  you  are  to  dance 
with  ;  then  I  am  to  introduce  you  in  all  form  to  the  Dean  of 
Something's  niece ;  she  is  a  good-looking  girl,  and  has 
two  livings  in  a  safe  county.  Then  there's  the  town-major's 
wife  ;  and,  in  fact,  I  have  several  engagements  from  this  to 
supper-time." 

"  A  thousand  thanks  for  all  your  kindness  in  prospective, 
but  I  think,  perhaps,  it  were  right  I  should  ask  Miss  Dashwood 
to  dance,  if  only  as  a  matter  of  form — you  understand  ? " 

"  And,  if  Miss  Dashwood  should  say,  *  With  pleasure,  sir,' 
only  as  a  matter  of  form — you  understand  ? "  said  a  silvery 
voice  beside  me.  I  turned,  and  saw  Lucy  Dashwood,  who,  hav- 
ing overheard  my  very  free-and-easy  suggestion,  replied  to  me 
in  this  manner. 

I  here  blundered  out  my  excuses.     What  I  said,  and  what  I 


l68  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

did  not  say,  I  do  not  now  remember ;  but,  certainly,  it  was  hei 
turn  now  to  blush,  and  her  arm  trembled  within  mine  as  I  led 
her  to  the  top  of  the  room.  In  the  little  opportunity  which  our 
quadrille  presented  for  conversation,  I  could  not  help  remark- 
ing that,  after  the  surprise  of  her  first  meeting  with  me.  Miss 
Dashwood's  manner  became  gradually  more  and  more  reserved, 
and  that  there  was  an  evident  struggle  between  her  wish  to  ap- 
pear grateful  for  what  had  occurred,  with  a  sense  of  the  neces- 
sity of  not  incurring  a  greater  degree  of  intimacy.  Such  was 
my  impression,  at  least,  and  such  the  conclusion  I  drew  from 
a  certain  quiet  tone  in  her  manner,  that  went  further  to  wound 
my  feelings  and  mar  my  happiness  than  any  other  line  of  con- 
duct towards  me  could  possibly  have  effected. 

Our  quadrille  over,  I  was  about  to  conduct  her  to  a  seat, 
when  Sir  George  came  hurriedly  up,  his  face  greatly  flushed, 
and  betraying  every  semblance  of  high  excitement. 

"  Dear  papa,  has  anything  occurred  ?  pray  what  is  it  ?  "  in- 
quired she. 

He  smiled  faintly,  and  replied,  "  Nothing  very  serious,  my 
dear,  that  I  should  alarm  you  in  this  way  ;  but,  certainly,  a  more 
disagreeable  contretemps  could  scarcely  occur." 

"  Do  tell  me  :  what  can  it  be  .''  " 

"  Read  this,"  said  he,  presenting  a  very  dirty-looking  note, 
which  bore  the  mark  of  a  red  wafer  most  infernally  plain  upon 
its  outside. 

Miss  Dashwood  unfolded  the  billet,  and,  after  a  moment's 
silence,  instead  of  participating,  as  he  expected,  in  her  father's 
feeling  of  distress,  burst  out  a-laughing,  while  she  said,  "  Why, 
really,  papa,  I  do  not  see  why  this  should  put  you  out  much, 
after  all.  Aunt  may  be  somewhat  of  a  character,  as  her  note 
evinces,  but  after  a  few  days " 

"  Nonsense,  child,  there's  nothing  in  this  world  I  have  such 
a  dread  of  as  that  confounded  woman — and  to  come  at  such  a 
time." 

"  When  does  she  speak  of  paying  her  visit  ? " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  169 

"  I  knew  you  had  a  note,"  said  Sir  George,  hastily  ;  "  she's 
coming  here  to-night — is  on  her  way  this  instant,  perhaps. 
What  is  to  be  done  ?  If  she  forces  her  way  in  here,  I  shall  go 
deranged  outright,  O'Malley,  my  boy,  read  this  note,  and  you 
will  not  feel  surprised  if  I  appear  in  the  humor  you  see  me." 

I  took  the  billet  from  the  hands  of  Miss  Dashwood,  and  read 
as  follows : 

"  Dear  Brother, 

"  When  this  reaches  your  hand,  I'll  not  be  far  off.  Pm  on  my 
way  up  to  town,  to  be  under  Dr.  Dease  for  the  ould  complaint.  Cowley 
mistakes  my  case  entirely ;  he  says  it's  nothing  but  religion  and  wind. 
Father  Magrath,  who  understands  a  good  deal  about  females,  thinks 
otherwise — but  God  knows  who's  right.  Expect  me  to  tea,  and,  with  love 
to  Lucy, 

"  Believe  me,  yours  in  haste, 

"  Judith  Macan. 
"  Let  the  sheets  be  well  aired  in  my  room ;  and  if  you  have  a  spare  bed, 
perhaps  we  could  prevail  upon  Father  Magrath  to  stop  too." 

I  scarcely  could  contain  my  laughter  till  I  got  to  the  end  of 
this  very  free-and-easy  epistle  ;  when  at  last  I  burst  forth  in  a 
hearty  fit,  in  which  I  was  joined  by  Miss  Dashwood. 

From  the  account  Power  had  given  me  in  the  morning,  I 
had  no  difficulty  in  guessing  that  the  writer  was  the  maiden 
sister  of  the  late  Lady  Dashwood,  and  whose  relationship  Sir 
George  had  ever  testified  the  greatest  dread,  even  at  the  distance 
of  two  hundred  miles,  and  for  whom,  in  any  nearer  intimacy,  he 
was  in  no  wise  prepared. 

"  I  say,  Lucy,"  said,  he,  "there's  only  one  thing  to  be  done ; 
if  this  horrid  woman  does  arrive,  let  her  be  shown  to  her  room, 
and  for  the  few  days  of  her  stay  in  town,  we'll  neither  see  nor 
be  seen  by  any  one." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply.  Sir  George  was  turning  away  to 
give  the  necessary  instructions,  when  the  door  of  the  drawing- 
room  was  flung  open,  and  the  servant  announced,  in  his  loudest 
voice,  "  Miss  Macan."  Never  shall  I  forget  the  poor  General's 
look  of  horror  as  the  words  reached  him  ;  for,  as  yet,  he  was 


I70  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

too  far  to  catch  even  a  glimpse  of  its  fair  owner.  As  for  me,  I 
was  already  so  much  interested  in  seeing  what  she  was  like, 
that  I  made  my  way  through  the  crowd  towards  the  door.  It 
is  no  common  occurrence  that  can  distract  the  various  occupa- 
tions of  a  crowded  ball-room,  where,  amid  the  crash  of  music 
and  the  din  of  conversation,  goes  on  the  soft,  low  voice  of 
insinuating  flattery,  or  the  light  flirtation  of  a  first  acquaintance; 
every  clique,  every  coterie,  every  little  group  of  three  or  four, 
has  its  own  separate  and  private  interests,  forming  a  little 
world  of  its  own,  and  caring  for  and  heeding  nothing  that  goes 
on  around  ;  and  even  when  some  striking  character  or  illustrious 
personage  makes  his  entree,  the  attention  he  attracts  is  so 
momentary,  that  the  buzz  of  conversation  is  scarcely,  if  at  all, 
interrupted,  and  the  business  of  pleasure  continues  to  flow  on. 
Not  so  now,  however.  No  sooner  had  the  servant  pronounced 
the  magical  name  of  Miss  Macan,  than  all  seemed  to  stand  still. 
The  spell  thus  exercised  over  the  luckless  General  seemed  to 
have  extended  to  his  company,  for  it  was  with  difficulty  that  any 
one  could  continue  his  train  of  conversation,  while  every  eye 
was  directed  towards  the  door.  About  two  steps  in  advance 
of  the  servant,  who  still  stood  door  in  hand,  was  a  tall,  elderly 
lady,  dressed  in  an  antique  brocade  silk,  with  enormous  flowers 
gaudily  embroidered  upon  it.  Her  hair  was  powdered,  and 
turned  back,  in  the  fashion  of  fifty  years  before ;  while  her 
high-pointed  and  heeled  shoes  completed  a  costume  that  had 
not  been  seen  for  nearly  a  century.  Her  short,  skinny  arms 
were  bare  and  partly  covered  by  a  falling  flower  of  old  point 
lace,  while  on  her  hands  she  wore  black  silk  mittens  ;  a  pair  of 
green  spectacles  scarcely  dimmed  the  lustre  of  a  most  piercing 
pair  of  eyes,  to  whose  effect  a  very  palpable  touch  of  rouge  on 
the  cheeks  certainly  added  brilliancy.  There  stood  this  most 
singular  apparition,  holding  before  her  a  fan  about  the  size  of 
a  modern  tea-tray,  while,  at  each  repetition  of  her  name  by  the 
servant,  she  curtseyed  deeply,  bestowing  the  while  upon  the 
gay  crowd  before  her  a  very  curious  look  of  maidenly  modesty 
at  her  solitary  and  unprotected  position, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


171 


As  no  one  had  ever  heard  of  the  fair  Judith  save  one  or  two 
of  Sir  George's  most  intimate  friends,  the  greater  part  of  the 
company  were  disposed  to  regard  Miss  Macan  as  some  one 
who  had  mistaken  the  character  of  the  invitation,  and  had 
come  in  a  fancy  dress.  But  this  delusion  was  but  momentary, 
as  Sir  George  armed  with  the  courage  of  despair,  forced  his 
way  through  the  crowd,  and  taking  her  hand  afTectionately, 
bid  her  welcome  to  Dublin.  The  fair  Judy,  at  this,  threw  her 
arms  about  his  neck,  and  saluted  him  with  a  hearty  smack, 
that  was  heard  all  over  the  room. 

"  Where's  Lucy,  brother  ?  let  me  embrace  my  little  darling," 
said  the  lady,  in  an  accent  that  told  more  of  Miss  Macan  than 
a  three-volume  biography  could  have  done.  "  There  she  is, 
I'm  sure  ;  kiss  me,  my  honey." 

This  office  Miss  Dashwood  performed  with  an  effort  at 
courtesy  really  admirable  ;  while,  taking  her  aunt's  arm,  she 
led  her  to  a  sofa. 

It  needed  all  the  poor  General's  tact  to  get  over  the  sensation 
of  this  mosX.  ma  I  a  propos  addition  to  his  party  ;  but,  by  degrees, 
the  various  groups  renewed  their  occupations,  although  many 
a  smile,  and  more  than  one  sarcastic  glance  at  the  sofa,  betrayed 
that  the  maiden  aunt  had  not  escaped  criticism. 

Power,  whose  propensity  for  fun  very  considerably  out- 
stripped his  sense  of  decorum  to  his  commanding  officer,  had 
already  made  his  way  towards  Miss  Dashwood,  and  succeeded 
in  obtaining  a  formal  introduction  to  Miss  Macan. 

"  I  hope  you  will  do  me  the  favor  to  dance  next  set  with  me. 
Miss  Macan  ? " 

"Really,  Captain  it's  very  polite  of  you,  but  you  must  excuse 
me.  1  was  never  anything  great  in  quadrilles  ;  but  if  a  reel  or 
a  jig " 

"  Oh,  dear  aunt,  don't  think  of  it,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  Or  even  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley,"  resumed  Miss  Macan. 

**  I  assure  you,  quite  equally  impossible." 

"Then  I'm  certain  you  waltz,"  said  Power. 


172  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

"  What  do  you  take  me  for,  young  man  ?  I  hope  I  know 
better,  I  wish  Father  Magrath  heard  you  ask  me  that  ques- 
tion, and  for  all  your  laced  jacket " 

"Dearest  aunt,  Captahi  Power  didn't  mean  to  offend  you; 
I'm  certain  he " 

"  Well,  why  did  he  dare  to — sob,  sob — did  he  see  anything 
light  about  me,  that  he — sob,  sob,  sob — oh  dear  !  oh  dear  !  is  it  for 
this  I  came  up  from  my  iittle  peaceful  place  in  the  west  ? — sob, 
sob,  sob, — General,  George,  dear ;  Lucy,  my  love,  I'm  taken  bad. 
Oh  dear  !  oh  dear  !  is  there  any  whisky  negus  ?  " 

Whatever  sympathy  Miss  Macau's  sufferings  might  have  ex- 
cited in  the  crowd  about  her  before,  this  last  question  totally 
routed  them,  and  a  most  hearty  fit  of  laughter  broke  forth  from 
more  than  one  of  the  bystanders. 

At  length,  however,  she  was  comforted,  and  her  pacification 
completely  effected  by  Sir  George  setting  her  down  to  a  whist 
table.  From  this  moment  I  lost  sight  of  her  for  above  two 
hours.  Meanwhile,  I  had  little  opportunity  of  following  up  my 
intimacy  with  Miss  Dashwood,  and,  as  I  rather  suspected  that, 
on  more  than  one  occasion,  she  seemed  to  avoid  our  meeting, 
I  took  especial  care,  on  my  part,  to  spare  her  the  annoyance. 

For  one  instant  only  had  I  any  opportunity  of  addressing 
her,  and  then  there  was  such  an  evident  embarrassment  in  her 
manner  that  I  readily  perceived  how  she  felt  circumstanced, 
and,  that  the  sense  of  gratitude  to  one  whose  further  advances 
she  might  have  feared  rendered  her  constrained  and  awkward. 
"  Too  true,"  said  I ;  "  she  avoids  me.  My  being  here  is  only 
a  source  of  discomfort  and  pain  to  her  ;  therefore,  I'll  take  my 
leave,  and,  whatever  it  may  cost  me,  never  to  return."  With 
this  intention,  resolving  to  wish  Sir  George  a  very  good  night, 
I  sought  him  out  for  some  minutes.  At  length  I  saw  him  in  a 
corner,  conversing  with  the  old  nobleman  to  whom  he.  had 
presented  me  early  in  the  evening. 

"  True,  upon  my  honor,  Sir  George,"  said  he ;  "I  saw  it  my- 
self, and  she  did  it  just  as  dexterously  as  the  oldest  blackleg 
in  Paris." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  1 73 

"  Why,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  she  cheated  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  I  do,  though — turned  the  ace  every  time.  Lady 
Herbert  said  to  me,  '  Very  extraordinary  it  is — four  by  honors 
again.'  So  I  looked,  and  then  I  perceived  it — a  very  old  trick 
it  is  ;  but  she  did  it  beautifully.     What's  her  name  ? " 

"  Some  western  name ;  I  forget  it,"  said  the  poor  General, 
ready  to  die  with  shame. 

"  Clever  old  woman,  very  !  "  said  the  old  lord,  taking  a  pinch 
of  snuff;  "  but  revokes  too  often." 

Supper  was  announced  at  this  critical  moment,  and  be- 
fore I  had  further  thought  of  my  determination  to  escape,  I 
felt  myself  hurried  along  in  the  crowd  towards  the  staircase. 
The  party  immediately  in  front  of  me  were  Power  and  Miss 
Macan,  who  now  appeared  reconciled,  and  certainly  testified 
most  openly  their  mutual  feelings  of  good-will. 

"  I  say,  Charley,"  whispered  Power,  as  I  came  along,  "  it  is 
capital  fun — never  met  anything  equal  to  her  ;  but  the  poor 
General  will  never  live  through  it,  and  I'm  certain  of  ten  days' 
arrest  for  this  night's  proceeding." 

"  Any  news  of  Webber  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Oh  '-es,  I  fancy  I  can  tell  something  of  him  ;  for  I  heard 
of  some  one  presenting  himself,  and  being  refused  the  entree, 
so  that  Master  Frank  has  lost  his  money.  Sit  near  us  I  pray 
you,  at  supper.  We  must  take  care  of  the  dear  aunt  for  the 
niece's  sake,  eh  ?  " 

Not  seeing  the  force  of  this  reasoning,  I  soon  separated  my- 
self from  them,  and  secured  a  corner  at  a  side  table.  Every 
supper,  on  such  an  occasion  as  this,  is  the  same  scene  of  soiled 
white  muslin,  faded  flowers,  flushed  faces,  torn  gloves,  blushes, 
blanc-mange,  cold  chicken,  jelly,  sponge  cakes,  spooney  young 
gentlemen  doing  the  attentive,  and  watchful  mammas  calculat- 
ing what  precise  degree  of  propinquity  in  the  crush  is  safe  or 
seasonable  for  their  daughters,  to  the  moustachedand  unmarry- 
ing  lovers  beside  them.  There  are  always  the  same  set  of 
gratified  elders,  like  the  benchers  in  King's  Inn,  marched  up 


174  CHARLES    O'M ALLEY, 

to  the  head  of  the  table,  to  eat,  drink,  and  be  happy — removed 
from  the  more  profane  looks  and  soft  speeches  of  the  younger 
part  of  the  creation.  Then  there  are  the  oi polloi  of  outcasts, 
younger  sons  of  younger  brothers,  tutors,  governesses,  portion- 
less cousins,  and  curates,  all  formed  in  a  phalanx  round  the  side 
tables,  whose  primitive  habits  and  simple  tastes  are  evinced 
by  their  all  eating  off  the  same  plate  and  drinking  from  nearly 
the  same  wine-glass, — too  happy  if  some  better-off  acquaintance 
at  the  long  table  invites  them  to  "  wine,"  though  the  ceremony 
on  their  part  is  limited  to  the  pantomime  of  drinking.  To 
this  miserable  tiers  Hat  I  belonged,  and  bore  my  fate  with 
unconcern  ;  for,  alas  !  my  spirits  were  depressed  and  my  heart 
heavy.  Lucy's  treatment  of  me  was  every  moment  before  me, 
contrasted  with  her  gay  and  courteous  demeanor  to  all  save 
myself,  and  I  longed  for  the  moment  to  get  away. 

Never  had  I  seen  her  looking  so  beautiful ;  her  brilliant  eyes 
were  lit  with  pleasure,  and  her  smile  was  enchantment  itself. 
What  would  I  not  have  given  for  one  moment's  explanation, 
as  I  took  my  leave  forever  ! — one  brief  avowal  of  my  love,  my 
unalterable,  devoted  love ;  for  which  I  sought  not  or  expected 
return,  but  merely  that  I  might  not  be  forgotten. 

Such  were  my  thoughts,  when  a  dialogue  quite  near  me 
aroused  me  from  my  reverie.  I  was  not  long  in  detecting  the 
speakers,  who,  with  their  backs  turned  to  us,  were  seated  at  the 
great  table,  discussing  a  very  liberal  allowance  of  pigeon  pie, 
a  flask  of  champagne  standing  between  them. 

"  Don't  now  !  don't,  I  tell  ye  ;  it's  little  ye  know  Galway,  or 
ye  wouldn't  think  to  make  up  to  me,  squeezing  my  foot." 

"  Upon  my  soul,  you're  an  angel,  a  regular  angel.  I  never 
saw  a  woman  suit  my  fancy  before." 

"  Oh,  behave  now.     Father  Magrath  says — " 

"Who's  he?" 

"The  priest ;  no  less." 

"  Oh  !  confound  him." 

"  Confound  Father  Magrath,  young  man  ? " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  175 

"Well,  then,  Judy,  don't  be  angry;  I  only  meant  that  a 
dragoon  knows  rather  more  of  these  matters  than  a  priest." 

"Well,  then,  I'm  not  so  sure  of  that.  But  anyhow,rd  have 
you  to  remember  it  ain't  a  Widow  Malone  you  have  beside  you." 

"  Never  heard  of  the  lady,"  said  Power 

"  Sure,  it's  a  song — poor  creature — it's  a  song  they  made 
about  her  in  the  North  Cork,  when  they  were  quartered  down 
in  our  county." 

"  I  wish  to  Heaven  you'd  sing  it." 

"  What  will  you  give  me,  then,  if  I  do  ? " 

"  Anything — everything — my  heart,  my  life. 

"  I  wouldn't  give  a  trauneen  for  all  of  them.  Give  me  that 
old  green  ring  on  your  finger,  then." 

"  It's  yours,"  said  Power,  placing  it  gracefully  upon  Miss 
Macau's  finger,  "  and  now  for  your  promise." 

"  Maybe  my  brother  might  not  like  it." 

"  He'd  be  delighted,"  said  Power ;  "  he  dotes  on  music." 

"  Does  he  now  ? " 

"  On  my  honor,  he  does." 

"Well,  mind  you  get  up  a  good  chorus,  for  the  song  has  one, 
and  here  it  is." 

"  Miss  Macau's  song  !  "  said  Power,  tapping  the  table  with 
his  knife. 

"  Miss  Macan's  song  !  "  was  re-echoed  on  all  sides ;  and 
before  the  luckless  General  could  interfere,  she  had  begun. 
How  to  explain  the  air  I  know  not,  for  I  never  heard  its  name ; 
but  at  the  end  of  each  verse  a  species  of  echo  followed  the  last 
word,  that  rendered  it  irresistibly  ridiculous. 

"THE  WIDOW  MALONE. 

"  Did  ye  hear  01  tlie  Widow  Malone, 

Olione  I 
Who  lived  in  the  town  Athlone 

Alone ' 
Oh !  she  melted  the  hearts 
Of  the  swains  in  thcin  parts. 


176  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

So  lovely  the  Widow  Malone, 

Ohoae  ! 
So  lovely  the  Widow  Malone. 

"  Of  lovers  she  had  a  full  score, 

Or  more; 
And  fortunes  they  all  had  galore, 

^  In  store; 

From  the  minister  down 

To  the  clerk  of  the  crown, 

All  were  courting  the  Widow  Malone, 

Ohone ! 

All  were  courting  the  Widow  Malone. 

"But  so  modest  was  Mrs.  Malone, 

'Twas  know  ■ 
No  one  ever  could  see  her  alone, 

Ohone ! 
Let  them  ogle  and  sigh, 
They  could  ne'er  catch  her  eye. 
So  bashful  the  Widow  Malone, 

Ohone 
So  bashful  the  Widow  Malone. 

"Till  one  Mister  O'Brien  from  Clare, 

How  quare! 
It's  little  for  blushin'  they  care 

Down  there ; 
Put  his  arm  round  her  waist, 
Gave  ten  kisses  at  laste, 
'  Oh,'  says  he,  '  you're  my  Molly  Malone, 

My  own; 
Oh,'  says  he,  '  you're  my  Molly  Malone.' 

"  And  the  Widow  they  all  thought  so  shy, 
My  eye  I 
Ne'er  thought  of  a  simper  or  sigh, 

For  why? 
But  '  Lucius,'  says  she, 
'  Since  you've  made  now  so  free. 
You  may  marry  your  Mary  Malone, 

Ohone! 
You  may  marry  your  Mary  Malone.' 

"  There's  a  moral  contained  in  my  song. 

Not  wrong 

And  one  comfort  it's  not  very  long. 

But  strong; 
If  for  widows  you  die. 

Lam  to  kiss,  not  to  sigh. 

For  they're  all  like  sweet  Mistress  Malone, 

Ohone ! 
Oh!  they're  very  like  Mistress  Malone." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  177 

Never  did  song  create  such  a  sensation  as  Miss  Macan's ; 
and  certainly  her  desires  as  to  the  chorus  were  followed  to  the 
letter,  for  "  The  Widow  Malone,  ohone  !  "  resounded  from  one 
end  of  the  table  to  the  other,  amid  one  universal  shout  of  laughter. 
None  could  resist  the  ludicrous  effect  of  her  melody  ;  and 
even  poor  Sir  George,  sinking  under  the  disgrace  of  his  relation- 
ship, which  she  had  contrived  to  make  public  by  frequent 
allusions  to  her  "  dear  brother  the  General,"  yielded  at  last, 
and  joined  in  the  mirth  around  him. 

"  I  insist  upon  a  copy  of  '  The  Widow,'  Miss  Macan,"  said 
Power. 

"  To  be  sure  ;  give  me  a  call  to-morrow — let  me  see — about 
two.  Father  Magrath  , won't  be  at  home,"  said  she,  with  a 
coquettish  look. 

"  Where,  pray,  may  I  pay  my  respects  ? " 

"No.  22,  South  Anne  Street — very  respectable  lodgings. 
I'll  write  the  address  in  your  pocket-book." 

Power  produced  a  card  and  pencil,  while  Miss  Macan  wrote 
a  few  lines,  saying,  as  she  handed  it : — 

"  There,  now,  don't  read  it  here  before  the  people  ;  they'll 
think  it  mighty  indelicate  in  me  to  make  an  appointment." 

Power  pocketed  the  card,  and  the  next  minute  Miss  Macan's 
carriage  was  announced. 

Sir  George  Dashwood,  who  little  flattered  himself  that  his 
fair  guest  had  any  intention  of  departure,  became  now  most 
considerately  attentive — reminded  her  of  the  necessity  of  muf- 
fling against  the  night  air — hoped  she  would  escape  cold — 
and  wished  her  a  most  cordial  good-night,  with  a  promise  of  see- 
ing her  early  the  following  day. 

Notwithstanding  Power's  ambition  to  engross  the  attention 
of  the  lady,  Sir  Geoge  himself  saw  her  to  her  carriage,  and 
only  returned  to  the  rooTi,  as  a  group  was  collecting  around 
the  gallant  Captain,  to  whom  he  was  relating  some  capital 
traits  of  his  late  conquest — for  such  he  dreamed  she  was. 

"  Doubt  it  who  will,"  said  he,  "  she  has  invited  me  to  call 
12 


178  CilAKLES  O'M ALLEY. 

on  her  to-morrow — written  her  address  on  my  card — told  me 
the  hour  she  is  certain  of  being  alone.  See  here  !  "  At  these 
words  he  pulled  forth  the  card,  and  handed  it  to  Lechmere. 

Scarcely  were  the  eyes  of  the  other  thrown  upon  the  writing 
when  he  said,  "  So,  this  isn't  it.  Power." 

"To  be  sure,  it  is,  man,"  said  Power.  "Anne  Street  is 
devilish  seedy — but  that's  the  quarter." 

"Why,  confound  it,  man,"  said  the  other,  "there's  not  a 
word  of  that  here." 

"  Read  it  out,"  said  Power.     "  Proclaim  aloud  my  victory." 

Thus  urged,  Lechmere  read  : — 

"  Dear  P., 

"  Please  pay  to  my  credit — and  soon,  mark  ye — the  two  ponies 
lost  this  evening.  I  have  done  myself  the  pleasure  of  enjoying  your  ball, 
kissed  the  lady,  quizzed  the  papa,  and  walked  into  the  cunning  Fred 
Power. 

"  Yours, 

"  Frank  Wkbber. 
"  *  The  Widow  Malone,  ohone  !'  is  at  your  service." 

Had  a  thunderbolt  fallen  at  his  feet,  his  astonishment  could 
not  have  equalled  the  result  of  this  revelation.  He  stamped, 
swore,  raved,  laughed,  and  almost  went  deranged.  The  joke 
was  soon  spread  through  the  room,  and  from  Sir  George  to 
poor  Lucy,  now  covered  with  blushes  at  her  part  in  the  trans- 
action, all  was  laughter  and  astonishment. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  that  is  the  question,"  said  Sir  George,  who, 
with  all  the  ridicule  of  the  affair  hanging  over  him,  felt  no 
common  relief  at  the  discovery  of  the  imposition. 

"A  friend  of  O'Malley's,"  said  Power,  delighted,  in  his 
defeat,  to  involve  another  with  himself. 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  the  General,  regarding  me  with  a  look  of  a 
very  mingled  cast. 

"Quite  true,  sir,"  said  I,  replying  to  the  accusation  that  his 
manner  implied  ;  "but  equally  so,  that  I  neither  knew  of  his 
plot  nor  recognized  him  when  here." 


2'HE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  179 

"  I  am  perfectly  sure  of  it,  my  bo}',"  said  the  General ;  "  and 
after  all,  it  was  an  excellent  joke — carried  a  little  too  far,  it's 
true  ;  eh,  Lucy  ?  " 

But  Lucy  either  heard  not,  or  affected  not  to  hear;  and, 
after  some  little  further  assurance  that  he  felt  not  the  least 
annoyed,  the  General  turned  to  converse  with  some  other 
friends:  while  I,  burning  with  indignation  against  Webber, 
took  a  cold  farewell  of  Miss  Dashwood,  and  retired. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    LAST    NIGHT    IN    TRINITY. 

How  I  might  have  met  Master  Webber  after  his  impersona- 
tion of  Miss  Macan,  I  cannot  possibly  figure  to  myself. 
Fortunately,  indeed,  for  all  parties,  he  left  town  early  the  next 
morning  ;  and  it  was  some  weeks  ere  he  returned.  In  the 
meanwhile,  I  became  a  daily  visitor  at  the  General's,  dined 
there  usually  three  or  four  times  a  week,  rode  out  with  Lucy 
constantly,  and  accompanied  her  every  evening  either  to  the 
theatre  or  into  society.  Sir  George,  possibly  from  my  youth, 
seemed  to  pay  little  attention  to  an  intimacy  which  he  perceived 
every  hour  growing  closer,  and  frequently  gave  his  daughter 
into  my  charge  in  our  morning  excursions  on  horseback.  As 
for  me,  my  happiness  was  all  but  perfect.  I  loved,  and  already 
began  to  hope  that  I  was  not  regarded  with  indifference  ;  for 
although  Lucy's  manner  never  absolutely  evinced  any  decided 
preference  towards  me,  yet  many  slight  and  casual  circumstances 
served  to  show  me  that  my  attentions  to  her  were  neither  un- 
noticed nor  uncared  for.  Among  the  many  gay  and  dashing 
companions  of  our  rides,  I  remarked  that,  however  anxious 
for  such  a  distinction,  none  ever  seemed  to  make  any  way  in 


l8o  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

her  good  graces ;  and  I  had  already  gone  far  in  my  self-decep- 
tion that  I  was  destined  for  good  fortune,  when  a  circumstance 
which  occurred  one  morning  at  length  served  to  open  my  eyes 
to  the  truth,  and  blast  by  one  fatal  breath,  the  whole  harvest 
of  my  hopes. 

We  were  about  to  set  out  one  morning  on  a  long  ride,  when 
Sir  George's  presence  was  required  by  the  arrival  of  an  officer 
who  had  been  sent  from  the  Horse  Guards  on  official  business. 
After  half-an-hour's  delay,  Colonel  Cameron,  the  officer  in 
question,  was  introduced,  and  entered  into  conversation  with 
our  party.  He  had  only  landed  in  England  from  the  Peninsula 
a  few  days  before,  and  had  abundant  information  of  the  stirring 
events  enacting  there.  At  the  conclusion  of  an  anecdote — I 
forget  what — he  turned  suddenly  round  to  Miss  Dashwood, 
who  was  standing  beside  me,  and  said  in  a  low  voice  : — 

"  And  now.  Miss  Dashwood,  I  am  reminded  of  a  commission 
I  promised  a  very  old  brother  officer  to  perform.  Can  I  have 
one  moment's  conversation  with  you  in  the  window  ?  " 

As  he  spoke,  I  perceived  that  he  crumpled  beneath  his 
glove  something  like  a  letter. 

"  To  me  ?  "  said  Lucy,  with  a  look  of  surprise  that  sadly 
puzzled  me  whether  to  ascribe  it  to  coquetry  or  innocence — 
"  to  me  ? " 

"To  you,"  said  the  Colonel,  bowing;  "and  I  am  sadly 
deceived  by  my  friend  Hammersley " 

"  Captain  Hammersley .'' "  said  she,  blushing  deeply  as  she 
spoke. 

I  heard  no  more.  She  turned  towards  the  window  with 
the  Colonel,  and  all  I  saw  was,  that  he  handed  her  a  letter, 
which,  having  hastily  broken  open,  and  thrown  her  eyes  over, 
she  grew  at  first  deadly  pale — then  red — and,  while  her  eyes 
filled  with  tears,  I  heard  her  say,  "  How  like  him  ! — how  truly 
generous  this  is  !  "  I  listened  for  no  more — my  brain  was 
wheeling  round,  and  my  senses  reeling — I  turned  and  left 
the  room — in  another  moment  I  v/as  on  my  horse,  galloping 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  l8l 

from  the  spot,  despair,  in  all  its  blackness,  in  my  heart — and, 
in  my  broken-hearted  misery,  wishing  for  death. 

I  was  miles  away  from  Dublin  ere  I  remembered  well  what 
had  occurred,  and  even  then  not  over  clearly  ;  the  fact  thai 
Lucy  Dashwood,  whom  I  imagined  to  be  my  own  in  heart, 
loved  another,  was  all  that  I  really  knew.  That  one  thought 
was  all  my  mind  was  capable  of,  and  in  it  my  misery,  my 
wretchedness  were  centred. 

Of  all  the  grief  my  life  has  known,  I  have  had  no  moments 
like  the  long  hours  of  that  dreary  night.  My  sorrow,  in  turu^ 
took  every  shape  and  assumed  every  guise  ;  now  I  remem- 
bered how  the  Dashwoods  had  courted  my  intimacy  and  en- 
couraged my  visits  ;  how  Lucy  herself  had  evinced,  in  a 
thousand  ways,  that  she  felt  a  preference  for  me.  I  called  to 
mind  the  many  unequivocal  proofs  I  had  given  her  that  my 
feeling,  at  least,  was  no  common  one  ;  and  yet,  how  had  she 
sported  with  my  affections,  and  jested  with  my  happiness ! 
That  she  loved  Hammersley  I  had  now  a  palpable  proof  ;  that 
this  affection  must  have  been  mutual,  and  prosecuted  at  the 
very  moment  I  was  not  only  professing  my  own  love  for  her, 
but  actually  receiving  all  but  an  avowal  of  its  return — oh  !  it 
was  too,  too  base  ;  and,  in  my  deepest  heart,  I  cursed  my  folly, 
and  vowed  never  to  see  her  more. 

It  was  late  on  tiie  next  day  ere  T  retraced  my  steps  towards 
town,  my  heart  sad  and  heavy,  careless  what  became  of  me  for 
the  future,  and  pondering  whether  I  should  not  at  once  give 
up  my  college  career,  and  return  to  my  uncle.  When  I  reached 
my  chambers,  all  was  silent  and  comfortless;  Webber  had  not 
returned  ;  my  servant  was  from  home  ;  and  I  felt  myself  more 
than  ever  wretched  in  the  solitude  of  what  had  been  so  oft  the 
scene  of  noisy  and  festive  gaiety.  I  sat  some  hours  in  a  half 
musing  state,  every  sad  depressing  thought  that  blighted  hopes 
can  conjure  up  rising  in  turn  before  me.  A  loud  knocking  at 
the  door  at  length  aroused  me.  I  got  up  and  opened  it.  No 
one  was  there  ;   I  looked  around,  as  well  as   the  coming  gloom 


1 82  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

of  evening  would   permit,  but  saw  nothing.     I    listened,  and 
heard,  at  some  distance  off,  my  friend  Power's  manly  voice,  as 

he  sang, — 

"  Oh  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  Dragoon  !  " 

I  hallooed  out,  "  Power  !  " 

"  Eh,  O'Malley,  is  that  you  ?  "  inquired  he,  "  Why,  then,  it 
seems  it  required  some  deliberation  whether  you  opened  your 
door  or  not.  Why,  man,  you  can  have  no  great  gift  of  prophecy, 
or  you  wouldn't  have  kept  me  so  long  there." 

"  And  have  you  been  so  ?  " 

"  Only  twenty  minutes  ;  for,  as  I  saw  the  key  in  the  lock,  I 
had  determined  to  succeed,  if  noise  would  do  it." 

"  How  strange  !     I  never  heard  it." 

"  Glorious  sleeper  you  must  be  ;  but  come,  my  dear  fellow, 
you  don't  appear  together  awake  yet." 

"  I  have  not  been  quite  well  these  few  days." 

"  Oh !  indeed.  The  Dashwoods  thought  there  must  have 
been  something  of  that  kind  the  matter  by  your  brisk  retreat. 
They  sent  me  after  you  yesterday  ;  but,  wherever  you  went, 
Heaven  knows.  I  never  could  come  up  with  you  ;  so  that  your 
great  news  has  been  keeping  these  twenty-four  hours  longer 
than  need  be." 

"  I  am  not  aware  what  you  allude  to." 

"  Well,  you  are  not  over  likely  to  be  the  wiser  when  you  hear 
it,  if  you  can  assume  no  more  intelligent  look  than  that.  Why, 
man,  there's  great  luck  in  store  for  you." 

"  As  how,  pray  ?  Come,  Power,  out  with  it,  though  I  can't 
pledge  myself  to  feel  half  as  grateful  for  my  good  fortune  as  I 
should  do.     What  is  it  ?  " 

"  You  know  Cameron  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  him,"  said  I,  reddening. 

"Well,  Old  Camy,  as  we  used  to  call  him.  has  brought  over, 
among  his  other  news,  your  gazette." 

"  My  gazette  !  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"Confound  your  uncommon  stupidity  this  evening.     I  mean, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  183 

man,  that  you  are  one  of  us — gazetted  to  the  14th  Light — the 
best  fellows  for  love,  war,  and  whisky  that  ever  sported  a  sabre- 
tasche.  '  Oh  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  Dragoon.'  By  Jove  ! 
I  am  as  delighted  to  have  rescued  you  from  the  black  harness 
of  the  King's  Bench  as  though  you  had  been  a  prisoner  there. 
Know,  then,  friend  Charley,  that  on  Wednesday  we  proceed 
to  Fermoy,  join  some  score  of  gallant  fellows — all  food  for 
powder — and,  with  the  aid  of  a  rotten  transport  and  the  stormy 
winds  that  blow,  will  be  bronzing  our  beautiful  faces  in 
Portugal  before  the  month's  out.  But  come,  now,  let's  see 
about  supper.  Some  of  ours  are  coming  over  here  at  eleven, 
and  I  promised  them  a  devilled  bone  ;  and,  as  it's  your  last  night 
among  these  classic-precincts,  let  us  have  a  shindy  of  it." 

While  I  despatched  Mike  to  Morrison's  to  provide  supper,  I 
heard  from  Power  that  Sir  George  Dashwood  had  interested 
himself  so  strongly  for  me  that  I  had  obtained  my  cornetcy  in 
the  14th;  that,  fearful  lest  any  disappointment  might  arise,  he 
had  never  mentioned  the  matter  to  me,  but  that  he  had  previ- 
ously obtained  my  uncle's  promise  to  concur  in  the  arrange- 
ment if  his  negotiation  succeeded.  It  had  so  done,  and  now 
the  long-sought-for  object  of  many  days  was  within  my  grasp ; 
but,  alas  !  the  circumstance  which  lent  it  all  its  fascinations  was  a 
vanished  dream ;  and  what,  but  two  days  before,  had  rendered 
my  happiness  perfect,  I  listened  to  listlessly  and  almost  without 
interest.  Indeed,  my  first  impulse  at  finding  tliat  I  owed  my 
promotion  to  Sir  George,  was  to  return  a  positive  refusal  of 
the  cornetcy  ;  but  then  I  remembered  how  deeply  such  conduct 
would  hurt  my  poor  uncle,  to  whom  I  never  could  give  an  ade- 
quate explanation.  So  I  heard  Power  in  silence  to  the  end, 
thanked  him  sincerely  for  his  own  good-natured  kindness  in  the 
matter,  which  already,  by  the  interest  he  had  taken  in  me,  went  far 
to  heal  the  wounds  that  my  own  solitary  musings  were  deepening 
in  my  heart.  At  eighteen,  fortunately,  consolations  are  attain- 
able that  become  more  difficult  at  eight-and-twenty,  and  im- 
possible at  eight-and-thirty. 


184  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

While  Power  continued  to  dilate  upon  the  delights  of  a 
soldier's  life — a  theme  which  many  a  boyish  dream  had  long 
since  made  hallowed  to  my  thoughts — I  gradually  felt  my  en- 
thusiasm rising,  and  a  certain  throbbing  at  my  heart  betrayed 
to  me  that,  sad  and  dispirited  as  I  felt,  there  was  still  within 
that  buoyant  spirit  which  youth  possesses  as  its  privilege,  and 
which  answers  to  the  call  of  enterprise  as  the  war-horse  to  the 
trumpet.  That  a  career  worthy  of  manhood,  great,  glorious, 
and  inspiriting,  opened  before  me,  coming  so  soon  after  the 
late  downfall  of  my  hopes,  was,  in  itself,  a  source  of  such  true 
pleasure,  that  ere  long  I  listened  to  my  friend,  and  heard  his 
narrative  with  breathless  interest.  A  lingering  sense  of  pique, 
too,  had  its  share  in  all  this.  I  longed  to  come  forward  in 
some  manly  and  dashing  part,  where  my  youth  might  not  be 
ever  remembered  against  me,  and  when,  having  brought  my- 
self to  the  test,  I  might  no  longer  be  looked  upon  and  treated 
as  a  boy. 

We  were  joined  at  length  by  the  other  officers  of  the  14th, 
and,  to  the  number  of  twelve,  sat  down  to  supper. 

It  was  to  be  my  last  night  in  Old  Trinity,  and  we  resolved 
that  the  farewell  should  be  a  solemn  one.  Mansfield,  one  of 
the  wildest  young  fellows  in  the  regiment,  had  vowed  that  the 
leave-taking  should  be  commemorated  by  some  very  decisive 
and  open  expressions  of  our  feelings,  and  had  already  made 
some  progress  in  arrangements  for  blowing  up  the  great  bell, 
which  had  more  than  once  obtruded  upon  our  morning  con- 
vivialities ;  but  he  was  overruled  by  his  more  discreet  associates, 
and  we  at  length  assumed  our  places  at  table,  in  the  midst  of 
which  stood  a  hecatomb  of  all  my  college  equipments,  cap,  gown, 
bands,  etc.  A  funeral  pile  of  classics  was  arrayed  upon  the 
hearth,  surmounted  by  my  "  Book  on  the  Cellar,"  and  a  punish- 
ment-roll waved  its  length,  like  a  banner  over  the  doomed 
heroes  of  Greece  and  Rome. 

It  is  seldom  that  any  very  determined  attempt  to  be  gay  par 
excellence  had   a  perfect  success,  but  certainly  upon  this  even- 


THE  JRJSH  DRAGOON.  185 

Ing  ours  had.  Songs,  good  stories,  speeches,  toasts,  bright 
visions  of  the  campaign  before  us,  the  wild  excitement  which 
such  a  meeting  cannot  be  free  from,  gradually,  as  the  wine 
passed  from  hand  to  hand,  seized  upon  all,  and  about  four  in 
the  morning,  such  was  the  uproar  we  caused,  and  so  terrific  the 
noise  of  our  proceedings,  that  the  accumulated  force  of  por- 
ters, sent  one  by  one  to  demand  admission,  was  now  a  formi- 
dable body  at  the  door,  and  Mike  at  last  came  in  to  assure  us 
that  the  Bursar,  the  most  dread  official  of  all  collegians,  was 
without,  and  insisted,  with  a  threat  of  his  heaviest  displeasure, 
in  case  of  refusal,  that  the  door  should  be  opened. 

A  committee  of  the  whole  house  immediately  sat  upon  the 
question,  and  it  was  at  length  resolved,  nemine  contradiceiitey 
that  the  request  should  be  complied  with.  A  fresh  bowl  of 
punch,  in  honor  of  our  expected  guest,  was  immediately  con- 
cocted, a  new  broil  put  on  the  gridiron,  and,  having  seated  our^ 
selves  with  as  great  a  semblance  of  decorum  as  four  bottles  a 
man  admits  of,  Curtis,  the  junior  Captain,  being  most  drunk, 
was  deputed  to  receive  the  Bursar  at  the  door,  and  introduce 
him  to  our  august  presence. 

Mike's  instructions  were,  that  immediately  on  Dr.  Stone,  the 
Bursar's  entering,  the  door  was  to  be  slammed  to,  and  none  of 
his  followers  admitted.  This  done,  the  Doctor  was  to  be 
ushered  in,  and  left  to  our  own  polite  attentions. 

A  fresh  thundering  from  without  scarcely  left  time  for  further 
deliberation  ;  and  at  last  Curtis  moved  towards  the  door,  in 
execution  of  his  mission. 

"Is  there  any  one  there?"  said  Mike,  in  a  tone  of  most 
unsophisticated  innocence,  to  a  rapping  that,  having  lasted 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  threatened  now  to  break  in  the  panel. 
"  Is  there  any  one  there  ?  " 

"  Open  the  door  this  instant — the  senior  Bursar  desires  you 
— this  instant." 

"Sure  it's  night,  and  we're  all  in  bed,"  said  Mike. 

"  Mr.  Webber — Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  Bursar,  now  boiling 


l86  CHARLES  VM ALLEY, 

with  indignation,  *'  I  summon  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Boardj 
to  admit  me." 

"  Let  the  gemman  in,"  hiccupped  Curtis ;  and,  at  the  same 
instant,  the  heavy  bars  were  withdrawn,  and  the  door  opened, 
but  so  sparingly  as  with  difficulty  to  permit  the  passage  of  the 
burly  figure  of  the  Bursar. 

Forcing  his  way  through,  and  regardless  of  what  became  of 
the  rest,  he  pushed  on  vigorously  through  the  ante-chamber,  and 
before  Curtis  could  perform  his  functions  of  usher,  stood  in  the 
midst  of  us.  What  were  his  feelings  at  the  scene  before  him, 
Heaven  knows.  The  number  of  figures  in  uniform  at  once 
betrayed  how  little  his  jurisdiction  extended  to  the  great  mass 
of  the  company,  and  he  immediately  turned  towards  me. 

"  Mr.  Webber " 

"  O'Malley,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Bursar,"  said  I,  bowing  with 
most  ceremonious  politeness. 

"  No  matter,  sir ;  arcades  atnbo,  I  believe." 

"Both  Archdeacons,"  said  Melville,  translating,  with  a  look 
of  withering  contempt  upon  the  speaker. 

The  Doctor  continued,  addressing  me  : — 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  if  you  believe  yourself  possessed  of  any 
privilege  for  converting  this  University  into  a  common  tavern  ? 

"  I  wish  to  Heaven  he  did,"  said  Curtis ;  "  capital  tap  your 
old  Commons  would  make." 

"  Really,  Mr.  Bursar,"  replied  I,  modestly,  "  I  have  begun  to 
flatter  myself  that  our  little  innocent  gaiety  had  inspired  you 
with  the  idea  of  joining  our  party." 

"  I  humbly  move  that  the  old  cove  in  the  gown  do  take  the 
chair,"  sang  out  one.  "  All  who  are  of  this  opinion  say  '  Ay.'  " 
A  perfect  yell  of  ayes  followed  this.  **  All  who  are  of  the  con- 
trary say  '  No."     The  ayes  have  it." 

Before  the  luckless  Doctor  had  a  moment  for  thought,  his 
legs  were  lifted  from  under  him,  and  he  was  jerked,  rather 
than  placed,  upon  a  chair,  and  put  sitting  upon  the  table. 

"  Mr,  O'Malley,  your  expulsion  within  twenty-four  hours " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  187 

"  Hip,  hip,  hurra,  hurra,  hurra !  "  drowned  the  rest,  while 
Power,  taking  off  the  Doctor's  cap,  replaced  it  by  a  foraging  cap, 
very  much  to  the  amusement  of  the  party. 

"  There   is  no  penalty  the  law  permits  of,  that  I  shall   not 

)> 

"  Help  the  Doctor,"  said  Melville,  placing  a  glass  of  punch 
in  his  unconscious  hand. 

"  Now  for  a  '  Viva  la  Compagnie  ! '  "  said  Telford,  seating 
himself  at  the  piano,  and  playing  the  first  bars  of  that  well- 
known  air,  to  which,  in  our  meetings,  we  were  accustomed  to 
improvise  a  doggerel  in  turn. 

"  I  drink  to  the  graces,  Law,  Physic,  Divinity, 

Viva,  la  Compagnie ! 
And  here's  to  the  worthy  old  Bursar  of  Trinity, 

Viva  la  Compagnie  I  " 

"  Viva,  viva  la  va !  "  etc.,  were  chorussed  with  a  shout  that 
shook  the  old  walls,  while  Power  took  up  the  strain : — 

"  Though  with  lace  caps  and  gowns  they  look  so  like  asses, 

Viva  la  Compagnie  I 
They'd  rather  have  punch  than  the  springs  of  Parnassus, 

Viva  la  Compagnie  t 
'■  What  a  nose  the  old  gentleman  has,  by  the  way, 

Viva  la  Compagnie  I 
Since  he  smelt  of  the  devil  from  Botany  Bay,* 

Viva  la  Campagnie  1  " 

Words  cannot  give  even  the  faintest  idea  of  the  poor  Bursar's 
feelings  while  these  demoniacal  orgies  were  enacting  around 
him.  Held  fast  in  his  chair  by  Lechmere  and  another,  he 
glowered  on  the  riotous  mob  around  like  a  maniac,  and  aston- 
ishment that  such  liberties  could  be  taken  with  one  in  his 
situation  seemed  to  have  surpassed  even  his  rage  and  resent- 
ment ;  and  every  now  and  then  a  stray  thought  would  flash 
across  his  mind  that  we  were  mad, — a  sentiment  which,  un- 
fortunately, our  conduct  was  but  too  well  calculated  to  inspire. 

"  So  you're  the  morning  lecturer,  old  gentleman,  and  have 

•  Botany  Bay  was  the  slang  name  given  by  college  men  to  a  new  square  rather  re- 
motely situated  from  the  remainder  of  the  college. 


1 88  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

just  dropped  in  here  in  the  way  of  business  ;  pleasant  life  you 
must  have  of  it,"  said  Casey,  now  by  far  the  most  tipsy  man 
present. 

"  If  you  think,  Mr.  O'Malley,  that  the  events  of  this  evening 
are  to  end  here " 

"Very  far  from  it.  Doctor,"  said  Power;  "I'll  draw  up  a 
little  account  of  the  affair  for  '  Saunders.'  They  shall  hear  of 
it  in  every  corner  and  nook  of  the  kingdom." 

"  The  Bursar  of  Trinity  shall  be  a  proverb  for  a  good  fellow 
that  loveth  his  lush,"  hiccupped  out  Fegan. 

"  And  if  you  believe  that  such  conduct  is  academical,"  said 
the  Doctor,  with  a  withering  sneer. 

"Perhaps  not,"  lisped  Melville,  tightening  his  belt;  "but 
it's  devilish  convivial — eh.  Doctor  ?  " 

"  Is  that  like  him  ?  "  said  Moreton,  producing  a  caricature, 
which  he  had  just  sketched. 

"  Capital — very  good — perfect,  M'Cleary  shall  have  it  in 
his  window  by  noon  to-day,"  said  Power. 

At  this  instant  some  of  the  combustibles  disposed  among 
the  rejected  habiliments  of  my  late  vocation  caught  fire,  and 
squibs,  crackers,  and  detonating  shots  went  off  on  all  sides. 
The  Bursar,  who  had  not  been  deaf  to  several  hints  and  friendly 
suggestions  about  setting  fire  to  him,  blowing  him  up,  etc.,  with 
one  vigorous  spring  burst  from  his  antagonists,  and,  clearing  the 
table  at  abound,  reached  the  floor.  Before  he  could  be  seized, 
he  had  gained  the  door,  opened  it,  and  was  away.  We  gave 
chase,  yelling  like  so  many  devils  ;  but  wine  and  punch,  songs 
and  speeches,  had  done  their  work,  and  more  than  one  among 
the  pursuer  measured  his  length  upon  the  pavement;  while  the 
terrified  Bursar,  with  the  speed  of  terror,  held  on  his  way,  and 
gained  his  chambers,  by  about  twenty  yards  in  advance  of  Power 
and  Melville,  whose  pursuit  only  ended  when  the  oaken  panel 
of  the  door  shut  them  out  from  their  victim.  One  loud  cheer 
beneath  his  window  served  for  our  farewell  to  our  friend,  and  we 
returned  to  my  rooms.     By  this  time  a  regiment  of  those  classic 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  i8g 

functionaries,  ycleped  porters,  had  assembled  around  the  door, 
and  seemed  bent  upon  giving  battle  in  honor  of  their  mal- 
treated ruler  ;  but  Power  explained  to  them,  in  a  neat  speech, 
replete  with  Latin  quotations,  that  their  cause  was  a  weak  one, 
that  we  were  more  than  their  match,  and,  finally,  proposed  to 
them  to  finish  the  punch-bowl — to  which  we  were  really  in- 
competent— a  motion  that  met  immediate  acceptance  ;  and  old 
Duncan,  with  his  helmet  in  one  hand,  and  a  goblet  in  the  other, 
wished  me  many  happy  days,  and  every  luck  in  this  life,  as  I 
stepped  from  the  massive  archway,  and  took  my  last  farewell 
of  Old  Trinity. 

Should  any  kind  reader  feel  interested  as  to  the  ulterior 
course  assumed  by  the  Bursar,  I  have  only  to  say  that  the 
terrors  of  the  "  Board  "  were  never  fulminated  against  me, 
harmless  and  innocent  as  I  should  have  esteemed  them.  The 
threat  of  giving  publicity  to  the  entire  proceedings  by  the  papers, 
and  the  dread  of  figuring  in  a  sixpenny  caricature  in  M'Cleary's 
window,  were  too  much  for  the  worthy  Doctor,  and  he  took  the 
wiser  course,  under  the  circumstances,  and  held  his  peace  about 
the  matter.  I,  too,  have  done  so  for  many  a  year,  and  only 
now  recall  the  scene  among  the  wild  transactions  of  early  days 
and  boyish  follies. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE    PHOENIX    PARK. 

What  a  glorious  thing  it  is  when  our  first  waking  thoughts 
not  only  dispel  some  dark  depressing  dream,  but  arouse  us  to 
the  consciousness  of  a  new  and  bright  career  suddenly  opening 
before  us,  buoyant  in  hope,  rich  in  promise  for  the  future  ! 
Life  has  nothing  better  than  this.  The  bold  spring  by  which 
tlie  mind  clears  the  depth  that  separates  misery  from  happiness, 
IS  ecstasy  itself  ;  and,  then,  what  a  world  of  bright  visions  come 


190  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

teeming  before  us — what  plans  we  form — what  promises  we 
make  to  ourselves  in  our  own  hearts — how  prolific  is  the  dullest 
imagination — how  excursive  the  tamest  fancy,  at  such  a  moment ! 
In  a  few  short  and  fleeting  seconds,  the  events  of  a  whole  life 
are  planned  and  pictured  before  us.  Dreams  of  happiness 
and  visions  of  bliss,  of  which  all  our  after-years  are  insufficient  to 
eradicate  the  prestige,  come  in  myriads  about  us  ;  and  from 
that  narrow  aperture  through  which  this  new  hope  pierces  into 
our  heart,  a  flood  of  light  is  poured  that  illumines  our  path  to 
the  very  verge  of  the  grave.  How  many  a  success  in  after-days 
is  reckoned  but  as  one  step  in  that  ladder  of  ambition  some 
boyish  review  has  framed :  perhaps,  after  all,  destined  to  be 
the  first  and  only  one  !  With  what  triumph  we  hail  some  goal 
attained,  some  object  of  our  wishes  gained,  less  for  its  present 
benefit,  than  as  the  accomplishment  of  some  youthful  prophecy, 
when,  picturing  to  our  hearts  all  we  would  have  in  life,  we 
whispered  within  us  the  flattery  of  success. 

Who  is  there  who  has  not  had  some  such  moment?  and  who 
would  exchange  it,  with  all  the  delusive  and  deceptive  influences 
by  which  it  comes  surrounded,  for  the  greatest  actual  happiness 
he  has  partaken  of  ?  Alas  !  alas  !  it  is  only  in  the  boundless 
expanse  of  such  imaginations,  unreal  and  fictitious  as  they  are, 
that  we  are  truly  blessed.  Our  choicest  blessings  in  life  come 
even  so  associated  with  some  sources  of  care,  that  the  cup  of 
enjoyment  is  not  pure,  but  dregged  in  bitterness. 

To  such  a  world  of  bright  anticipation  did  I  awake  on  the 
morning  after  the  events  I  have  detailed  in  my  last  chapter. 
The  first  thing  my  eyes  fell  upon  was  an  official  letter  from  the 
Horse  Guards  : — 

"  The  Commander  of  the  Forces  desires  that  Mr.  O'Malley 
will  report  himself,  immediately  on  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  at 
the  headquarters  of  the  regiment  to  which  he  is  gazetted." 

Few  and  simple  as  the  lines  were,  how  brimful  of  pleasure 
they   sounded  to  my   ears.     The   regiment    to  which  I    was 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  1 9 1 

gazetted  !  And  so  I  was  a  soldier  at  last !  the  first  wish  of  my 
boyhood  was  then  really  accomplished.  And  my  uncle — what 
will  he  say  ? — what  will  he  think  ? 

"  A  letter,  sir,  by  the  post,"  said  Mike,  at  the  moment. 

I  seized  it  eagerly ;  it  came  from  home,  but  was  in  Consi- 
dine's  hand-writing.  How  my  heart  failed  me  as  I  turned  to 
look  at  the  seal.  "  Thank  God  !  "  said  I,  aloud,  on  perceiving 
that  it  was  a  red  one.     I  now  tore  it  open  and  read  : — 

"My  DEAR  Charley, 

"  Godfrey  being  laid  up  with  tiie  gout,  has  desired  me  to  write  to 
you  by  this  day's  post.  Your  appointment  to  the  14th,  notwithstanding 
all  his  prejudices  about  the  army,  has  given  him  sincere  pleasure.  I 
believe,  between  ourselves,  that  your  college  career,  of  which  he  has  heard 
something,  convinced  him  that  your  forte  did  not  lie  in  the  classics  ;  you 
know  I  said  so  always,  but  nobody  minded  me.  Your  new  prospects  are 
all  that  your  best  friends  could  wish  for  you  ;  you  begin  early  ;  your  corps 
is  a  crack  one  ;  you  are  ordered  for  service.     What  could  you  have  more.^ 

"Your  uncle  hopes,  if  you  can  get  a  few  days'  leave,  that  you  will 
come  down  here  before  you  join,  and  I  hope  so  too;  for  he  is  unusually 
low-spirited,  and  talks  about  his  never  seeing  you  again,  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing. 

"  I  have  written  to  Merivale,  your  Colonel,  on  this  subject,  as 
well  as  generally  on  your  behalf  ;  we  were  cornets  together  forty  years 
ago  ;  a  strict  fellow  you'll  find  him,  but  a  trump  on  service.  If  you  can't 
manage  the  leave,  write  a  long  letter  home  at  all  events ;  and  so  God  bless 
you,  and  all  success  ! 

"  Yours  sincerely, 

"  W.  CONSIDINE." 

"  I  had  thought  of  writing  you  a  long  letter  of  advice  for  your  new 
career,  and,  indeed,  half  accomplished  one.  After  all,  however,  I  can  tell 
you  little  that  your  own  good  sense  will  not  teach  you  as  you  go  on,  and 
experience  is  ever  better  than  precept.  I  know  of  but  one  rule  in  life 
which  admits  of  scarcely  any  exception,  and  having  followed  it  upwards  of 
sixty  years,  approve  of  it  only  the  more.  Never  quarrel  when  you  can  help 
it;  but  meet  any  man — your  tailor,  your  hairdresser — if  he  wishes  to  have 
you  out. 

"  W.  C." 

I  had   scarcely  come    to  the   end  of  this  very  characteristic 


192  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

epistle,  when  two  more  letters  were  placed  upon  my  table. 
One  was  from  Sir  George  Dashwood,  inviting  me  to  dinner,  to 
meet  some  of  my  "brother  officers."  How  my  heart  beat  at 
the  expression.  The  other  was  a  short  note,  marked  "  Private," 
from  my  late  tutor,  Dr.  Mooney,  saying,  "  that  if  I  made  a 
suitable  apology  to  the  Bursar  for  the  late  affair  at  my  room, 
he  might  probably  be  induced  to  abandon  any  further  step ; 
otherwise"— then  followed  innumerable  threats  about  fine, 
penalties,  expulsion,  etc.,  that  fell  most  harmlessly  upon  my 
ears.  I  accepted  the  invitation  ;  declined  the  apology  ;  and, 
having  ordered  my  horse,  cantered  off  to  the  barracks  to  con- 
sult my  friend  Power  as  to  all  the  minor  details  of  my  career. 

As  the  dinner  hour  grew  near,  my  thoughts  became  again 
fixed  upon  Miss  Dashwood,  and  a  thousand  misgivings  crossed 
my  mind  as  to  whether  I  should  have  nerve  enough  to  meet 
her,  without  disclosing  in  my  manner  the  altered  state  of  my 
feelings,  a  possibility  which  I  now  dreaded  fully  as  much  as  I 
had  longed  some  days  before  to  avow  my  affection  for  her, 
however  slight  its  prospects  of  return.  All  my  valiant  resolves, 
and  well-contrived  plans  for  appearing  unmoved  and  indiffer- 
ent in  her  presence,  with  which  I  stored  my  mind  while  dress- 
ing, and  when  on  the  way  to  dinner,  were,  however,  needless, 
for  it  was  a  party  exclusively  of  men  ;  and,  as  the  coffee  was 
served  in  the  dinner-room,  no  move  was  made  to  the  drawing- 
room  by  any  of  the  company.  "  Quite  as  well  as  it  is  !  "  was 
my  muttered  opinion,  as  I  got  into  my  cab  at  the  door,  "  All 
IS  at  an  end  as  regards  me  in  her  esteem,  and  I  must  not  spend 
my  days  sighing  for  a  young  lady  that  cares  for  another."  Very 
reasonable,  very  proper  resolutions  these  ;  but,  alas !  I  went 
home  to  bed,  only  to  think  half  the  night  long  of  the  fair  Lucy, 
and  dream  of  her  the  remainder  of  it. 

When  morning  dawned,  my  first  thought  was,  shall  I  see  her 
once  more?  shall  I  leave  her  forever  thus  abruptly?  or,  rather, 
shall  I  not  unburthen  my  bosom  of  its  secret,  confess  my  love, 
and  say  farewell  ?     I  felt  such  a  course  much  more  in  unison 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  193 

with  my  wishes  than  the  day  before  ;  and,  as  Power  had  told 
me  that,  before  a  week,  we  should  present  ourselves  at  Fermoy, 
I  knew  that  no  time  was  to  be  lost. 

My  determination  was  taken.  I  ordered  my  horse,  and 
early  as  it  was,  rode  out  to  the  Royal  Hospital.  My  heart 
beat  so  strongly  as  I  rode  up  to  the  door,  that  I  half  resolved 
to  return.  I  rang  the  bell.  Sir  George  was  in  town.  Miss 
Dashwood  had  just  gone  live  minutes  before  to  spend  some 
days  at  Carton.  "  It  is  fate  !  "  thought  I,  as  I  turned  from 
the  spot,  and  walked  slowly  beside  my  horse  towards  Dublin. 

In  the  few  days  that  intervened  before  my  leaving  town,  my 
time  was  occupied  from  morning  to  night ;  the  various  details 
of  my  uniform,  outfit,  etc.,  were  undertaken  for  me  by  Power. 
My  horses  were  sent  for  to  Galway,  and  I  myself,  with  innumer- 
able persons  to  see,  and  a  mass  of  business  to  transact, 
contrived  at  least  three  times  a  day,  to  ride  out  to  the  Royal 
Hospital,  always  to  make  some  trifling  inquiry  for  Sir  George, 
and  always  to  hear  repeated  that  Miss  Dashwood  had  not 
returned. 

Thus  passed  five  of  my  last  six  days  in  Dublin,  and,  as  the 
morning  of  the  last  opened,  it  was  with  a  sorrowing  spirit  that 
I  felt  my  hour  of  departure  approach,  without  one  only  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  Lucy,  even  to  say  good-bye. 

While  Mike  was  packing  in  one  corner,  and  I  in  another  was 
concluding  a  long  letter  to  my  poor  uncle,  my  door  opened  and 
Webber  entered. 

"  Eh,  O'Malley,  I'm  only  in  time  to  say  adieu,  it  seems.  To 
my  surprise  this  morning  I  found  you  had  cut  the  '  Silent 
Sister.'  I  feared  I  should  be  too  late  to  catch  one  glimpse  of 
your  ere  you  started  for  the  wars." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Master  Frank,  and  I  scarcely  expected 
to  have  seen  you.  Your  last  brilliant  achievement  at  Sir 
George's  very  nearly  involved  me  in  a  serious  scrape." 

"  A  mere  trifle.  How  confoundedly  silly  Power  must  have 
looked,  eh  ?     .Should  like  so  much  to  have  seen  his  face.     He 

^3 


194  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

booked  up  next  day — very  proper  fellow.  By  the  bye,  O'Malley, 
I  rather  like  the  little  girl ;  she  is  decidedly  pretty ;  and  her 
foot — did  you  remark  her  foot  ? — capital." 

"  Yes,  she's  very  good-looking,"  said  I,  carelessly. 

"  I'm  thinking  of  cultivating  her  a  little,"  said  Webber,  pull- 
ing up  his  cravat  and  adjusting  his  hair  at  the  glass.  "  She's 
spoiled  by  all  the  tinsel  vaporing  of  her  hussar  and  aide-de- 
camp acquaintances  ;  but  something  may  be  done  for  her,  eh  ?  " 

"  With  your  most  able  assistance  and  kind  intentions." 

*'  That's  what  I  mean  exactly.  Sorry  you're  going — devilish 
sorry.  You  served  out  Stone  gloriously :  perhaps  it's  as  well, 
though  ;  you  know  they'd  have  expelled  you  :  but  still  some- 
thing might  turn  up  ;  soldiering  is  a  bad  style  of  thing,  eh  ? 
How  the  old  General  did  take  his  sister-in-law's  presence  to 
heart.  But  he  must  forgive  and  forget,  for  I  am  going  to  be 
very  great  friends  with  him  and  Lucy.  Where  are  you  going 
now? " 

"  I  am  about  to  try  a  new  horse  before  troops,"  said  I.  "  He's 
staunch  enough  with  the  cry  of  the  fox-pack  in  his  ears,  but  I 
don't  know  how  he'll  stand  a  peal  of  artillery." 

"  Well,  come  along,"  said  Webber  ;  "  I'll  ride  with  you."  So 
saying,  we  mounted  and  set  ofif  to  the  Park,  where  two  regi- 
ments of  cavalry  and  some  horse  artillery  were  ordered  for 
inspection. 

The  review  was  over  when  we  reached  the  exercising  ground, 
and  we  slowly  walked  our  horses  towards  the  end  of  the  Park, 
intending  to  return  to  Dublin  by  the  road.  We  had  not  pro- 
ceeded far,  when,  some  hundred  yards  in  advance,  we  perceived 
an  officer  riding  with  a  lady,  followed  by  an  orderly  dragoon. 

"  There  he  goes,"  said  Webber ;  "  I  wonder  if  he'd  ask  me  to 
dinner,  if  I  were  to  throw  myself  in  his  way  ? " 

"  Who  do  you  mean  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood,  to  be  sure,  and,  la  voila,  Miss  Lucy. 
The  little  darling  rides  well,  too  :  how  squarely  she  sits  her 
horse.    O'Malley,  I've  a  weakness  there  ;  upon  my  soul  I  have." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


195 


"Very  possible,"  said  I ;  "  I  am  aware  of  another  friend  of 
mine  participating  in  the  sentiment." 

"One  Charles  O'Malley,  of  his  Majesty's " 

"Nonsense,  man — no,  no.  I  mean  a  very  dififerent  person, 
and,  for  all  I  can  see,  with  some  reason  to  hope  for  success." 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,  we  flatter  ourselves  the  thing  does  not  pre- 
sent any  very  considerable  difficulties." 

"  As  how,  pray  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  course,  like  all  such  matters  a  very  decisive  deter- 
mination to  be,  to  do,  and  to  suffer,  as  Lindley  Murray  says, 
carries  the  day.  Tell  her  she's  an  angel  every  day  for  three 
weeks.  She  may  laugh  a  little  at  first,  but  she'll  believe  it  in 
the  end.  Tell  her  that  you  have  not  the  slightest  prospect 
of  obtaining  her  affections,  but  still  persist  in  loving  her.  That, 
finally,  you  must  die  from  the  effects  of  despair,  etc.,  but  rather 
like  the  notion  of  it  than  otherwise.  That  you  know  she  has 
no  fortune  ;  that  you  haven't  a  sixpence  ;  and  who  should  marry, 
if  people  whose  position  in  the  world  was  similar  did  not  ? " 

"  But  halt ;  pray,  how  are  you  to  get  time  and  place  for  all 
such  interesting  conversations  .-*  " 

"  Time  and  place  !  Good  Heavens,  what  a  question !  Is 
not  every  hour  of  the  twenty-four  the  fittest  ?  Is  not  every 
place  the  most  suitable  ?  A  sudden  pause  in  the  organ  of  St. 
Patrick's  did,  it  is  true,  catch  me  once  in  a  declaration  of  love, 
but  the  choir  came  in  to  my  aid,  and  drowned  the  lady's  answer. 
My  dear  O'Malley,  what  could  prevent  you  this  instant,  if  you  are 
so  disposed,  from  doing  the  amiable  to  the  darling  Lucy,  there  ? " 

"  With  the  father  for  an  umpire,  in  case  we  disagreed,"  said  I. 

"  Not  at  all.     I  should  soon  get  rid  of  him." 

"  Impossible,  my  dear  friend." 

"  Come  now,  just  for  the  sake  of  convincing  your  obstinacy. 
If  you  like  to  say  good-bye  to  the  little  girl  without  a  witness, 
I'll  take  off  the  he-dragoon." 

"You  don't  mean " 

"  I  do,  man — 1  du  mean  it."     So  saying,  he  drew  a  crimson 


196  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

silk  handkerchief  from  his  pocket,  and  fastened  it  round  his 
waist  Uke  an  officer's  sash.  This  done,  and  telling  me  to  keep 
in  their  wake  for  some  minutes,  he  turned  from  me,  and  was 
soon  concealed  by  a  copse  of  whitethorn  near  us. 

I  had  not  gone  above  a  hundred  yards  farther  when  I  heard 
Sir  George's  voice  calling  for  the  orderly.  I  looked,  and  saw 
Webber  at  a  considerable  distance  in  front,  curvetting  and 
playing  all  species  of  antics.  The  distance  between  the  Gen- 
eral and  myself  was  now  so  short,  that  I  overheard  the  follow- 
ing dialogue  with  his  sentry  : — 

"  He's  not  in  uniform,  then  .-* " 

"  No,  sir ;  he  has  a  round  hat." 

"A  round  hat  !" 

"  His  sash " 

"A  sword  and  sash.  This  is  too  bad.  I'm  determined  to 
find  him  out." 

"  How  d'ye  do.  General  ?  "  cried  Webber,  as  he  rode  towards 
the  tree. 

"  Stop,  sir  !  "  shouted  Sir  George. 

"  Good-day,  Sir  George,"  replied  Webber,  retiring. 

"  Stay,  where  you  are,  Lucy,"  said  the  General,  as,  dashing 
spurs  into  his  horse,  he  sprang  forward  at  a  gallop,  incensed 
beyond  endurance  that  his  most  strict  orders  should  be  so 
openly  and  insultingly  transgressed. 

Webber  led  on  to  a  deep  hollow,  where  the  road  passed  be- 
tween two  smooth  slopes,  covered  with  furze  trees,  and  from 
which  it  emerged  afterwards  in  the  thickest  and  most  intricate 
part  of  the  Park.  Sir  George  dashed  boldly  after,  and  in  less 
than  half  a  minute  both  were  lost  to  my  view,  leaving  me  in 
breathless  amazement  at  Master  Frank's  ingenuity,  and  some 
puzzle  as  to  my  own  future  movements. 

"  Now  then,  or  never  !  "  said  I,  as  I  pushed  boldly  forward, 
and  in  an  instant  was  alongside  of  Miss  Dashwood. 

Her  astonishment  at  seeing  me  so  suddenly,  increased  the 
confusion   from  which  I  felt  myself  suffering,   and,  for  some 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  197 

minutes,  I  could  scarcely  speak.  At  last,  I  plucked  up  courage 
a  little  and  said  : — 

"  Miss  Dashwood,  I  have  looked  most  anxiously,  for  the  last 
four  days,  for  the  moment  which  chance  has  now  given  me.  I 
wished,  before  I  parted  forever  with  those  to  whom  I  owe  al- 
ready so  much,  that  I  should,  at  least,  speak  my  gratitude  ere 
I  said  good-bye." 

"  But  when  do  you  think  of  going  ?  " 

"  To-morrow.  Captain  Power,  under  whose  command  I  am, 
has  received  orders  to  embark  immediately  for  Portugal," 

1  thought — perhaps  it  was  but  a  thought — that  her  cheek 
grew  somewhat  paler  as  I  spoke  ;  but  she  remained  silent :  and 
I,  scarcely  knowing  what  I  had  said,  or  whether  I  had  finished, 
spoke  not  either. 

"  Papa,  I'm  sure,  is  not  aware,"  said  she,  after  a  long  pause, 
"  of  your  intention  of  leaving  so  soon  ;  for,  only  last  night,  he 
spoke  of  some  letters  he  meant  to  give  you  to  some  friends  in 
the  Peninsula ;  besides,  I  know  " — here  she  smiled  faintly — 
"  that  he  destined  some  excellent  advice  for  your  ears,  as  to 
your  new  path  in  life,  for  he  has  an  immense  opinion  of  the 
value  of  such  to  a  young  officer." 

"  I  am,  indeed,  most  grateful  to  Sir  George,  and  truly  never 
did  any  one  stand  more  in  need  of  counsel  than  I  do."  This 
was  said  half  musingly,  and  not  intended  to  be  heard. 

"Then,  pray,  consult  papa,"  said  she,  eagerly;  "he  is  much 
attached  to  you,  and  will,  I  am  certain,  do  all  in  his  power " 

"Alas!  I  fear  not.  Miss  Dashwood." 

"  Why,  what  can  you  mean.  Has  anything  so  serious  oc- 
curred ? " 

"No,  no;  I'm  but  misleading  you,  and  exciting  your  sym- 
pathy with  false  pretences.  Should  I  tell  you  all  the  truth,  you 
would  not  pardon,  perhaps  not  hear  me." 

"You  have,  indeed,  puzzled  me;  but  if  there  is  anything  in 
which  my  father " 

"  Less  him   than  his  daughter,"  said  I,  fixing   my  eyes  full 


igS  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

upon  her  as  I  spoke.  "  Yes,  Lucy,  I  feel  I  must  confess  it,  cost 
what  it  may,  I  love  you  ;  stay,  hear  me  out :  I  know  the  fruit- 
lessness,  the  utter  despair,  that  awaits  such  a  sentiment.  My 
own  heart  tells  me  that  I  am  not,  cannot  be,  loved  in  return  ; 
yet  would  I  rather  cherish  in  its  core  my  affection  slighted  and 
unblessed,  such  as  it  is,  than  own  another  heart.  I  ask  for 
nothing,  I  hope  for  nothing ;  I  merely  entreat  that,  for  my 
truth,  I  may  meet  belief,  and,  for  my  heart's  worship  of  her 
whom  alone  I  can  love,  compassion.  I  see  that  you  at  least 
pity  me.  Nay,  one  word  more  ;  I  have  one  favor  more  to  ask ; 
it  is  my  last,  my  only  one.  Do  not,  when  time  and  distance 
may  have  separated  us — perhaps  forever — think  that  the  ex- 
pressions I  now  use  are  prompted  by  a  mere  sudden  ebullition 
of  boyish  feeling — do  not  attribute  to  the  circumstance  of  my 
youth  alone  the  warmth  of  the  attachment  I  profess  ;  for  I 
swear  to  you,  by  every  hope  I  have,  that,  in  my  heart  of  hearts, 
my  love  to  you  is  the  source  and  spring  of  every  action  in  my 
life,  of  every  aspiration  in  my  heart ;  and,  when  I  cease  to  love 
you,  I  shall  cease  to  feel. 

*'  And  now,  farewell — farewell  forever."  I  pressed  her 
hand  to  my  lips,  gave  one  long,  last  look,  turned  my  horse 
rapidly  away,  and,  ere  a  minute,  was  far  out  of  sight  of  where 
I  had  left  her. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   ROAD. 

Power  was  detained  in  town  by  some  orders  from  the  Adju- 
tant-General, so  that  I  started  for  Cork  the  next  morning,  with 
no  other  companion  than  my  servant  Mike.  For  the  first  few 
stages  upon  the  road,  my  own  thoughts  sufficiently  occupied 
me  to  render  me  insensible  or  indifferent  to  all  else.  My 
opening  career — the  prospects  my  new  life  as  a  soldier  held 
out — my  hopes  of  distinction — my  love  of  Lucy,  with  all  its 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  199- 

train  of  doubts  and  fears — passed  in  review  before  me,  and  I 
look  no  note  of  time  till  far  past  noon.  I  now  looked  to  the 
back  part  of  the  coach,  where  Mike's  voice  had  been,  as  usual, 
in  the  ascendant  for  some  time,  and  perceived  that  he  was  sur- 
rounded by  an  eager  auditory  of  four  raw  recruits,  who,  under 
the  care  of  a  sergeant,  were  proceeding  to  Cork  to  be  enrolled 
in  their  regiment.  The  sergeant,  whose  minutes  of  wakeful- 
ness were  only  those  when  the  coach  stopped  to  change  horses, 
and  when  he  got  down  to  mix  a  "  summat  hot,"  paid  little  atten- 
tion to  his  followers,  leaving  them  perfectly  free  in  all  their 
movements,  to  listen  to  ^Mike's  eloquence,  and  profit  by  his 
suggestions,  should  they  deem  fit.  Master  Michael's  services 
to  his  new  acquaintances,  I  began  to  perceive,  were  not  exactly 
of  the  same  nature  as  Dibdin  is  reported  to  have  rendered  to 
our  navy  in  the  late  war.  Far  from  it — his  theme  was  no  con- 
temptuous disdain  for  danger — no  patriotic  enthusiasm  to 
fight  for  home  and  country — no  proud  consciousness  of  British 
valor,  mingled  with  the  appropriate  hatred  of  our  mutual 
enemies ;  on  the  contrary,  Mike's  eloquence  was  enlisted  for 
the  defendant.  He  detailed,  and  in  no  unimpressive  way  either, 
the  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life :  its  dangers,  its  vicissitudes, 
its  chances,  its  possible  penalties,  its  inevitably  small  rewards  ; 
and  in  fact  so  completely  did  he  work  on  the  feelings  of  his 
hearers,  that  I  perceived  more  than  one  glance  exchanged  be- 
tween the  victims,  that  certainly  betokened  anything  save  the 
resolve  to  fight  for  King  George,  It  was  at  the  close  of  a  long 
and  most  powerful  appeal  upon  the  superiority  of  any  other 
line  of  life,  petty  larceny  and  small  felony  inclusive,  that  he 
concluded  with  the  following  quotation  : 
"  Thrue  for  ye,  boys  ! 

"  '  With  your  red  scarlet  coat, 
You're  as  proud  as  a  goat, 

And  your  long  cap  and  feather.' 

But,  by  the  piper  that  played  before   Moses  !  it's  more  whip- 


^00  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

ping  nor  gingerbread  is  going  on  amongst  them,  avye  knew  but 
all,  and  heerd  the  misfortune  that  happened  to  my  father." 

"  And  was  he  a  sodger  ?  "  inquired  one. 

"Troth  was  he,  more  sorrow  to  him,  and  wasn't  he  a'most 
whipped  one  da}-,  for  doing  what  he  was  bid  ? " 

"  Musha,  but  that  was  hard." 

"  To  be  sure  it  was  hard  ;  but,  faix,  when  my  father  seen 
that  tliey  didn't  know  their  own  minds,  he  thought,  anyhow, 
he  knew  his,  so  he  ran  away,  and  devil  a  bit  of  him  they  ever 
cotch  afther.  Maybe,  ye  might  like  to  hear  the  story,  and 
there's  instruction  in  it  for  yez  too." 

A  general  request  to  this  end  being  preferred  by  the  com- 
pany, Mike  took  a  shrewd  look  at  the  sergeant,  to  be  sure  that 
he  was  still  sleeping,  settled  his  coat  comfortably  across  his 
knees,  and  began  : — 

"  Well,  it's  a  good  many  years  ago  my  father  'listed  in  the 
North  Cork,  just  to  oblige  Mr.  Barry,  the  landlord  there;  'for," 
says  he,  '  Phil,'  says  he,  '  it's  not  a  soldier  ye'll  be  at  all,  but 
my  own  man,  to  brush  my  clothes  and  go  errands,  and  the  like 
o'  that ;  and  the  King,  long  life  to  him  !  will  help  to  pay  ye  for 
your  trouble.  Ye  understand  me  ? '  Well,  my  father  agreed, 
and  Mr.  Barry  was  as  good  as  his  word.  Never  a  guard  did 
my  father  mount,  nor  as  much  as  a  drill  had  he,  nor  a  roll-call, 
nor  anything  at  all,  save  and  except  wait  on  the  Captain,  his 
master,  just  as  pleasant  as  need  be,  and  no  inconvenience  in 
life. 

"  Well,  for  three  years  this  went  on  as  I  am  telling,  and  the 
regiment  was  ordered  down  to  Bantry,  because  of  a  report  that 
the  'boys'  was  rising  down  there  ;  and  the  second  evening 
there  was  a  night  party  patrolling  with  Captain  Barry  for  six 
hours  in  the  rain,  and  the  Captain,  God  be  marciful  to  him  ! 
tuk  cowld  and  died ;  more  by  token,  they  said  it  was  drink, 
but  my  father  says  it  wasn't ;  '  for,'  says  he, '  after  he  tuk  eight 
tumblers  comfortable,'  my  father  mixed  the  ninth,  and  the 
Captain  waved  his  hand  this  way,  as  much  as  to  say  he'd  have 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  2 o  i 

no  more.  '  Is  it  that  ye  mean  ? '  says  my  father.  And  the 
Captain  nodded.  '  Musha,  but  it's  sorry  I  am,'  says  my  father, 
to  see  you  this  way,  for  ye  must  be  bad  entirely  to  leave  off  in 
the  beginning  of  the  evening.'  And  thrue  for  him,  the  Captain 
was  dead  in  the  morning. 

"  A  sorrowful  day  it  was  for  my  father  when  he  died.  It 
was  the  finest  place  in  the  world  ;  little  to  do  ;  plenty  of  divar- 
sion  ;  and  a  kind  man  he  was — when  he  was  drunk.  Well, 
then,  when  the  Captain  was  buried  and  all  was  over,  my  father 
hoped  they'd  be  for  letting  him  away,  as  he  said,  'Sure,  I'm 
no  use  in  life  to  anybody,  save  the  man  that's  gone,  for  his 
ways  are  all  I  know,  and  I  never  was  a  sodger.'  But,  upon  my 
conscience,  they  had  other  thoughts  in  their  heads  ;  for  they 
ordered  him  into  the  ranks  to  be  drilled  just  like  the  recruits 
they  took  the  day  before. 

"  '  Musha,  isn't  this  hard  1 '  said  my  father.  *  Here  I  am, 
an  ould  vitrin  that  ought  to  be  discharged  on  a  pension,  with 
two-aiid-sixpence  a  day,  obliged  to  go  capering  about  the  bar- 
rack-yard practising  the  goose-step,  or  some  other  nonsense 
not  becoming  my  age  nor  my  habits.'  But  so  it  was.  Well, 
this  went  on  for  some  time,  and,  sure,  if  they  were  hard  on  my 
father,  hadn't  he  his  revenge,  for  he  nigh  broke  their  hearts 
with  his  stupidity.  Oh  !  nothing  in  life  could  equal  him  ;  devil 
a  thing,  no  matter  how  easy,-he  could  learn  at  all,  and  so  far 
from  caring  for  being  in  confinement,  it  was  that  he  liked  best. 
Every  sergeant  in  the  regiment  had  a  trial  of  him,  but  all  to 
no  good  ;  and  he  seemed  striving  so  hard  to  learn  all  the  while 
that  they  were  loath  to  punish  liiin,  the  ould  rogue  ! 

"  This  was  going  on  for  some  time,  when,  one  day,  news 
came  in  that  a  body  of  the  rebels,  as  they  called  them,  was 
coming  down  from  the  Gap  of  Mulnavick  to  storm  the  town  and 
burn  all  before  them.  The  wliole  regiment  was  of  coorse 
under  arms,  and  great  preparations  was  made  for  a  battle. 
Meanwhile,  patrols  were  ordered  to  scour  the  roads,  and  sen- 
tries posted  at  every  turn  of  the  way  and  every  rising  ground  to 


202  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

give  warning  when  the  boys  came  in  sight ;  and  my  father  was 
placed  at  the  Bridge  of  Drumsnag,  in  the  wildest  and  bleakest 
part  of  the  whole  country,  with  nothing  but  furze  mountains 
on  every  side,  and  a  straight  road  going  over  the  top  of  them. 

"  'This  is  pleasant,'  says  my  father,  as  soon  as  they  left  him 
there  alone  by  himself,  with  no  human  creature  to  speak  to, 
nor  a  whisky-shop  within  ten  miles  of  him  ;  '  cowld  comfort,' 
says  he, '  on  a  winter's  day,  and  f aix,  but  I  have  a  mind  to  give 
ye  the  slip.' 

"  Well,  he  put  his  gun  down  on  the  bridge  and  he  lit  his  pipe, 
and  he  sat  down  under  an  ould  tree  and  began  to  ruminate 
upon  his  affairs. 

"  *  Oh,  then,  it's  wishing  it  well  I  am,'  says  he,  *  for  sodger- 
ing ;  and  bad  luck  to  the  hammer  that  struck  the  shilling  that 
'  listed  me,  that's  all,'  for  he  was  mighty  low  in  his  heart. 

"  Just  then  a  noise  came  rattling  down  near  him.  He  list- 
ened, and,  before  he  could  get  on  his  legs,  down  comes  the 
General,  ould  Cohoon,  with  an  orderly  after  him. 

"  '  Who  goes  there  ? '  says  my  father. 

"  '■  The  round,'  says  the  General,  looking  about  all  the  time  to 
see  where  was  the  sentry,  for  my  father  was  snug  under  the  tree. 

"  '  What  round  ? '  says  my  father. 

"The  grand  round,'  says  the  General,  more  puzzled  than 
afore. 

■"  Pass  on,  grand  round,  and  God  save  you  kindly!'  says 
my  father,  putting  his  pipe  in  his  mouth  again,  for  he  thought 
all  was  over. 

"  '  D — n  your  soul,  where  are  you  ? '  says  the  General,  for 
sorra  bit  of  my  father  could  he  see  yet. 

"  '  It's  here  I  am,'  says  he,  'and  a  cowld  place  I  have  of  it ; 
and  if  it  wasn't  for  the  pipe  I'd  be  lost  entirely.' 

"  The  words  wasn't  well  out  of  his  mouth  when  the  Gen- 
eral began  laughing  tillye'd  think  he'd  fall  off  his  horse  ;  and 
the  dragoon  behind  him — more  by  token,  they  say  it  wasn't 
right  for  him — laughed  as  loud  as  himself. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  203 

"  *  Yer  a  droll  sentry,'  says  the  General,  as  soon  as  he  could 
speak. 

"  '  Be-gorra,  it's  little  fun  there's  left  in  me,'  says  my  father, 
'  with  this  drilling,  and  parading,  and  blackguarding  about  the 
roads  all  night.' 

" '  And  is  this  the  way  you  salute  your  officer  ? '  says  the 
General. 

"  '  Just  so,'  says  my  father  ;  '  devil  a  more  politeness  ever 
they  taught  me.' 

"  '  What  regiment  do  you  belong  to  ? '  says  the  General. 

"  The  North  Cork,  bad  luck  to  them  !  '  says  my  father,  with 
a  sigh. 

"  'They  ought  to  be  proud  of  ye,'  says  the  General. 

" '  I'm  sorry  for  it,'  says  my  father,  sorrowfully,  '  for  maybe 
they'll  keep  me  the  longer.' 

"  '  Well,  my  good  fellow,'  says  the  General,  '  I  haven't  more 
time  to  waste  here ;  but  let  me  teach  you  something  before  I 
go.  Whenever  your  officer  passes,  it's  your  duty  to  present 
to  him.' 

"  *  Arrah,  it's  jokin'  ye  are,'  says  my  father. 

" '  No,  I'm  in  earnest,'  says  he,  *  as  ye  might  learn,  to  your 
cost,  if  I  brought  you  to  a  court-martial.' 

"  'Well,  there's  no  knowing,'  says  my  father,  '  what  they'd 
be  up  to  ;  but  sure,  if  that's  all,  I'll  do  it,  with  all  "the  veins," 
whenever  yer  coming  this  way  again.' 

"  The  General  began  to  laugh  again  here  ;  but  said, — 

" '  I'm  coming  back  in  the  evening,'  says  he,  '  and  mind  you 
don't  forget  your  respect  to  your  officer.' 

"  '  Never  fear,  sir,'  says  my  father  ;  *  and  many  thanks  to  you 
for  your  kindness  for  telling  me.' 

"  Away  went  the  General,  and  the  orderly  after  him,  and,  in 
ten  minutes,  they  were  out  of  sight. 

"The  night  was  falling  fast,  and  one  half  of  the  mountain 
was  quite  dark  already,  when  my  father  began  to  think  ihry 
were  forgetting  him   entirely.     He  looked   one   wav.  and   ho 


ao4  CHARLES  O' A/ ALLEY, 

looked  another,  but  sorra  bit  of  a  sergeant's  guard  wa-:  coming 
to  relieve  him.  There  he  was,  fresh  and  fasting,  and  daren't 
go  for  the  bare  life.  '  I'll  give  you  a  quarter  of  an  hour  more,' 
says  my  father,  'till  the  light  leaves  that  rock  up  there  ;  after 
that,'  says  he,  '  by  the  mass  !  I'll  be  off  av  it  cost  me  what  it 
may.' 

"Well,  sure  enough,  his  courage  was  not  needed  this  time; 
for  what  did  he  see  at  the  same  moment,  but  a  shadow  of  some- 
thing coming  down  the  road  opposite  the  bridge.  He  looked 
again ;  and  then  he  made  out  the  General  himself,  that  was 
walking  his  horse  down  the  steep  part  of  the  mountain,  followed 
by  the  orderly.  My  father  immediately  took  up  his  musket  off 
the  wall,  settled  his  belts,  shook  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe,  and 
put  it  into  his  pocket,  making  himself  as  smart  and  neat-looking 
as  he  could  be,  determining,  when  ould  Cohoon  came  up,  to 
ask  him  for  leave  to  go  home,  at  least  for  the  night.  Well,  by 
this  time  the  General  was  turning  a  sharp  part  of  the  cliff  that 
looks  down  upon  the  bridge,  from  where  you  might  look  five 
miles  round  on  every  side.  '  He  sees  me,'  says  my  father ;  '  but 
I'll  be  just  as  quick  as  himself,'  No  sooner  said  than  done ; 
for,  coming  forward  to  the  parapet  of  the  bridge,  he  up  with 
his  musket  to  his  shoulder,  and  presented  it  straight  at  the 
General.  It  wasn't  well  there,  when  the  officer  pulled  up  his 
horse  quite  short,  and  shouted  out,  '  Sentry  !  sentry ! ' 

"  *  Anan  ?  says  my  father,  still  covering  him, 

"  '  Down  with  your  musket,  you  rascal.  Don't  you  see  it's 
the  grand  round  ? ' 

" '  To  be  sure  I  do,'  says  my  father,  never  changing  for  a 
minute. 

"  '  The  ruffian  will  shoot  me,'  says  the  General. 

"  '  Devil  a  fear,'  says  my  father,  '  av  it  doesn't  go  off  of  itself,' 

"  '  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  you  villain  ? '  says  the  General, 
scarcely  able  to  speak  with  fright,  for,  every  turn  he  gave  on  his 
horse,  my  father  followed  with  the  gun — '  what  do  you  mean  ? ' 

"'Sure,  ain't  I  presenting?'  snys  my  father.  'Blood  an 
ages  I  do  you  want  me  to  fire  next  ? ' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOJV.  20S 

"  With  that  the  General  drew  a  pistol  from  his  holster,  and 
took  deliberate  aim  at  my  father  ;  and  there  they  both  stood 
for  five  minutes,  looking  at  each  other,  the  orderly  all  the  while 
breaking  his  heart  laughing  behind  a  rock  ;  for,  ye  see,  the 
General  knew  av  he  retreated  that  my  father  might  fire  on 
purpose,  and,  av  he  came  on,  that  he  might  fire  by  chance  ;  and 
sorra  bit  he  knew  what  was  best  to  be  done. 

"  '  Are  ye  going  to  pass  the  evening  up  there,  grand  round  ? ' 
says  my  father,  'for  it's  tired  I'm  getting  houldin'  this  so 
long.' 

"  '  Port  arms  !  '  shouted  the  General,  as  if  on  parade. 

"  '  Sure  I  can't,  till  you  pass,'  says  my  father,  angrily  ;  '  and 
my  hands  trembling  already.' 

"  '  By  Heavens  !  I  shall  be  shot,'  says  the  General. 

"  '  Be-gorra,  it's  what  I'm  afraid  of,'  says  my  father ;  and  the 
words  wasn't  out  of  his  mouth  before  off  went  the  musket — bang 
— and  down  fell  the  General,  smack  on  the  ground,  senseless. 
Well,  the  orderly  ran  out  at  this,  and  took  him  up  and  examined 
his  wound  ;  but  it  wasn't  a  wound  at  all,  only  the  wadding  of 
the  gun  ;  for  my  father — God  be  kind  to  him  ! — ye  see,  could 
do  nothing  right ;  and  so  he  bit  off  the  wrong  end  of  the 
cartridge  when  he  put  it  in  the  gun,  and,  by  reason,  there  was 
no  bullet  in  it.  Well,  from  that  day  after  they  never  got  a  sight 
of  him  ;  for,  the  instant  that  the  General  dropped,  he  sprang 
over  the  bridge-wall  and  got  away  ;  and  what,  between  living 
in  a  lime-kiln  for  two  months,  eating  nothing  but  blackberries 
and  sloes,  and  other  disguises,  he  never  returned  to  the  army, 
but  ever  after  took  to  a  civil  situation,  and  driv  a  hearse  fob 
many  years." 

How  far  Mike's  narrative  might  have  contributed  to  the  sup- 
port of  his  theory,  I  am  unable  to  pronounce;  fur  his  auditory 
were,  at  some  distance  from  Cork,  made  to  descend  from  their 
lofty  position,  and  join  a  larger  body  of  recruits,  all  proceeding 
to  the  same  destination,  under  a  strong  escort  of  infantry.  For 
ourselves,  we  reached  the  "  beautiful  city  "  in  clue  time,  and 
took  up  our  quarters  at  tlie  Old  George  Hotel. 


i06  CHARLES  O'MALLEVt 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

CORK. 

The  undress  rehearsal  of  a  new  piece,  with  its  dirty-booted 
actors,  its  cloaked  and  hooded  ^lcIxqss&s  en papiliote,  bears  about 
the  same  relation  to  the  gala,  wax-lit,  and  bespangled  ballet,  as 
the  raw  young  gentleman  of  yesterday  to  the  epauletted,  belted, 
and  sabretasched  dragoon,  whose  transformation  is  due  to  a 
few  hours  of  head-quarters,  and  a  few  interviews  with  the 
Adjutant. 

So,  at  least,  I  felt  it;  and  it  was  with  a  very  perfect  concur- 
rence in  his  Majesty's  taste  in  a  uniform,  and  a  most  entire 
approval  of  the  regimental  tailor,  that  I  strutted  down  George's 
Street  a  few  days  after  my  arrival  in  Cork.  The  transports 
had  not  as  yet  come  round ;  there  was  a  great  doubt  of  their 
doing  so  for  a  week  or  so  longer  ;  and  I  found  myself,  as  the 
dashing  Cornet,  the  centre  of  a  thousand  polite  attentions  and 
most  kind  civilities. 

The  officer  under  whose  orders  I  was  placed  for  the  time 
was  a  great  friend  of  Sir  George  Dashwood's,  and  paid  me,  in 
consequence,  much  attention.  Major  Dalrymple  had  been  on 
the  staff  from  the  commencement  of  his  military  career — had 
served  in  the  commissariat  for  some  time — was  much  on  foreign 
stations  ;  but  never,  by  any  of  the  many  casualties  of  his  life, 
had  seen  what  could  be  called  service.  His  ideas  of  the  soldier's 
profession  were,  therefore,  what  might  almost  be  as  readily 
picked  up  by  a  commission  in  the  battle-axe  guards,  as  one  in 
his  Majesty's  Fiftieth.  He  was  now  a  species  of  district  pay- 
master, employed  in  a  thousand  ways,  either  inspecting  .  ecruits, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  207 

examining  accounts,  revising  sick  certificates,  or  receiving 
contracts  for  mess  beef.  Whether  the  nature  of  his  manifold 
occupations  had  enlarged  the  sphere  of  his  talents  and  ambition, 
or  whether  the  abilities  had  suggested  the  variety  of  his  duties, 
I  know  not ;  but  truly,  the  Major  was  a  man  of  all  work.  No 
sooner  did  a  young  Ensign  join  his  regiment  at  Cork,  than 
Major  Dalrymple's  card  was  left  at  his  quarters ;  the  next  day 
came  the  Major  himself;  the  third  brought  an  invitation  to 
dinner ;  on  the  fourth  he  was  told  to  drop  in,  in  the  evening ; 
and,  from  thenceforward,  he  was  the  ami  dc  la  i?iaison,  in  com- 
pany with  numerous  others  as  newly-fledged  and  inexperienced 
as  himself. 

One  singular  feature  of  the  society  at  the  house  was  that, 
although  the  Major  was  as  well  known  as  the  flag  on  Spike 
Island,  yet,  somehow,  no  officer  above  the  rank  of  an  Ensign 
was  ever  to  be  met  with  there.  It  was  not  that  he  had  not  a 
large  acquaintance  ;  in  fact,  the  "  Hcnv  are  you,  Major  ?  " — 
"  How  goes  it,  Dalrymple  .''  "  that  kept  everlastingly  going  on 
as  he  walked  the  streets,  proved  the  reverse  ;  but,  strange 
enough,  his  predilections  leaned  towards  the  newly-gazetted, 
far  before  the  bronzed  and  seared  campaigners  who  had  seen 
the  world,  and  knew  more  about  it.  The  reasons  for  this  line 
of  conduct  were  twofold  ;  in  the  first  place,  there  was  not  an 
article  of  outfit,  from  a  stock  to  a  sword-belt,  that  he  could  not 
and  did  not  supply  to  the  young  officer  ;  from  the  gorget  of  the 
infantry  to  the  shako  of  the  grenadier,  all  came  within  his 
province  ;  not  that  he  actually  kept  a  viagasin  of  these  articles, 
but  he  had  so  completely  interwoven  his  interests  with  those  of 
numerous  shopkeepers  in  Cork,  that  he  rarely  entered  a  shop 
over  whose  door  Dalrymple  and  Co.  might  not  have  figured  on 
the  sign-board.  His  stables  were  filled  with  a  perfect  infirm- 
ary of  superannuated  chargers,  fattened  and  conditioned  up 
to  a  miracle,  and  groomed  to  perfection.  He  could  get  you — 
only  you — about  three  dozen  of  sherry,  to  take  out  with  you 
as  sea-store  ;  he  knew  of  such  a  servant ;  he  chanced   upon 


ioB  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

such  a  camp-furniture  yesterday  in  his  walks ;  in  fact,  why 
want  for  anything  ?  His  resources  were  inexhaustible — his 
kindness  unbounded. 

Then  money  was  no  object — hang  it,  you  could  pay  when 
you  liked — what  signified  it?  In  other  words,  a  bill  at  thirty- 
one  days,  cashed  and  discounted  by  a  friend  of  the  Major's, 
would  always  do.  While  such  were  the  unlimited  advantages 
his  acquaintance  conferred,  the  sphere  of  his  benefits  took  an- 
other range.  The  Major  had  two  daughters  ;  Matilda  and 
Fanny  were  as  well  known  in  the  army  as  Lord  Fitzroy  Somer- 
set or  Picton,  from  the  Isle  of  Wight  to  Halifax,  from  Cape 
Coast  to  Chatham,  from  Belfast  to  the  Bermudas,  \^'here  was 
the  subaltern  who  had  not  knelt  at  the  shrine  of  one  or  the  other, 
if  not  of  both,  and  vowed  eternal  love  until  a  change  of  quarters  ? 
In  plain  words,  the  Major's  solicitude  for  the  service  was  such, 
that,  not  content  with  providing  the  young  ofhcer  with  all  the 
necessary  outfit  of  his  profession,  he  longed  also  to  supply  him 
with  a  comforter  for  his  woes,  a  charmer  for  his  solitary  hours, 
in  the  person  of  one  of  his  amiable  daughters.  Unluckily, 
however,  the  necessity  for  a  wife  is  not  enforced  by  "general 
orders,"  as  is  the  cut  of  your  coat,  or  the  length  of  your  sabre; 
consequently,  the  Major's  success  in  the  home  department  of 
his  diplomacy  was  not  destined  for  the  same  happy  results 
that  awaited  it  when  engaged  about  drill  trousers  and  camp 
kettles,  and  the  Misses  Dalrymple  remained  Misses  through 
every  clime  and  every  campaign.  And  yet,  why  was  it  so  ."*  It 
is  hard  to  say.  What  would  men  have  ?  Matilda  was  a  dark- 
haired,  dark-eyed,  romantic-looking  girl,  with  a  tall  figure  and 
a  slender  waist,  with  more  poetry  in  her  head  than  would  have 
turned  any  ordinary  brain  ;  always  unhappy ;  in  need  of  con- 
solation ;  never  meeting  with  the  kindred  spirit  that  under- 
stood her ;  destined  to  walk  the  world  alone,  her  fair  thoughts 
smothered  in  the  recesses  of  her  own  heart.  Devilish  hard  to 
stand  this,  when  you  began  in  a  kind  of  platonic  friendship  on 
both  sides.     More  than  one  poor  fellow  nearly  succumbed,  par 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOM.  209 

ticulaily  when  she  came  to  quote  Cowley,  and  told  him,  with 
tears  in  her  eyes, — 

"There  are  hearts  that  live  and  love  alone,"  etc 

I'm  assured  that  this  cotip  de  grace  rarely  failed  in  being  fol- 
lowed by  a  downright  avowal  of  open  love,  which,  somehow, 
what  between  the  route  coming,  what  with  wailing  for  leave 
from  home,  etc.,  never  got  further  than  a  most  tender  scene, 
and  exchange  of  love  tokens  ;  and,  in  fact,  such  became  so 
often  the  termination,  that  Power  swears  Matty  had  to  make  a 
firm  resolve  about  cutting  off  any  more  hair,  fearing  a  prema- 
ture baldness  during  the  recruiting  season. 

Now,  Fanny  had  selected  another  arm  of  the  service.  Her 
hair  was  fair ;  her  eyes  blue,  laughing,  languishing — mischief- 
loving  blue,  with  long  lashes,  and  a  look  in  them  that  was  wont 
to  leave  its  impression  rather  longer  than  you  exactly  knew  of ; 
then,  her  figure  w\s  petite,  but  perfect ;  her  feet  Canova  might 
have  copied  ;  and  her  hand  was  a  study  for  Titian  ;  her  voice, 
too,  was  soft  and  musical,  but  full  of  that  gaiete  de  ceeur  that 
never  fails  to  charm.  While  her  sister's  style  was  il penseroso, 
hers  was  F allegro ;  every  imaginable  thing,  place  or  person 
supplied  food  for  her  mirth,  and  her  sister's  lovers  all  came  in 
for  their  share.  She  hunted  with  Smith  Barry's  hounds ;  she 
yachted  with  the  Cove  Club  ;  she  coursed,  practiced  at  a  mark 
with  a  pistol,  and  played  chicken  hazard  with  all  the  cavalry ; 
for  let  it  be  remarked  as  a  physiological  fact,  Matilda's  ad- 
mirers were  almost  invariably  taken  from  the  infantry,  while 
Fanny's  adorers  were  as  regularly  dragoons.  Whether  the 
former  be  the  romantic  arm  of  the  service,  and  the  latter  be 
more  adapted  to  dull  realities,  or  whether  the  phenomenon  had 
any  other  explanation,  I  leave  to  the  curious.  Now  this  ar- 
rangement, proceeding  upon  that  principle  which  has  wrought 
such  wonders  in  Manchester  and  Sheffield — the  division  of 
labor — was  a  most  wise  and  ecjuitable  one  ;  each  having  her 
one  separate  and  distinct  field  of  action,  interference  was  ini- 


210  CHARLES  0' A/ALLEY, 

possible  ;  not  but  that  when,  as  in  the  present  instance,  cavalry 
was  in  the  ascendant,  Fanny  would  willingly  spare  a  dragoon 
or  two  to  her  sister,  who  likewise  would  repay  the  debt  when 
occasion  offered. 

The  mamma — for  it  is  time  I  should  say  something  of  the 
head  of  the  family — was  an  excessively  fat,  coarse-looking,  dark- 
skinned  personage,  of  some  fifty  years,  with  a  voice  like  a 
boatswain  in  a  quinsy.  Heaven  can  tell,  perhaps,  why  the 
worthy  Major  allied  his  fortunes  with  hers,  for  she  was  evidently 
of  a  very  inferior  rank  in  society  ;  could  never  have  been  aught 
than  downright  ugly  ;  and  I  never  heard  that  she  brought  him 
any  money.  "  Spoiled  five,"  the  national  amusement  of  her 
age  and  sex  in  Cork,  scandal,  the  changes  in  the  army  list,  the 
failures  in  speculation  of  her  luckless  husband,  the  forlorn 
fortunes  of  the  girls,  her  daughters,  kept  her  in  occupation  ; 
and  her  days  were  passed  in  one  perpetual  unceasing  current 
of  dissatisfaction  and  ill-temper  with  all  around,  that  formed  a 
heavy  counterpoise  to  the  fascinations  of  the  young  ladies.  The 
repeated  jiltings  to  which  they  had  been  subject  had  blunted 
any  delicacy  upon  the  score  of  their  marriage,  and  if  the  newly- 
introduced  Cornet  or  Ensign  was  not  coming  forward,  as  be- 
came him,  at  the  end  of  the  requisite  number  of  days,  he  was 
sure  of  receiving  a  very  palpable  admonition  from  Mrs.  Dal- 
rymple.  Hints,  at  first  dimly  shadowed,  that  Matilda  was  not 
in  spirits  this  morning ;  that  Fanny,  poor  child,  had  a  headache 
— directed  especially  at  the  culprit  in  question,  grew  gradually 
into  those  little  motherly  fondnesses  in  mamma,  that,  like  the 
fascination  of  the  rattlesnake,  only  lure  on  to  ruin.  The 
doomed  man  was  pressed  to  dinner  when  all  others  were  per- 
mitted to  take  their  leave  ;  he  was  treated  like  one  of  the 
family,  God  help  him  !  After  dinner,  the  Major  would  keep 
him  an  hour  over  his  wine,  discussing  the  misery  of  an  ill- 
assorted  marriage ;  detailing  his  own  happiness  in  marrying  a 
women  like  the  Tonga  Islander  I  have  mentioned  ;  hinting  that 
girls  should  be  brought  up,  not  only  to  become  companions  to 


THE  IRISH  DMA  GOON,  2 1 1 

their  husbands,  but  with  ideas  fitting  their  station  ;  if  his  auditor 
were  a  military  mar.,  that  none  but  an  old  officer  (like  him) 
could  know  how  to  educate  girls  (like  his)  ;  and,  that  feeling 
he  possessed  two  such  treasures,  his  whole  aim  in  life  was  to 
guard  and  keep  them, — a  difficult  task,  when  proposals  of  the 
most  flattering  kind  were  coming  constantly  before  him.  Then 
followed  a  fresh  bottle,  during  which  the  Major  would  consult 
his  young  friend  upon  a  very  delicate  affair,  no  less  than  a 
proposition  for  the  hand  of  Miss  Matilda,  or  Fanny,  whichever 
he  was  supposed  to  be  soft  upon.  This  was  generally  a  coiip 
demaitre;  should  he  still  resist,  he  was  handed  over  to  Mrs. 
Dalrymple,  with  a  strong  indictment  against  him,  and  rarely 
did  he  escape  a  heavy  sentence.  Now,  it  is  not  strange,  that 
two  really  pretty  girls,  with  fully  enough  of  amiable  and  pleas- 
ing qualities  to  have  excited  the  attention  and  won  the  affec- 
tions of  many  a  man,  should  have  gone  on  for  years — for,  alas  ! 
they  did  so  in  every  climate,  under  every  sun — to  waste  their 
sweetness  in  this  miserable  career  of  intrigue  and  mantrap,  and 
yet  nothing  come  of  it  ?  But  so  it  was :  the  first  question  a 
newly-landed  regiment  was  asked,  if  coming  from  where  they 
resided,  was,  "  Well,  how  are  the  girls  ?  "  "  Oh,  gloriously. 
Matty  is  there."  "Ah,  indeed!  poor  thing."  "Has  Fan 
sported  a  new  habit?"  "  Is  it  the  old  gray  with  the  hussar 
braiding?  Confound  it,  that  was  seedy  when  I  saw  them  in 
Corfu.  And  Mother  Dal  as  fat  and  vulgar  as  ever  ?  "  "  Daw- 
son of  ours  was  the  last,  and  was  called  up  for  sentence  when 
we  were  ordered  away  ;  of  course,  he  bolted,"  etc.  Such  was 
the  invarible  style  of  question  and  answer  concerning  them; 
and  although  some  few,  either  from  good  feeling  or  fastidiousness 
relished  but  little  the  mode  in  which  it  had  become  habitual 
to  treat  them,  1  grieve  to  say  that,  generally,  they  were  pro- 
nounced fair  game  for  every  species  of  flirtation  and  love-mak- 
ing without  any  "  intentions,"  for  the  future.  I  should  not  have 
trespassed  so  far  upon  my  readers'  patience,  were  I  not,  in 
recounting  these  traits  of  my  friends  above,  narrating  matters 


212  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  history.  How  many  are  there  who  may  cast  their  eyes  upon 
these  pages,  that  will  say,  "  Poor  Matilda,  I  knew  her  at 
Gibraltar.  Little  Fanny  was  the  life  and  soul  of  us  all  in 
Quebec." 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  Adjutant,  as  I  presented  myself 
in  the  afternoon  of  my  arrival  in  Cork,  to  a  short,  punchy,  little 
red-faced  gentleman,  in  a  short  jacket  and  ducks,  "  you  are,  I 
perceive,  appointed  to  the  14th  ;  you  will  have  the  goodness  to 
appear  on  parade  to-morrow  morning.     The  riding-school  hours 

are .     The  morning  drill  is ; 

evening  drill .     Mr.  Minchin,  you  are  a  14th  man, 

I  believe ;  no,  I  beg  pardon,  a  Carbineer,  but  no  matter — Mr, 
O'Malley,  Mr.  Minchin  ;  Captain  Dounie,  Mr.  O'Malley  :  you'll 
dine  with  us  to-day,  and  to-morrow  you  shall  be  entered  at  the 
mess." 

"  Yours  are  at  Santarem,  I  believe  ? "  said  an  old  weather- 
beaten  looking  officer  with  one  arm. 

"  I'm  ashamed  to  say,  I  know  nothing  whatever  of  them — I 
received  my  gazette  unexpectedly  enough." 

"  Ever  in  Cork  before,  Mr.  O'Malley  ? " 

"  Never,"  said  I. 

"  Glorious  place,"  lisped  a  white-eyelashed,  knocker-kneed 
Ensign  ;  "  splendid  gals,  eh  ?  " 

"  Ah,  Brunton,"  said  Minchin,  "  you  may  boast  a  little,  but 
we  poor  devils " 

"  Know  the  Dais  ?  "  said  the  hero  of  the  lisp,  addressing  me. 

"  I  haven't  that  honor,"  I  replied,  scarcely  able  to  guess 
whether  what  he  alluded  to  were  objects  of  the  picturesque  or 
a  private  family. 

"  Introduce  him,  then,  at  once,"  said  the  Adjutant ;"  we'll 
all  go  in  the  evening.     What  will  the  old  squaw  think !  " 

"Not  I,"  said  Minchin.  "She  wrote  to  the  Duke  of  York 
about  my  helping  Matilda  at  supper,  and  not  having  any  honor- 
able intentions  afterwards." 

"  We  dine  at  '  The  George '  to-day,  Mr.  O'Malley,  sharp 
seven.     Until  then " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  213 

So  saying,  the  little  man  bustled  back  to  his  accounts,  and 
I  took  my  leave  with  the  rest,  to  stroll  about  the  town  till  din- 
ner-time. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   adjutant's    dinner. 

The  Adjutant's  dinner  was  as  professional  an  affair  as  need 
be.  A  circuit  or  a  learned  society  could  not  have  been  more  ex- 
clusively devoted  to  their  own  separate  and  immediate  topics 
than  were  we.  Pipeclay  in  all  its  varieties  came  on  the  tapis ; 
the  last  regulation  cap — the  new  button — the  promotions — the 
general  orders — the  Colonel,  and  the  Colonel's  wife — stop- 
pages, and  the  mess  fund,  were  all  well  and  ably  discussed  ; 
and,  strange  enough,  while  the  conversation  took  this  wide 
range,  not  a  chance  allusion,  not  one  stray  hint,  ever  wandered 
to  the  brave  fellows  who  were  covering  the  army  with  glory  in 
tlie  Peninsula,  nor  one  souvenir  of  him  that  was  even  then  en- 
joying a  fame,  as  a  leader,  second  to  none  in  Europe.  This 
surprised  me  not  a  little  at  the  time  ;  but  I  have,  since  that, 
learned  how  little  interest  the  real  services  of  an  army  possess 
for  the  ears  of  certain  officials,  who,  stationed  at  home  quarters, 
pass  their  inglorious  lives  in  the  details  of  drill,  parade,  mess- 
room  gossip,  and  barrack  scandal.  Such,  in  fact,  were  the 
dons  of  the  present  dinner.  We  had  a  Commissary-General, 
an  inspecting  Brigade-Major  of  something,  a  Physician  to  the 
I'orces,  the  Adjutant  himself,  and  Major  Ualrymple  ;  the  oi 
polloi  consisting  of  the  raw  Ensign,  a  newly-fledged  Cornet  (IMr. 
Sparks),  and  myself. 

The  Commissary  told  some  very  pointless  stories  about 
liis  own  department,  the  Doctor  read  a  dissertation  upon  W'al- 
cheren  fever,  the  Adjutant  got  very  stupidly  tipsy,  and  Major 
I);ilryinple  succeeded  in  engaging  the  three  juniors  of  the  party 


214  CHARLES  O'MALLEY,  \ 

to  tea,  having  previously  pledged  us  to  purchase  nothing  what- 
ever of  outfit  without  his  advice,  he  well  knowing  (which  he  did) 
how  young  fellows  like  us  were  cheated,  and  resolving  to  be  a 
father  to  us  (which  he  certainly  tried  to  be). 

As  we  rose  from  the  table  about  ten  o'clock,  I  felt  how  soon 
a  few  such  dinners  would  succeed  in  disenchanting  me  of  all 
my  military  illusions  ;  for,  young  as  I  was,  I  saw  that  the  Com- 
missary was  a  vulgar  bore,  the  Doctor  a  humbug,  the  Adjutant 
a  sot,  and  the  Major  himself  I  greatly  suspected  to  be  an  old 
rogue. 

"  You  are  coming  with  us,  Sparks  ? "  said  Major  Dalrymple, 
as  he  took  me  by  one  arm  and  the  Ensign  by  the  other.  "  We 
are  going  to  have  a  little  tea  with  the  ladies ;  not  five  minutes' 
walk." 

"  Most  happy,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Sparks,  with  a  very  flattered 
expression  of  countenance. 

"O'Malley,  you  know  Sparks,  and  Burton  too." 

This  served  for  a  species  of  triple  introduction,  at  which  we 
all  bowed,  simpered,  and  bowed  again.  We  were  very  happy 
to  have  the  pleasure,  etc. 

"  How  pleasant  to  get  away  from  these  fellows  !  "  said  the 
Major,  "  they  are  so  uncommonly  prosy :  that  Commissary 
with  his  mess-beef,  and  old  Pritchard,  with  black  doses  and 
rigors ;  nothing  so  insufferable.  Besides,  in  reality,  a  young 
officer  never  needs  all  that  nonsense  ;  a  little  medicine  chest — 
I'll  get  you  one  each  to-morrow  for  five  pounds ;  no,  five  pounds 
ten  ;  the  same  thing — that  will  see  you  all  through  the  Penin- 
sula. Remind  me  of  it  in  the  morning."  This  we  all  promised 
to  do,  and  the  Major  resumed  :  "  I  say.  Sparks,  you'  ve  got  a 
real  prize  in  that  gray  horse,  such  a  trooper  as  he  is.  O'Mal- 
ley, you'll  be  wanting  something  of  that  kind,  if  we  can  find 
it  out  for  you." 

"  Many  thinks.  Major,  but  my  cattle  are  on  the  way  here 
already.  I've  only  three  horses,  but  I  think  they  are  tolerably 
good  ones." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGO  ON.  2 1 5 

The  Major  now  turned  to  Burton,  and  said  something  in  a 
low  tone,  to  which  the  other  repUed, — 

"  Well,  if  you  say  so,  I'll  get  it,  but  its  devilish  dear." 

"  Dear  !  my  young  friend  ;  cheap,  dog  cheap.  Only  think, 
O'Malley,  a  whole  brass  bed,  camp-stool,  basin-stand,  all  comp- 
lete, for  sixty  pounds  !  If  it  was  not  that  a  widow  was  dis- 
posing of  it  in  great  distress,  one  hundred  could  not  buy  it. 
Here  we  are  ;  come  along — no  ceremony.  Mind  the  two  steps  ; 
that's  it.  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  Mr.  O'Malley;  Mr.  Sparks,  Mr. 
Burton,  my  daughters.     Is  tea  over,  girls  ? " 

"  Why,  papa,  it's  nearly  eleven  o'clock,"  said  Fanny,  as  she 
rose  to  ring  the  bell,  displaying  in  so  doing,  the  least  possible 
portion  of  a  very  well-turned  ankle. 

Miss  Matilda  Dal  laid  down  her  book,  but,  seemingly  lost  in 
abstraction,  did  not  deign  to  look  at  us.  Mrs.  Dalrymple, 
however,  did  the  honors  with  much  politeness,  and  having,  by 
a  few  adroit  and  well-put  queries,  ascertained  everything  con- 
cerning our  rank  and  position,  seemed  perfectly  satisfied  that 
our  intrusion  was  justifiable. 

While  my  confrere,  Mr.  Sparks,  was  undergoing  his  exami- 
nation, I  had  time  to  look  at  the  ladies,  whom  I  was  much 
surprised  at  finding  so  very  well-looking;  and  as  the  Ensign 
had  opened  a  conversation  with  Fanny,  I  approached  my  chair 
towards  the  other,  and  having  carelessly  turned  over  the  leaves 
of  the  book  she  had  been  reading,  drew  her  on  to  talk  of  it. 
As  my  acquaintance  with  young  ladies  hitherto  had  been  lim- 
ited to  those  who  had  "  no  soul,"  I  felt  some  difficulty  at 
first  in  keeping  up  with  the  exalted  tone  of  my  fair  companion, 
but,  by  letting  her  take  the  lead  for  some  time,  I  got  to 
know  more  of  the  ground.  We  went  on  tolerably  together, 
every  moment  increasing  my  stock  of  technicals,  which  were  all 
that  was  needed  to  sustain  the  conversation.  How  often  have 
I  found  the  same  plan  succeed— whether  discussing  a  question 
of  law  or  medicine — with  a  learned  professor  of  either ;  or, 
what  is  still  more  difficult,  canvassing  the  merits  of  a  preacher, 


2 1 6  CHARLES  CMALLE  V, 

or  a  doctrine,  with  a  serious  young  lady,  whose  "  blessed  priv- 
ileges "  were  at  first  a  little  puzzling  to  comprehend. 

I  so  contrived  it,  too,  that  Miss  Matilda  should  seem  as 
much  to  be  making  a  convert  to  her  views  as  to  have  found  a 
person  capable  of  sympathizing  with  her;  and  thus  long  before 
the  little  supper,  with  which  it  was  the  Major's  practice  to  re- 
gale his  friends  every  evening,  made  its  appearance,  we  had 
established  a  perfect  understanding  together — a  circumstance 
that,  a  bystander  might  have  remarked,  was  productive  of  a 
more  widely  diffused  satisfaction  than  I  could  have  myself  seen 
any  just  cause  for.  Mr.  Burton  was  also  progressing,  as  the 
Yankees  say,  with  the  sister.  Sparks  had  booked  himself  as 
purchaser  of  military  stores  enough  to  make  the  campaign  of 
the  whole  globe,  and  we  were  thus  all  evidently  fulfilling  our 
various  vocations,  and  affording  perfect  satisfaction  to  our  en- 
tertainers. 

Then  came  the  spatch-cock,  and  the  sandwiches,  and  the 
negus,  which  Fanny  first  mixed  for  papa,  and,  subsequently, 
with  some  little  pressing,  for  Mr.  Burton  ;  Matilda  the  romantic 
assisted  me.  Sparks  helped  himself ;  then  we  laughed,  and 
told  stories,  pressed  Sparks  to  sing,  which,  as  he  declined,  we 
only  pressed  the  more.  How,  invariably,  by-the-bye,  is  it  the 
custom  to  show  one's  appreciation  of  anything  like  a  butt,  by 
pressing  him  for  a  song.  The  Major  was  in  great  spirits,  told 
us  anecdotes  of  his  early  life  in  India,  and  how  he  once  con- 
tracted to  supply  the  troops  with  milk,  and  made  a  purchase, 
in  consequence,  of  some  score  of  cattle,  which  turned  out  to 
be  bullocks.  Matilda  recited  some  lines  from  Pope  in  my  ear. 
Fanny  challenged  Burton  to  a  rowing  match.  Sparks  listened 
to  all  around  him,  and  Mrs.  Dalrymple  mixed  a  very  little  weak 
punch,  which  Dr.  Lucas  had  recommended  to  her,  to  take 
the  last  thing  at  night — Nodes  cencequc^ — Say  what  you 
will,  these  were  very  jovial  little  reunions.  The  girls  were  de- 
cidedly very  pretty.  We  were  in  high  favor,  and  when  we 
took  leave  at  the  door,  with  a  very  cordial  shakehands,  it  was 
with  no  arriere pcnsk  we  promised  to  see  them  in  the  morning. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  217 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


THE   ENTANGLEMENT. 


When  we  think  for  a  moment  over  all  the  toils,  all  the  anxieties, 
all  the  fevered  excitement  of  z.  grande  passion,  it  is  not  a  little 
singular  that  love  should  so  frequently  be  elicited  by  a  state  of 
mere  idleness ;  and  yet  nothing,  after  all,  is  so  predisposing  a 
cause  as  this.  Where  is  the  man  between  eighteen  and  eight- 
and-thirty — might  I  not  say  forty — who,  without  any  very 
pressing  duns,  and  having  no  taste  for  strong  liquor  and  rouge 
et  Twir,  can  possibly  lounge  through  the  long  hours  of  his  day, 
without,  at  least,  fancying  himself  in  love  ?  The  thousand 
little  occupations  it  suggests  become  a  necessity  of  existence; 
its  very  worries  are  like  the  wholesome  opposition  that  purifies 
and  strengthens  the  frame  of  a  free  state.  Then,  what  is  there 
half  so  sweet  as  the  reflective  flattery  which  results  from  our 
appreciation  of  an  object  who,  in  return,  deems  us  the  ne plus 
ultra  of  perfection  .''  There  it  is,  in  fact — that  confounded 
bump  of  self-esteem  does  it  all,  and  has  more  imprudent 
matches  to  answer  for  than  all  the  occipital  protuberances  that 
ever  scared  poor  Harriet  Martineau. 

Now,  to  apply  my  moralizing.  I  very  soon,  to  use  the  mess 
phrase,  got  "  devilish  spooney "  about  the  "  Dais."  The 
morning  drill,  the  riding  school,  and  the  parade,  were  all  most 
fervently  consigned  to  a  certain  military  ciiaracter  that  shall 
be  nameless,  as  detaining  me  from  some  appointment  made  the 
evening  before  ;  for,  as  I  supped  there  each  night,  a  party  of 
one  kind  or  another  was  always  planned  for  the  day  following. 
Sometimes  we  had  a  boating  excursion  to  Cove  ;  sometimes  a 
picnic  at  Foaty  ;   now,  a  rowing  party  to  Clanmire,  or  a  ride, 


2i8  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

at  which  I  furnished  the  cavalry.  These  doings  were  all  under 
my  especial  direction,  and  I  thus  became  speedily  the  organ 
of  the  Dalrymple  family;  and  the  simple  phrase,  "  It  was  Mr. 
O'Malley's  arrangement,"  "  Mr.  O'Malley  wished  it,"  was  like 
the  "  Moi  le  roi''  of  Louis  XIV. 

Though  all  this  while  we  continued  to  carry  on  most  pleas- 
antly, Mrs.  Dalrymple,  I  could  perceive,  did  not  entirely  sym- 
pathize with  our  projects  of  amusement.  As  an  experienced 
engineer  might  feel,  when  watching  the  course  of  some  storm- 
ing projectile — some  brilliant  congreve — flying  over  a  besieged 
fortress,  yet  never  touching  the  walls  nor  harming  the  inhabit- 
ants, so  she  looked  on  at  all  these  demonstrations  of  attack 
with  no  small  impatience,  and  wondered  when  would  the 
breach  be  reported  practicable.  Another  puzzle  also  con- 
tributed its  share  of  anxiety — which  of  the  girls  was  it  ?  To 
be  sure,  he  spent  three  hours  every  morning  with  Fanny  ;  but, 
then,  he  never  left  Matilda  the  whole  evening.  He  had  given 
his  miniature  to  one  ;  a  locket  with  his  hair  was  a  present  to  the 
sister.  The  Major  thinks  he  saw  his  arm  round  Matilda's 
waist  in  the  garden ;  the  housemaid  swears  she  saw  him  kiss 
Fanny  in  the  pantry.  Matilda  smiles  when  we  talk  of  his 
name  with  her  sister's  ;  Fanny  laughs  outright,  and  says,  "  Poor 
Matilda,  the  man  never  dreamed  of  her."  This  is  becoming 
uncomfortable;  the  Major  must  ask  his  intentions — it  is,  cer- 
tainly, one  or  the  other ;  but,  then,  we  have  a  right  to  know 
which.  Such  was  a  very  condensed  view  of  Mrs.  Dalrymple's 
reflections  on  this  important  topic — a  view  taken  with  her  usual 
tact  and  clear-sightedness. 

Matters  were  in  this  state,  when  Power  at  length  arrived  in 
Cork,  to  take  command  of  our  detachment,  and  make  the  final 
preparations  for  our  departure.  I  had  been,  as  usual,  spend- 
ing the  evening  at  the  Major's,  and  had  just  reached  my 
quarters,  when  I  found  my  friend  sitting  at  my  fire,  smoking 
his  cigar  and  solacing  himself  with  a  little  brandy-and-water. 

"  At  last,"  said  he,  as  I  entered — "  at  last !     Why,  where  the 


TtiE^  IRISH  DRA GOON.  2 1 g 

deuce  have  you  been  till  this  hour — past  two  o'clock  ?  There 
is  no  ball,  no  assembly  going  on,  eh  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  I,  half  blushing  at  the  eagerness  of  the  inquiry ; 
"  I've  been  spending  the  evening  with  a  friend." 

"  Spending  the  evening  I  say,  rather,  the  night.  Why,  con- 
found you,  man,  what  is  there  in  Cork  to  keep  you  out  of  bed 
till  near  three  ?  " 

"Well,  if  you  must  know,  I've  been  supping  at  a  Major  Dal- 
rymple's — a  devilish  good  fellow — with  two  such  daughters  !  " 

"  Ahem  ! "  said  Power,  shutting  one  eye  knowingly,  and  giv- 
ing a  look  like  a  Yorkshire  horse-dealer.     "  Go  on." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Go  on — continue." 

"  I've  finished — I've  nothing  more  to  tell.'' 

"  So,  they're  here,  are  they  !  "  said  he,  reflectingly. 

"Who?"  said  I. 

"  Matilda  and  Fanny,  to  be  sure.'' 

"  Why,  you  know  them,  then  ?  " 

"I  should  think  I  do." 

"  Where  have  you  met  them  ?  " 

"  Where  have  I  not  ?  When  I  was  in  the  Rifles,  they  were 
quartered  at  Zante.  Matilda  was  just  then  coming  it  rather 
strong  with  Villiers,  of  ours,  a  regular  greenhorn.  Fanny,  also, 
nearly  did  for  Harry  Nesbitt,  by  riding  a  hurdle  race.  Then 
they  left  for  Gibraltar,  in  the  year — what  year  was  it  ?  " 

"  Come,  come,"  said  I,  "  this  is  a  humbug ;  the  girls  are 
quite  young;  you  just  have  heard  their  names." 

"Well,  perhaps  so;  only  tell  me  which  is  your  peculiar 
weakness,  as  they  say  in  the  west,  and  maybe  I'll  convince 
you." 

"Oh,  as  to  that,"  said  I,  laughing,  "I'm  not  very  far  gone 
on  either  side." 

"Then  Matilda,  probably,  has  not  tried  you  with  Cowley, 
eh? — you  look  a  little  pink — 'There  are  hearts  that  live  and 
love  alone.'     Oh  !  poor  fellow,  you've  got  it.     l]y  Jove  1  how 


220  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

you've  been  coming  it,  tliough,  in  ten  days  !  She  ought  not  to 
have  got  to  that  for  a  month,  at  least ;  and  how  like  a  young 
one  it  was,  to  be  caught  by  the  poetry.  Oh  !  Master  Charley, 
I  thought  that  the  steeple-chaser  might  have  done  most  with 
your  Galway  heart — the  girl  in  the  gray  habit,  that  sings 
'  Moddirederoo,'  ought  to  have  been  the  prize.  Halt!  by  St. 
George,  but  that  tickles  you  also  !  Why,  zounds,  if  I  go  on, 
probably,  at  this  rate,  I'll  find  a  tender  spot  occupied  by  the 
'black  lady'  herself." 

It  was  no  use  concealing,  or  attempting  to  conceal,  anything 
from  my  inquisitive  friend;  so  I  mixed  my  grog,  and  opened 
my  whole  heart ;  told  how  I  had  been  conducting  myself  for 
the  entire  preceding  fortnight ;  and,  when  I  concluded,  sat 
silently  awaiting  Power's  verdict,  as  though  a  jury  were  about 
to  pronounce  upon  my  life. 
"  Have  you  ever  written  ?  " 

"  Never ;  except,  perhaps,  a  few  lines,  with  tickets  for  the 
theatre,  or  something  of  that  kind." 

"  Have  you  copies  of  your  correspondence  ?  " 
"  Of  course  not.     Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 
"  Has  Mrs.  Dal  been   ever  present,  or,  as  the   French  say, 
has  she  assisted,  at  any  of  your  tender  interviews  with  the 
young  ladies  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  aware  that  one  kisses  a  girl  before  mamma." 
"  I'm  not  speaking  of  that ;  I  merely  allude  to  flirtation." 
"  Oh  !  I  suppose  she  has  seen  me  attentive." 
"  Very  awkward,  indeed  !     There  is  only  one  point  in  your 
favor ;  for,  as  your  attentions  were  not  decided,  and  as  the  law 

does  not,  as  yet,  permit  polygamy " 

"  Come,  come,  you  know  I  never  thought  of  marrying." 
"  Ah  !  but  they  did." 
"Not  a  bit  of  it." 

*'  Ay,  but  they  did.  What  do  you  wager  but  that  the  Major 
asks  your  intentions,  as  he  calls  it,  the  moment  he  hears  the 
transport  has  arrived?" 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOO.V.  22 1 

"  By  Jove  !  now  you  remind  me,  he  asked  this  evening  when 
he  could  have  a  few  minutes'  private  conversation  with  me  to- 
morrow, and  I  thought  it  was  about  some  confounded  miUtary 
chest  or  sea-store,  or  one  of  his  infernal  contrivances  that  he 
every  day  assures  me  are  indispensable ;  though,  if  every 
officer  had  only  as  much  baggage  as  I  have  got,  under  his 
directions,  it  would  take  two  armies,  at  least,  to  carry  the 
effects  of  the  fighting  one." 

"  Poor  fellow  !  "  said  he,  starting  upon  his  legs ;  "  what  a 
burst  you've  made  of  it !  "  So  saying,  he  began  in  a  nasal 
twang, — 

''  I  publish  the  banns  of  marriage  between  Charles  O'Mal- 

ley,  late  of  his  Majesty's  14th  Dragoons,  and Dalrymple, 

spinster,  of  this  city " 

"  I'll  be  hanged  if  you  do,  though,"  said  I,  seeing  pretty 
clearly,  by  this  time,  something  of  the  estimation  my  friends 
were  held  in.  "  Come,  Power,  pull  me  through,  like  a  good 
fellow — pull  me  through,  without  doing  anything  to  hurt  the 
girls'  feelings." 

"Well,  we'll  see  about  it,"  said  he— "we'll  see  about  it  in 
the  morning;  but,  at  the  same  time,  let  me  assure  you,  the 
affair  is  not  so  easy  as  you  may,  at  first  blush,  suppose. 
These  worthy  people  have  been  so  often  '  done  ' — to  use  the 
cant  phrase — before,  that  scarcely  a  7'iise  remains  untried.  It 
is  of  no  use  pleading  that  your  family  won't  consent — that  your 
prospects  are  null — that  you  are  ordered  for  India — that  you 
are  engaged  elsewhere — that  you  have  nothing  but  your  pay- 
that  you  are  too  young  or  too  old — all  such  reasons,  good  and 
valid  with  any  other  family,  will  avail  you  little  here.  Neither 
will  it  serve  your  cause  that  you  may  be  warranted  by  a 
doctor  as  subject  to  periodical  fits  of  insanity;  monomaniacal 
tendencies  to  cut  somebody's  tliroat,  etc.  Bless  your  heart, 
ni;in,  they  have  a  soul  above  such  liulenesscs.  They  care 
noiliing  for  consent  of  friends,  means,  age,  health,  climate, 
prospects,  ot  temper       Firmly  believing  matrimony  to  he  a  lot- 


222  CHARLES  G'M ALLEY, 

tery,  they  are  not  superstitious  about  the  number  they  pitch 
upon ;  provided  only  that  they  get  a  ticket,  they  are  content." 

"  Then  it  strikes  me,  if  what  you  say  is  correct,  that  I  have 
no  earthly  chance  of  escape,  except  some  kind  friend  will  un- 
dertake to  shoot  me.'* 

"  That  has  been  also  tried." 

"  Why,  how  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"A  mock  duel,  got  up  at  mess — we  had  one  at  Malta.  Poor 
Vickers  was  the  hero  of  that  affair.  It  was  right  well  planned, 
too.  One  of  the  letters  was  suffered,  by  mere  accident,  to  fall 
into  Mrs.  Dai's  hands,  and  she  was  quite  prepared  for  the 
event,  when  he  was  reported  shot,  the  next  morning.  Then 
the  young  lady,  of  course,  whether  she  cared  or  not,  was 
obliged  to  be  perfectly  unconcerned,  lest  the  story  of  engaged 
affections  might  get  wind,  and  spoil  another  market.  The 
thing  went  on  admirably,  till  one  day,  some  few  months  later, 
they  saw,  in  a  confounded  army-list,  that  the  late  George 
Vickers  was  promoted  to  the  i8th  Dragoons,  so  that  the  trick 
was  discovered,  and  is,  of  course,  stale  at  present." 

"  Then  could  I  not  have  a  wife  already,  and  a  large  family 
of  interesting  babes  ? " 

"  No  go — only  swell  the  damages,  when  they  come  to  pros- 
ecute. Besides,  your  age  and  looks  forbid  the  assumption  of 
such  a  fact.     No,  no  ;  we  must  go  deeper  to  work." 

"But  where  shall  we  go?  "said  I,  impatiently ;  "for  it  ap- 
pears to  me  these  good  people  have  been  treated  to  every  trick 
and  subterfuge  that  ever  ingenuity  suggested." 

"  Come,  I  think  I  have  it ;  but  it  will  need  a  little  more  re- 
flection. So,  now,  let  us  to  bed.  I'll  give  you  the  result  of 
my  lucubrations  at  breakfast ;  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  we  may 
get  you  through  this  without  any  ill-consequences.  Good- 
night, then,  old  boy  ;  and  now  dream  away  of  your  lady-love 
till  our  next  meeting." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  223 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE    PREPARATION. 

To  prevent  needless  repetitions  in  my  story,  I  shall  not  record 
here  the  conversation  which  passed  between  my  friend  Power 
and  myself  on  the  morning  following  at  breakfast.  Suffice  it 
to  say,  that  the  plan  proposed  by  him  for  my  rescue  was  one  I 
agreed  to  adopt,  reserving  to  myself,  in  case  of  failure,  a  pis 
aller  of  which  I  knew  not  the  meaning,  but  of  whose  efficacy 
Power  assured  me  I  need  not  doubt. 

"  If  all  fail,"  said  he — "  if  every  bridge  break  down  beneath 
you,  and  no  road  of  escape  be  left,  why,  then,  I  believe  you 
must  have  recourse  to  another  alternative.  Still  I  should  wish 
to  avoid  it,  if  possible,  and  I  put  it  to  you,  in  honor,  not  to  em- 
ploy it  unless  as  a  last  expedient.     You  promise  me  this  ? " 

"  Of  course,"  said  I,  with  great  anxiety  for  the  dread  final 
measure.     "  What  is  it  ?  " 

He  paused,  smiled  dubiously,  and  resumed  . — 

"  And,  after  all — but,  to  be  sure,  there  will  not  be  need  for 
it — the  other  plan  will  do — must  do.  Come,  come,  O'Malley, 
the  Admiralty  say  that  nothing  encourages  drowning  in  the 
navy  like  a  life-buoy.  The  men  have  such  a  prospect  of  being 
picked  up,  that  they  don't  mind  falling  overboard  ;  so,  if  I  give 
you  this  life-preserver  of  mine,  you'll  not  swim  an  inch.  Is  it 
not  so,  eh  ?  " 

"  Far  from  it,"  said  I.  "  I  shall  feel  in  honor  bound  to  exert 
myself  the  more,  because  I  now  see  how  mucli  it  costs  you  to 
part  with  it." 

"  Well,  then,  hear  it.  When  everything  fails — when  all  your 
resources  arc  exhausted — when  you  have  totally  lost  your  mem- 


2  24  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

ory,  in  fact,  and  your  ingenuity  in  excuses,  say — but  mind, 
Charley,  not  till  then — say  that  you  must  consult  your  friend, 
Captain  Power,  of  the  14th,  that's  all." 

"  And  is  this  it  ?  "  said  I,  quite  disappointed  at  the  lame  and 
impotent  conclusion  to  all  the  high-sounding  exordium ;  "  is 
this  all  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  that  is  all.  But  stop,  Charley  ;  is  not  that 
the  Major  crossing  the  street  there  ?  Yes,  to  be  sure  it  is,  and, 
by  Jove  !  he  has  got  on  the  old  braided  frock  this  morning. 
Had  you  not  told  me  one  word  of  your  critical  position.  I  should 
have  guessed  there  was  something  in  the  wind  from  that.  That 
same  vestment  has  caused  many  a  stout  heart  to  tremble  that 
never  quailed  before  a  shot  or  shell." 

"  How  can  that  be  .^     I  should  like  to  hear." 

"Why,  my  dear  boy,  that's  his  explanation  coat,  as  we  called 
it  at  Gibraltar,  He  was  never  known  to  wear  it  except  when 
asking  some  poor  fellow's  '  intentions.'  He  would  no  more 
think  of  sporting  it  as  an  everyday  affair,  than  the  Chief  Justice 
would  go  cock-shooting  in  his  black  cap  and  ermine.  Come, 
he  is  bound  for  your  quarters,  and,  as  it  will  not  answer  our 
plans  to  let  him  see  you  now,  you  had  better  hasten  down- 
stairs, and  get  round  by  the  back  way  into  George's  Street,  and 
you'll  be  at  his  house  before  he  can  return." 

Following  Power's  directions,  I  seized  my  foraging-cap,  and 
got  clear  out  of  the  premises  before  the  Major  had  reached 
them.  It  was  exactly  noon  as  I  sounded  my  loud  and  now 
well-known  summons  at  the  Major's  knocker.  The  door  was 
quickly  opened  ;  but,  instead  of  dashing  upstairs,  four  steps 
at  a  time,  as  was  my  wont,  to  the  drawing-room,  I  turned  short 
into  the  dingy-looking  little  parlor  on  the  right,  and  desired 
Matthew,  the  venerable  servitor  of  the  house,  to  say  that  I 
wished  particularly  to  see  Mrs.  Dalrymple  for  a  few  minutes, 
if  the  hour  were  not  inconvenient. 

There  was  something  perhaps  of  excitement  in  my  manner 
—some  flurry  in  my  look,  or  some  trepidation  in  my  voice — or 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  225 

perhaps  it  was  the  unusual  hour — or  the  still  more  remarkable 
circumstance  of  my  not  going  at  once  to  the  drawing-room, 
that  raised  some  doubts  in  Matthew's  mind  as  to  the  object  of 
my  visit ;  and,  instead  of  at  once  complying  with  my  request  to 
inform  Mrs.  Dalrymple  that  I  was  there,  he  cautiously  closed 
the  door,  and,  taking  a  quick  but  satisfactory  glance  round  the 
apartment  to  assure  himself  that  we  were  alone,  he  placed  his 
back  against  it,  and  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

We  were  both  perfectly  silent;  T  in  total  amazement  at  what 
the  old  man  could  possibly  mean  ;  he,  following  up  the  train 
of  his  own  thoughts,  comprehended  little  or  nothing  of  my  sur- 
prise, and  evidently  was  so  engrossed  by  his  reflections  that 
he  had  neither  ears  nor  eyes  for  aught  around  him.  There 
was  a  most  singular  semi-comic  expression  in  the  old  withered 
face  that  nearly  made  me  laugh  at  first ;  but,  as  I  continued  to 
look  steadily  at  it,  I  perceived  that,  despite  the  long-worn 
wrinkles  that  low  Irish  drollery  and  fun  had  furrowed  around 
the  angles  of  his  mouth,  the  real  character  of  his  look  was  one 
of  sorrowful  compassion. 

Doubtless,  my  readers  have  read  many  interesting  narratives, 
wherein  the  unconscious  traveller  in  some  remote  land  has 
been  warned  of  a  plan  to  murder  him,  by  some  mere  passing 
wink,  a  look,  a  sign,  which  some  one,  less  steeped  in  crime,  less 
hardened  in  iniquity  than  his  fellows,  has  ventured  for  his 
rescue.  Sometimes,  according  to  the  taste  of  the  narrator,  the 
interesting  individual  is  an  old  woman,  sometimes  a  young  one, 
sometimes  a  black-bearded  bandit,  sometimes  a  child,  and,  not 
unfrequently,  a  dog  is  humane  enough  to  do  this  service.  One 
thing,  however,  never  varies  ;  be  the  agent  biped  or  quadruped, 
dumb  or  speechful,  young  or  old,  the  stranger  invariably  takes 
the  hint,  and  gets  off  scot  free,  for  his  sharpness.  This  never 
varying  trick  on  the  doomed  man,  I  had  often  been  sceptical 
enough  to  suspect ;  however,  I  had  not  been  many  minutes  a 
spectator  of  the  old  man's  countenance,  when  I  most  thoroughlv 
recanted  my  errors,  and  acknowledged  myself  wrong.  If  ever 
^5 


2  26  ■         CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  look  of  a  man  conveyed  a  warning,  his  did  ;  but  there  was 
more  in  it  than  even  that :  there  was  a  tone  of  sad  and  pitiful 
compassion,  such  as  an  old  gray-bearded  rat  might  be  supposed 
to  put  on  at  seeing  a  young  and  inexperienced  one  opening  the 
hinge  of  an  iron  trap,  to  try  its  efficacy  upon  his  neck.  Many 
a  little  occasion  had  presented  itself  during  my  intimacy  with 
the  family,  of  doing  Matthew  some  small  services,  of  making 
him  some  trifling  presents  ;  so  that,  when  he  assumed  before 
me  the  gesture  and  look  I  have  mentioned,  I  was  not  long  in 
deciphering  his  intentions. 

"  Matthew  !  "  screamed  a  sharp  voice,  which  I  recognized  at 
once  for  that  of  Mrs.  Dalrymple.  "  Matthew !  where  is  the 
old  fool  ?  " 

But  Matthew  heard  not,  or  heeded  not. 

"  Matthew  !  Matthew  !  I  say." 

"  I'm  comin',  ma'am,"  said  he,  with  a  sigh,  as,  opening  the 
parlor-door,  he  turned  upon  me  one  look  of  such  import,  that 
only  the  circumstances  of  my  story  can  explain  its  force,  or 
my  reader's  own  ingenious  imagination  can  supply. 

"  Never  fear,  my  good  old  friend,"  said  I,  grasping  his  hand 
warmly,  and  leaving  a  guinea  in  the  palm — "never  fear." 

"  God  grant  it,  sir  !  "  said  he,  settling  on  his  wig  in  prepara- 
tion for  his  appearance  in  the  drawing-room. 

"  Matthew  ;  the  old  wretch  !  " 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  often-called  Matthew,  as,  opening 
the  door,  he  announced  me  unexpectedly  among  the  ladies 
there  assembled,  who,  not  hearing  of  my  approach,  were 
evidently  not  a  little  surprised  and  astonished. 

Had  I  been  really  the  enamored  swain  that  the  Dalrymple 
family  were  willing  to  believe,  I  half  suspect  that  the  prospect 
before  me  might  have  cured  me  of  my  passion.  A  round 
bullet  head,  papillote,  with  the  Cork  Observer,  where  still-born 
babes  and  maids  of  all  work  were  descanted  upon  in  very 
legible  type,  was  now  the  substitute  for  the  classic  front  and 
Italian  ringlets  of  Ja  helle  Matilda,  while  the  chaste  Fanny  her- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


227 


self,  whose  feet  had  been  a  fortune  for  a  statuary,  was,  in  the 
most  slatternly  and  slipshod  attire,  pacing  the  room  in  a 
towering  rage,  at  some  thing,  place,  or  person,  unknown  (to 
me).  If  the  ballet-master  at  the  Acadhnie  could  only  learn  to 
get  his  imps,  demons,  angels  and  goblins  "  off  "  half  as  rapidly 
as  the  two  young  ladies  retreated  on  my  being  announced,  I 
answer  for  the  piece  so  brought  out  having  a  run  for  half  the 
season.  Before  my  eyes  had  regained  their  position  parallel 
to  the  plane  of  the  horizon,  they  were  gone,  and  I  found  myself 
alone  with  Mrs.  Dalrymple.  Now,  she  stood  her  ground, 
partly  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  main  body,  partly,  too,  because 
— representing  the  baggage-wagons,  ammunition  stores,  hos- 
pital, staff,  etc. — her  retirement  from  the  field  demanded  more 
time  and  circumspection  than  the  light  brigade. 

Let  not  my  readers  suppose  that  the  viere  Dalrymple  was  so 
perfectly  faultless  in  costume  that  her  remaining  was  a  matter 
of  actual  indifference  ;  far  from  it.  She  evidently  had  a  strug- 
gle for  it;  but  a  sense  of  duty  decided  her,  and,  as  Ney 
doggedly  held  back  to  cover  the  retreating  forces  on  the  march 
from  Moscow,  so  did  she  resolutely  lurk  behind  till  the  last 
flutter  of  the  last  petticoat  assured  her  that  the  fugitives  were 
safe.  Then  did  she  hesitate  for  a  moment  what  course  to  take  ; 
but,  as  r  assumed  my  chair  beside  her,  she  composedly  sat 
down,  and,  crossing  her^  hands  before  her,  waited  for  an 
explanation  of  this  ill-timed  visit. 

Had  the  Horse  Guards,  in  the  plenitude  of  their  power  and 
the  perfection  of  their  taste,  ordained  that  the  79th  and  42nd 
Regiments  should  in  future,  in  lieu  of  their  respective  tartans, 
wear  flannel  kilts  and  black  worsted  hose,  I  could  readily  have 
fallen  into  the  error  of  mistaking  Mrs.  Dalrymple  for  a  field- 
oflicer  in  the  new  regulation  dress  ;  tlie  philabeg  finding  no 
mean  representation  in  the  capacious  pincushion  that  hung 
down  from  her  girdle,  while  a  pair  of  shears,  not  scissors,  cor- 
responded to  the  dirk.  After  several  ineffectual  efforts  on  her 
part  to  make  her  vestment  (I  know  not  its  fitting  designation) 


228  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

cover  more  of  her  legs  than  its  length  could  possibly  effect, 
and,  after  some  most  bland  smiles  and  half  blushes  at  dishabille, 
etc.,  were  over,  and  that  I  had  apologized  most  humbly  for  the 
unusually  early  hour  of  my  call,  I  proceeded  to  open  my  nego-- 
tiations,  and  unfurl  my  banner  for  the  fray. 

"The  old  Racehorse  has  arrived  at  last,"  said  I,  with  a  half 
sigh,  "  and  I  believe  that  we  shall  not  obtain  a  very  long  time 
for  our  leave-taking ;  so  that,  trespassing  upon  your  very  great 
kindness,  I  have  ventured  upon  an  early  call." 

"  The  Racehorse,  surel)',  can't  sail  to-morrow,"  said  Mrs. 
Dalrymple,  whose  experience  of  such  matters  made  her  a  very 
competent  judge  ;  "  her  stores " 

"  Are  taken  in  already,"  said  I ;  "  and  an  order  from  the 
Horse  Guards  commands  us  to  embark  in  twenty-four  hours ; 
so  that,  in  fact,  we  scarcely  have  time  to  look  about  us." 

"  Have  you  seen  the  Major  ? "  inquired  Mrs*.  Dalrymple, 
eagerly. 

"  Not  to-day,"  I  replied,  carelessly  ;  "  but,  of  course,  during 
the  morning,  we  are  sure  to  meet.  I  have  many  thanks  yet  to 
give  him  for  all  his  most  kind  attentions." 

"  I  know  he  is  most  anxious  to  see  you,"  said  Mrs.  Dalrymple, 
with  a  very  peculiar  emphasis,  and  evidently  desiring  that  I 
should  inquire  the  reasons  of  this  anxiety.  I,  however,  most 
heroically  forebore  indulging  my  curiosity,  and  added  that  I 
should  endeavor  to  find  him  on  my  way  to  the  barracks ;  and 
then,  hastily  looking  at  my  watch,  T  pronounced  it  a  full  hour 
later  than  it  really  was.  and,  promising  to  spend  the  evening — 
my  last  evening — with  them,  I  took  my  leave,  and  hurried 
away,  in  no  small  flurry,  to  be  once  more  out  of  reach  of  Mrs. 
Dalrympie's  fire,  which  I  every  moment  expected  to  open  upon 
me. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  229 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE    SUPPER. 

Power  and  I  dined  together  tete-a-tete  at  the  hotel,  and  sat 
chatting  over  my  adventures  with  the  Dalrymples  till  nearly 
nine  o'clock. 

"  Come,  Charley,"  said  he,  at  length,  "  I  see  your  eye  wander- 
ing very  often  toward  the  timepiece  ;  another  bumper,  and  I'll 
let  you  off.     What  shall  it  be  ?" 

"  What  you  like,"  said  I,  upon  whom  a  share  of  three  bottles 
of  strong  claret  had  already  made  a  very  satisfactory  impres- 
sion. 

"  Then  champagne  for  the  coup  de  grace.  Nothing  like  your 
vin  mousseux  for  a  critical  moment — every  bubble  that  rises 
sparkling  to  the  surface,  prompts  some  bright  thought,  or  elicits 
some  brilliant  idea,  that  would  only  have  been  drowned  in  your 
more  sober  fluids.  Here's  to  the  girl  you  love,  whoever  she 
be." 

"  To  her  bright  eyes,  then,  be  it,"  said  I,  clearing  off  a  brim- 
ming goblet  of  nearly  half  the  bottle,  while  my  friend  Power 
seemed  multiplied  into  any  given  number  of  gentlemen  stand- 
ing amid  something  like  a  glass  manufactory  of  decanters. 

"  I  hope  you  feel  steady  enough  for  this  business,"  said  my 
friend,  examining  me  closely  with  the  candle. 

"  I'm  an  Archdeacon,"  muttered  I,  with  one  eye  involuntarily 
closing. 

"  You'll  not  let  them  double  on  you  !  " 

"  Trust  me,  old  boy,"  said  I,  endeavoring  to  look  knowing. 

"I  think  you'll  do,"  said  he;  "so  now  march;  I'll  wait 
for  you  here,  and  we'll  go  on  board  together  ;  for  old  Bloater, 
the  Skippc-r,  says  he'll  certainly  weigh  by  daybreak." 


230  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"Till  then,"  said  I,  as,  opening  the  door,  I  proceeded  very 
cautiously  to  descend  the  stairs,  affecting  all  the  time  con- 
siderable nonchalance,  and  endeavoring,  as  well  as  my  thickened 
utterance  would  permit,  to  hum  : — 

"  Oh  love  is  the  soul  of  an  Irish  Dragoon." 

If  I  was  not  in  the  most  perfect  possession  of  my  faculties 
in  the  house,  the  change  to  the  open  air,  certainly,  but  little 
contributed  to  their  restoration,  and  I  scarcely  felt  myself  in 
the  street  when  my  brain  became  absolutely  one  whirl  of  mad- 
dened and  confused  excitement.  Time  and  space  are  nothing 
to  a  man  thus  enlightened,  and  so  they  appeared  to  me  ;  scarcely 
a  second  had  elapsed  when  I  found  myself  standing  in  the 
Dalrymples'  drawing-room. 

If  a  few  hours  had  done  much  to  metamorphose  me,  certes, 
they  had  done  something  for  my  fair  friends  also — anything 
more  unlike  what  they  appeared  in  the  morning  can  scarcely  be 
imagined.  Matilda  in  black,  with  her  hair  in  heavy  madonna 
bands  upon  her  fair  cheek,  now  paler  even  than  usual,  never 
seemed  so  handsome ;  while  Fanny,  in  a  light  blue  dress,  with 
blue  flowers  in  her  hair,  and  a  blue  sash,  looked  the  most  lovely 
piece  of  coquetry  ever  man  set  his  eyes  upon.  The  old  Major, 
too,  was  smartened  up,  and  put  into  an  old  regimental  coat 
that  he  had  worn  during  the  siege  of  Gibraltar  ;  and  lastly, 
Mrs.  Dalrymple  herself  was  attired  in  a  very  imposing  cos- 
tume, that  made  her,  to  my  not  over-accurate  judgment,  look 
very  like  an  elderly  bishop  in  a  flame-colored  cassock.  Sparks 
was  the  only  stranger,  and  wore  upon  his  countenance,  as  I 
entered,  a  look  of  very  considerable  embarrassment,  that  even 
my  thick-sightedness  could  not  fail  of  detecting. 

Parlez-moi  de  Tamitie,  my  friends.  Talk  to  me  of  the  warm 
embrace  of  your  earliest  friend,  after  years  of  absence;  the 
cordial  and  heartfelt  shake-hands  of  your  old  school  companion, 
when,  in  after-years,  a  chance  meeting  has  brought  you  together, 
and  you  have  had  time  and  opportunity  for  becoming  distin- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  231 

guished  and  in  repute,  and  are  rather  a  good  hit  to  be  known 
to  than  otherwise  ;  of  the  close  grip  you  give  your  second 
•when  he  comes  up  to  say,  that  the  gentleman  with  the  loaded 
detonator  opposite  won't  fire — that  he  feels  he's  in  the  wrong. 
Any  or  all  of  these  together,  very  effective  and  powerful  though 
they  be,  are  light  in  the  balance,  when  compared  with  the  two- 
handed  compression  you  receive  from  the  gentleman  that  expects 
you  to  marry  one  of  his  daughters. 

"  My  dear  O'Malley,  how  goes  it  ?  Thought  you'd  never 
come,"  said  he,  still  holding  me  fast  and  looking  me  full  in  the 
face,  to  calculate  the  extent  to  which  my  potations  rendered 
his  flattery  feasible. 

*'  Hurried  to  death  with  preparations,  I  suppose,"  said  Mrs. 
Dalrymple,  smiling  blandly.     "  Fanny  dear,  some  tea  for  him." 

"  Oh,  mamma,  he  does  not  like  all  that  sugar ;  surely  not," 
said  she,  looking  up  with  a  most  sweet  expression ;  as  though 
to  say,  "  I  at  least  know  his  taste." 

"  I  believed  you  were  going  without  seeing  us,"  whispered 
Matilda,  with  a  very  glassy  look  about  the  corner  of  her  eyes. 

Eloquence  was  not  just  then  my  forte,  so  that  I  contented 
myself  with  a  very  intelligible  look  at  Fanny,  and  a  tender 
squeeze  of  Matilda's  hand,  as  I  seated  myself  at  the  table. 

Scarcely  had  I  placed  myself  at  the  tea-table  with  Matilda 
beside,  and  Fanny  opposite  me,  each  vying  with  the  other 
in  their  delicate  and  kind  attentions,  when  I  totally  forgot 
all  my  poor  friend  Power's  injunctions  and  directions  for  my 
management.  It  is  true,  I  remembered  that  there  was  a  scrape 
of  some  kind  or  other  to  be  got  out  of,  and  one  requiring 
some  dexterity  too,  but  what,  or  with  whom,  I  could  not  for  the 
life  of  me  determine.  What  the  wine  had  begun  the  bright 
eyes  completed  ;  and,  amid  the  witchcraft  of  silky  tresses  and 
sweet  looks,  I  lost  all  my  reflection,  till  the  impression  of  an 
impending  difficulty  remained  fixed  in  my  mind,  and  I  tortured 
my  poor,  weak,  and  erring  intellect  to  detect  it.  At  last,  and 
l)y   a  mere  chance,  my  eyes  fell   upon  Sparks,  and,  by  what 


232  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

mechanism  I  contrived  it  I  know  not,  but  I  immediately  sad- 
dled him  with  the  whole  of  my  annoyances,  and  attributed  to 
him  and  to  his  fault  any  embarrassment  I  labored  under. 

The  physiological  reason  of  the  fact  I"m  very  ignorant  of, 
but  for  the  truth  and  frequency  I  can  well  vouch,  that  there 
are  certain  people,  certain  faces,  certain  voices,  certain  whiskers, 
legs,  waistcoats,  and  guard-chains,  that  inevitably  produce  the 
most  striking  effects  upon  the  brain  of  a  gentleman  already  ex- 
cited by  wine,  and  not  exactly  cognizant  of  his  own  peculiar 
fallacies. 

These  effects  are  not  produced  merely  among  those  who  are 
quarrelsome  in  their  cups,  for  I  call  the  whole  14th  to  witness 
that  I  am  not  such ;  but,  to  any  person  so  disguised,  the  inof- 
fensiveness  of  the  object  is  no  security  on  the  other  hand,  for 
I  once  knew  an  eight-day  clock  kicked  down  a  barrack  stairs 
by  an  old  Scotch  major,  because  he  thought  it  was  laughing  at 
him.  To  this  source  alone,  whatever  it  be,  can  I  attribute 
the  feeling  of  rising  indignation  with  which  I  contemplated  the 
luckless  Cornet,  who,  seated  at  the  fire,  unnoticed  and  uncared 
for,  seemed  a  very  unworthy  object  to  vent  anger  or  ill-temper 
upon. 

"  Mr.  Sparks,  I  fear,"  said  I  endeavoring  at  the  time  to  call 
up  a  look  of  very  sovereign  contempt — ^"  Mr.  Sparks,  I  fear, 
regards  my  visit  here  in  the  light  of  an  intrusion." 

Had  poor  Mr.  Sparks  been  told  to  proceed  incontinently  up 
the  chimney  before  him,  he  could  not  have  looked  more  aghast. 
Reply  was  quite  out  of  his  power;  so  sudden  and  unexpectedly 
was  this  charge  of  mine  made,  that  he  could  only  stare  vacantly 
from  one  to  the  other,  while  I,  warming  with  my  subject,  and 
perhaps — but  I'll  not  swear  it — stimulated  by  a  gentle  pressure 
from  a  soft  hand  near  me,  continued  : 

"  If  he  thinks,  for  one  moment,  that  my  attentions  in  this 
family  are  in  any  way  to  be  questiomed  by  him,  I  can  only 
say " 

"My  dear  O'Malley,  my  dear  boy!"  said  the  Major,  with 
the  look  of  a  father-in-law  in  his  eye. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  233 

"  The  spirit  of  an  officer  and  a  gentleman  spoke  there,"  said, 
Mrs.  Dalrymple,  now  carried  beyond  all  prudence,  by  the  hope 
that  my  attack  might  arouse  my  dormant  friend  into  a  counter 
declaration ;  nothing,  however,  was  further  from  poor  Sparks 
who  began  to  think  he  had  been  unconsciously  drinking  tea 
with  five  lunatics. 

"  If  he  supposes,"  said  I,  rising  from  my  chair,  "  that  his 
silence  will  pass  with  me  as  any  palliation " 

"  Oh  dear  ! — oh  dear  !  there  will  be  a  duel.  Papa  dear,  why 
don't  you  speak  to  Mr.  O'AIalley?  " 

"There  now,  O'Malley,  sit  down.  Don't  you  see  he  is  quite 
in  error  ? " 

"Then  let  him  say  so,"  said  I,  fiercely. 

"  Ah,  yes,  to  be  sure,"  said  Fanny  ;  "  do  say  it ;  say  anything 
he  likes,  Mr.  Sparks." 

"I  must  say,"  said  Mrs.  Dalrymple,  "however  sorry  I  may 
feel  in  my  own  house  to  condemn  any  one,  that  Mr.  Sparks  is 
very  much  in  the  wrong." 

Poor  Sparks  looked  like  a  man  in  a  dream. 

"If  he  will  tell  Charles— Mr.  O'Malley,  I  mean,"  said 
Matilda,  blushing  scarlet,  "  that  he  meant  nothing  by  what  he 
said " 

"  But  I  never  spoke — never  opened  my  lips  !  "  cried  out  the 
wretched  man,  at  length  sufficiently  recovered  to  defend  him- 
self. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Sparks  !  " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Sparks  !  " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Sparks  !  "  chorused  the  three  ladies. 

While  the  old  Major  brought  up  the  rear  with  an  "  Oh ! 
Sparks,  I  must  say " 

"Then,  by  all  the  saints  in  the  calendar,  I  must  be  mad," 
said  he ;  "but  if  I  have  said  anything  to  offend  you,  O'Malley, 
I  am  sincerely  sorry  for  it." 

"That  will  do,  sir,"  said  I,  with  a  look  of  royal  condescen- 
sion at  the  amende  I  considered  as  somewhat  late  in  coming, 
and  resumed  my  seat. 


234  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

This  little  intermezzo,  it  might  be  supposed,  was  rather  cal- 
culated to  interrupt  the  harmony  of  our  evening;  not  so,  how- 
ever. I  had  apparently  acquitted  myself  like  a  hero,  and  was 
evidently  in  a  white  heat,  in  which  I  could  be  fashioned  into 
any  shape.  Sparks  was  humbled  so  far,  that  he  would  prob- 
ably feel  it  a  relief  to  make  any  proposition  ;  so  that  by  our 
opposite  courses,  we  had  both  arrived  at  a  point  at  which  all 
the  dexterity  and  address  of  the  family  had  been  long  since  aim- 
ing without  success.  Conversation  then  resumed  its  flow,  and, 
in  a  few  minutes,  every  trace  of  our  late  fracas  had  dis- 
appeared. 

By  degrees,  I  felt  myself  more  and  more  disposed  to  turn  my 
attention  towards  Matilda,  and,  dropping  my  voice  into  a  lower 
tone,  opened  a  flirtation  of  a  most  determined  kind.  Fanny 
had,  meanwhile,  assumed  a  place  beside  Sparks,  and,  by  the 
muttered  tones  that  passed  between  them,  I  could  plainly  per- 
ceive they  were  similarly  occupied.  The  Major  took  up  the 
Southern  Reporter,  of  which  he  appeared  deep  in  the  contempla- 
tion, while  Mrs.  Dal  herself  buried  her  head  in  her  embroidery, 
and  neither  heard  nor  saw  anything  around  her, 

I  know,  unfortunately,  but  very  little  what  passed  between 
myself  and  my  fair  companion  ;  I  can  only  say  that,  when 
supper  was  announced  at  twelve  (an  hour  later  than  usual),  I 
was  sitting  upon  the  sofa,  with  my  arm  round  her  waist,  my 
cheek  so  close,  that  already  her  lovely  tresses  brushed  my  fore- 
head, and  her  breath  fanned  my  burning  brow. 

"  Supper,  at  last,"  said  the  Major,  with  a  loud  voice,  to 
arouse  us  from  our  trance  of  happiness,  without  taking  any 
mean  opportunity  of  looking  unobserved.  "  Supper,  Sparks, 
O'Malley,  come  now — it  will  be  some  time  before  we  all  meet 
this  way  again." 

"  Perhaps  not  so  long,  after  all,"  said  I,  knowingly. 

"Very  likely  not,"  echoed  Sparks,  in  the  same  key. 

"  I've  proposed  for  Fanny,"  said  he,  whispering  in  my  ear. 

"  Matilda's  mine,"  replied  I,  with  the  look  of  an  emperor. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


235 


"  A  word  with  you,  Major,"  said  Sparks,  his  eye  flashing 
with  enthusiasm,  and  his  cheek  scarlet — "  one  word :  I'll  not 
detain  you." 

They  withdrew  into  a  corner  for  a  few  seconds,  during  which 
Mrs.  Dalrymple  amused  herself  by  wondering  what  the  secret 
could  be ;  why  Mr.  Sparks  couldn't  tell  her ;  and  Fanny,  mean- 
while, pretended  to  look  for  something  at  a  side-table,  and 
never  turned  her  head  round. 

"  Then  give  me  your  hand,"  said  the  Major,  as  he  shook 
Sparks's  with  a  warmth  of  whose  sincerity  there  could  be  no 
question.  "  Bess,  my  love,"  said  he,  addressing  his  wife  :  the 
remainder  was  lost  in  a  whisper  ;  but,  whatever  it  was,  it  evi- 
dently redounded  to  Sparks's  credit,  for,  the  next  moment,  a 
repetition  of  the  hand-shaking  took  place,  and  Sparks  looked 
the  happiest  of  men. 

'■'•A  mon  tour,'"  thought  I,  "now,"  as  I  touched  the  Major's 
arm,  and  led  him  towards  the  window.  What  I  said  may  be 
one  day  matter  for  Major  Dalrymple's  memoirs,  if  he  ever  writes 
them  ;  but,  for  my  part,  I  have  not  the  least  idea.  I  only 
know  that,  while  I  was  yet  speaking,  he  called  over  Mrs.  Dal, 
who,  in  a  frenzy  of  joy,  seized  me  in  her  arms  and  embraced 
me.  After  which,  I  kissed  her,  shook  hands  with  the  Major, 
kissed  Matilda's  hand,  and  laughed  prodigiously,  as  though  I 
had  done  something  confoundedly  droll — a  sentiment  evidently 
participated  in  by  Sparks,  who  laughed  too,  as  did  the  others, 
and  a  merrier,  happier  party  never  sat  down  to  supper. 

"  Make  your  company  pleased  with  themselves,"  says  Mr. 
\\'alker,  in  his  Original  work  upon  dinner-giving,  "  and  every- 
thing goes  on  well."  Now,  Major  Dalrymple,  without  having 
read  the  authority  in  question,  probably  because  it  was  not 
written  at  the  time,  understood  the  principle  fully  as  well  as  the 
police-magistrate,  and  certainly  was  a  proficient  in  the  practice 
of  it. 

To  be  sure,  he  possessed  one  grand  requisite  for  success — 
he  seemed  most  perfectly  happy  himself.     There  was  that  air 


236  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

d'egage  about  him  which,  when  an  old  man  puts  it  on  among 
his  juniors,  is  so  very  attractive.  Then  the  ladies,  too,  were 
evidently  well  pleased;  and  the  usually  austere  mamma  had 
relaxed  her  *'  rigid  front "  into  a  smile,  in  which  any  habitue  of 
the  house  could  have  read  our  fate. 

We  ate,  we  drank,  we  ogled,  smiled,  squeezed  hands  beneath 
the  table,  and,  in  facf,  so  pleasant  a  party  had  rarely  assembled 
ruund  the  Major's  mahogany.  As  for  me,  I  made  a  full  dis- 
closure of  the  most  burning  love,  backed  by  a  resolve  to  marry 
my  fair  neighbor,  and  settle  upon  her  a  considerably  larger 
part  of  my  native  county  than  I  had  ever  even  rode  over. 
Sparks,  on  the  other  side,  had  opened  his  fire  more  cautiously  ; 
but  whether  taking  courage  from  my  boldness,  or  perceiving 
with  envy  the  greater  estimation  I  was  held  in,  was  now  going 
the  pace  fully  as  fast  as  myself,  and  had  commenced  explana- 
tions of  his  intentions  with  regard  to  Fanny  that  evidently 
satisfied  her  friends.  Meanwhile,  the  wine  w^as  passing  very 
freely,  and  the  hints  half  uttered  an  hour  before  began  now  to 
be  more  openly  spoken  and  canvassed. 

Sparks  and  I  hob-nobbed  across  the  table,  and  looked  un- 
speakable things  at  each  other  ;  the  girls  held  down  their 
heads ;  Mrs.  Dal  wiped  her  eyes ;  and  the  Major  pronounced 
himself  the  happiest  father  in  Europe. 

It  was  now  wearing  late,  or  rather  early ;  some  gray  streaks 
of  dubious  light  were  faintly  forcing  their  way  through  the  half- 
closed  curtains,  and  the  dread  thought  of  parting  first  presented 
itself.  A  cavalry  trumpet,  too,  at  this  moment  sounded  a  call 
that  aroused  us  from  our  trance  of  pleasure,  and  warned 
us  that  our  moments  were  few.  A  dead  silence  crept  over 
all,  the  solemn  feeling  which  leave-taking  ever  inspires  was 
uppermost,  and  none  spoke.  The  Major  was  the  first  to 
break  it. 

"O'Malley,  my  friend;  and  you,  Mr.  Sparks;  I  must  have 
a  word  with  you,  boys,  before  we  part." 

•'  Here  let  it  be,  then,   Major,"  said  I,  holding  his  arm  as  he 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  237 

turned  to  leave  the  room ;  "  here,  now ;  we  are  all  so  deeply 
interested,  no  place  is  so  fit." 

"Well,  then,"  said  the  Major,  "as  you  desire  it,  now  that 
I'm  to  regard  you  both  in  the  light  of  my  sons-in-law — at  least, 
as  pledged  to  become  so — it  is  only  fair  as  respects " 

"  I  see — I  understand  perfectly,"  interrupted  I,  whose  pas- 
sion for  conducting  the  whole  affair  myself  was  gradually  gain- 
ing on  me.  "  What  you  mean  is,  that  we  should  make  known 
our  intentions  before  some  mutual  friends  ere  we  part — eh, 
Sparks.?  eh,  Major?" 

"  Right,  my  boy — right  on  every  point." 

"  Well  then,  I  thought  of  all  that ;  and  if  you'll  just  send 
your  servant  over  to  my  quarters  for  our  Captain — he's  the 
fittest  person,  you  know,  at  such  a  time " 

"  How  considerate  !  "  said  Mrs.  Dalrymple. 

"  How  perfectly  just  his  idea  is  !  "  said  the  Major. 

"  We'll,  then,  in  his  presence,  avow  our  present  and 
unalterable  determination  as  regards  your  fair  daughters  ;  and 
as  the  time  is  short " 

Here  I  turned  towards  Matilda,  who  placed  her  arm  within 
mine;  Sparks  possessed  himself  of  Fanny's  hand,  while  the 
Major  and  his  wife  consulted  for  a  few  seconds. 

"Well,  O'Malley,  all  you  propose  is  perfect.  Now,  then, 
for  the  Captain.     Who  shall  he  inquire  for?" 

"Oh,  an  old  friend  of  yours,"  said  I,  jocularly;  "you'll  be 
glad  to  see  him." 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  all  together. 

"Oh  yes,  quite  a  surprise,  I'll  warrant  it." 

"  Who  can  it  be  ?  who  on  earth  is  it  ?  " 

"You  can't  guess,"  added  I,  with  a  very  knowing  look; 
"knew  you  at  Corfu:  a  very  intimate  friend  indeed,  if  he  teli 
the  truth." 

A  look  of  something  like  embarrassment  passed  around  the 
circle  at  these  words,  while  I,  wishing  to  end  the  mystery, 
resumed  : — 


i^S  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

"  Come,  then,  who  can  be  so  proper  for  all  parties,  at  a 
moment  like  this,  as  our  mutual  friend,  Captain  Power?" 

Had  a  shell  fallen  into  the  cold  grouse  pie  in  the  midst  of 
us,  scattering  death  and  destruction  on  every  side,  the  effect 
could  scarcely  have  been  more  frightful  than  that  my  last 
words  produced.  Mrs.  Dalrymple  fell  with  a  sough  upon  the 
floor,  motionless  as  a  corpse  ;  Fanny  threw  herself,  screaming, 
upon  a  sofa  ;  Matilda  went  off  into  strong  hysterics  upon  the 
hearth-rug ;  while  the  ]\Iajor,  after  giving  me  a  look  a  maniac 
might  have  envied,  rushed  from  the  room  in  search  of  his  pis- 
tols, with  a  most  terrific  oath  to  shoot  somebody,  whether 
Sparks  or  myself,  or  both  of  us,  on  his  return,  I  cannot  say. 
Fanny's  sobs  and  Matilda's  cries,  assisted  by  a  drumming  pro- 
cess by  Mrs.  Dai's  heels  upon  the  floor,  made  a  most  infernal 
concert,  and  effectually  prevented  anything  like  thought  or  re- 
flection ;  and,  in  all  probability,  so  overwhelmed  was  I  at  the 
sudden  catastrophe  I  had  so  innocently  caused,  I  should  have 
waited  in  due  patience  for  the  Major's  return,  had  not  Sparks 
seized  my  arm,  and  cried  out : — 

"  Run  for  it,  O'Malley ;  cut  like  fun,  my  boy,  or  we're  done 
for." 

"  Run — why  ? — what  for  ? — where  ?  "  said  I,  stupefied  by  the 
scene  before  me. 

"  Here  he  is  ! "  called  out  Sparks,  as,  throwing  up  the  window, 
he  sprang  out  upon  the  stone  sill,  and  leaped  mto  the  street. 
I  followed  mechanically,  and  jumped  after  him,  just  as  the 
Major  had  reached  the  window.  A  ball  whizzed  by  me,  that 
soon  determined  my  further  movements ;  so,  putting  on  all 
speed,  I  flew  down  the  street,  turned  the  corner,  and  regained 
the  hotel  breathless  and  without  a  hat,  while  Sparks  arrived  a 
moment  later,  pale  as  a  ghost,  and  trembling  like  an  aspen-leaf . 

"  Safe,  by  Jove  !  "  said  Sparks,  throwing  himself  into  a  chair, 
and  panting  for  breath. 

"  Safe,  at  last,"  said  I,  without  well  knowing  why  or  for  what. 

"You've  had  a  sharp  run  of  it,  apparently,"  said  Power, 


THE  IRISH  l:)RAGOON.  230 

coolly,  and  without  any  curiosity  as  to  the  cause  ;  "  and,  now, 
let  us  on  board  ;  there  goes  the  trumpet  again.  The  Skipper 
is  a  surly  old  fellow,  and  we  must  not  lose  his  tide  for  him." 
So  saying,  he  proceeded  to  collect  his  cloaks,  cane,  etc.,  and 
get  ready  for  departure. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  VOYAGE. 

When  I  awoke  from  the  long,  sound  sleep  which  succeeded 
my  last  adventure,  I  had  some  difficulty  in  remembering  where 
I  was,  or  how  I  had  come  there.  From  my  narrow  berth  I 
looked  out  upon  the  now  empty  cabin,  and,  at  length,  some 
misty  and  confused  sense  of  my  situation  crept  slowly  over  me 
I  opened  the  little  shutter  beside  me,  and  looked  out.  The 
bold  headlands  of  the  southern  coast  were  frowning,  in  sullen 
and  dark  masses,  about  a  couple  of  miles  distant,  and  I  per- 
ceived that  we  were  going  fast  through  the  water,  which  was 
beautifully  calm  and  still.  I  now  looked  at  my  watch  ;  it  was 
past  eight  o'clock ;  and,  as  it  must  evidently  be  evening,  from 
the  appearance  of  the  sky,  I  felt  that  I  had  slept  soundly  for 
above  twelve  hours. 

In  the  hurry  of  departure,  the  cabin  had  not  been  set  to 
rights,  and  there  lay  every  species  of  lumber  and  luggage  in 
all  imaginable  confusion.  Trunks,  gun-cases,  baskets  of  eggs, 
umbrellas,  hampers  of  sea-store,  cloaks,  foraging-caps,  maps, 
and  sword-belts,  were  scattered  on  every  side — v>'hile  the  debris 
of  a  dinner,  not  over-remarkable  for  its  propriety  in  table 
equipage,  added  to  the  ludicrous  effect.  The  heavy  tramp  of 
a  foot  overhead  denoted  the  step  of  some  one  taking  his  short 
walk  of  exercise  ;  wliile  the  rough  voice  of  the  Skipper,  as  he 
gave  the  word  to  "  Go  about !  "  all  convinced  nie  that  we  were 
at  last  under  weigh,  and  off  to  "  the  wars." 


240  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

The  confusion  our  last  evening  on  shore  produced  in  my 
brain  was  such,  that  every  effort  I  made  to  remember  anything 
about  it  only  increased  my  difficulty,  and  I  felt  myself  in  a  web 
so  tangled  and  inextricable,  that  all  endeavor  to  escape  free 
was  impossible.  Sometimes  I  thought  that  I  had  really  married 
Matilda  Dalrymple  :  then,  I  supposed  that  the  father  had  called 
iHe  out,  and  wounded  me  in  a  duel ;  and,  finally,  I  had  some 
confused  notion  about  a  quarrel  with  Sparks,  but  what  for, 
when  and  how  it  ended,  I  knew  not.  How  tremendously  tipsy 
I  must  have  been  !  was  the  only  conclusion  1  could  draw  from 
all  these  conflicting  doubts ;  and,  after  all,  it  was  the  only 
thing  like  fact  that  beamed  upon  my  mind.  How  I  had  come 
on  board  and  reached  my  berth,  was  a  matter  I  reserved  for 
future  inquiry ;  resolving  that,  about  the  real  history  of  my 
last  night  on  shore,  I  would  ask  no  questions,  if  others  were 
equally  disposed  to  let  it  pass  in  silence. 

I  next  began  to  wonder  if  Mike  had  looked  after  all  my 
luggage,  trunks,  etc.,  and  whether  he  himself  had  been  for- 
gotten in  our  hasty  departure.  About  this  latter  point  I  was 
not  destined  for  much  doubt ;  for  a  well-known  voice,  from  the 
foot  of  the  companion-ladder,  at  once  proclaimed  my  faithful 
follower,  and  evidenced  his  feelings  at  his  departure  from  his 
home  and  country. 

Mr.  Free  was,  at  the  time  I  mention,  gathered  up  like  a  ball 
opposite  a  small,  low  window,  that  looked  upon  the  bluff  head- 
lands now  fast  becoming  dim  and  misty  as  the  night  approached. 
He  was  apparently  in  low  spirits ;  and  hummed  in  a  species  of 
low,  droning  voice,  the  following  ballad,  at  the  end  of  each 
verse  of  which  came  an  Irish  chorus,  which,  to  the  erudite  in 
such  matters,  will  suggest  the  air  of  Moddirederoo  : — 

"  MICKEY  TREE'S  LAMENT. 

"Then  fare  ye  well,  ould  Erin  dear; 
To  part — mj'  heart  does  ache  well : 
From  Carrickfergus  to  Cape  Clear, 
I'll  never  see  your  equal. 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  241 

And  though  to  foreign  parts  we're  bound, 

Where  cannibals  may  ate  us, 
We'll  ne'er  forget  the  holy  ground 

Of  poteen  and  potatoes. 

Moddirederoo  aroo,  aroo,  eta 

"  When  good  St.  Patrick  banished  frogs, 
And  shook  them  from  liis  garment, 
He  never  thought  we'd  go  abroad, 

To  live  upon  such  varmint ; 
Nor  quit  the  land  \\  here  whisky  grew, 

To  wear  King  George's  button. 
Take  vinegar  for  mountain  dew. 
And  toads  for  mountain  mutton. 

Moddirederoo  aroo,  aroo,"  etc. 

"  I  say,  Mike,  stop  that  confounded  keen,  and  tell  me  where 
are  we  ? " 

"  Off  the  ould  head  of  Kinsale,  sir," 

"  Where  is  Captain  Power  ?  " 

"  Smoking  a  cigar  on  deck,  with  tlie  Captain,  sir." 

"And  Mr.  Sparks?" 

"  Mighty  sick  in  his  own  state-room.  Oh  !  but  it's  himself 
has  enough  of  glory — bad  luck  to  it ! — by  this  time.  He'd 
make  your  heart  break  to  look  at  him." 

"  Who  have  you  got  on  board  besides  ?  " 

'■'The  Adjutant's  here,  sir;  and  an  old  gentleman  they  call 
the  Major." 

"Not  Major  Dalrymple  ?  "  said  I,  starting  up  with  terror  at 
the  thought,  "eh,  Mike  .?" 

"  No,  sir,  another  Major ;  his  name  is  Mulroon,  or  Mundoon, 
or  something  like  that." 

"  Monsoon,  you  son  of  a  lumper  potato,"  cried  out  a  surly, 
gruff  voice  from  a  berth  opposite,  "  Monsoon.  Who's  at  the 
other  side  ?  " 

"Mr.  O'Malley,  14th,"  said  I,  by  the  way  of  introduction. 

"  My  service  to  you,  then,"  said  the  voice.  "  Going  to  join 
your  regiment  ? " 

"Yes  ;  and  you — are  yon  bound  on  a  similar  errand?  " 
16 


24:J  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  No,  Heaven  be  praised  !  I'm  attached  to  the  commissarht, 
and  only  going  to  Lisbon.     Have  you  had  any  dinner  ? " 

"  Not  a  morsel ;  have  you  ?  " 

"  No  more  than  yourself ;  but  I  always  lie  by  for  three  or 
four  days  this  way,  till  I  get  used  to  the  confounded  rocking 
and  pitching;  and,  with  a  little  grog  and  some  sleep,  get  over 
the  time  gaily  enough.     Steward,  another  tumbler  like  the  last ; 

there — very  good — that  will   do.     Your  good  health,  Mr. 

what  was  it  you  said  ?  " 

"  O'Malley." 

"  O'Malley — your  good  health — good-night."  And  so  ended 
our  brief  colloquy,  and,  in  a  few  minutes  more,  a  very  decisive 
snore  pronounced  my  friend  to  be  fulfilling  his  precept  for  kill- 
ing the  hours. 

I  now  made  the  effort  to  emancipate  myself  from  my  crib, 
and  at  last  succeeded  in  getting  on  the  floor,  where  after  one 
chasscz  at  a  small  looking-glass  opposite,  followed  by  a  very 
impetuous  rush  at  a  little  brass  stove,  in  which  I  was  interrupted 
by  a  trunk,  and  laid  prostrate,  I  finally  got  my  clothes  on,  and 
made  my  way  to  the  deck.  Little  attuned  as  was  my  mind  at 
the  moment  to  admire  anything  like  scenery,  it  was  impossible 
to  be  unmoved  by  the  magnificent  prospect  before  me.  It  was 
a  beautiful  evening  in  summer ;  the  sun  had  set  about  an  hour 
before,  leaving  behind  him  in  the  west  one  vast  arch  of  rich 
and  burnished  gold,  stretching  along  the  whole  horizon,  and 
tipping  all  the  summits  of  the  heavy  rolling  sea,  as  it  rolled 
on,  unbroken  by  foam  or  ripple,  in  vast  moving  mountains, 
from  the  far  coast  of  Labrador.  We  were  already  in  blue 
water,  though  the  bold  cliffs  that  were  to  form  our  departing 
point  were  but  a  few  miles  to  leeward.  There  lay  the  lofty 
bluff  of  Old  Kinsale,  whose  crest,  overhanging,  peered  from  a 
summit  of  some  hundred  feet  into  the  deep  water  that  swept 
its  rocky  base,  many  a  tangled  lichen  and  straggling  bough 
trailing  in  the  fiood  beneath.  Here  and  there,  upon  the  coast, 
twinkling  gleams  proclaimed  the  huts  of  the  fishermen,  whose 


THE  IRISH  DRAGCOiX.  243 

swift  hookers  had  more  than  once  shot  by  us,  and  disappeared 
in  a  moment.  The  wind,  wliicli  began  to  fall  at  sunset, 
freshened  as  the  moon  rose  ;  and  the  good  ship,  bending  to  the 
breeze,  lay  gently  over,  and  rushed  through  the  waters  with  a 
sound  of  gladness.  I  was  alone  upon  the  deck ;  Power  and 
the  Captain,  whom  I  expected  to  have  found,  had  disappeared 
somehow,  and  I  was,  after  all,  not  sorry  to  be  left  to  my  own 
reflections  uninterrupted. 

My  thoughts  turned  once  more  to  my  home — to  my  first,  my 
best,  earliest  friend,  whose  hearth  I  had  rendered  lonely  and 
desolate,  and  my  heart  sunk  within  me  as  I  remembered  it. 
How  deeply  I  reproached  myself  for  the  selfish  impetuosity 
with  which  I  had  ever  followed  any  rising  fancy,  any  new  and 
sudden  desire,  and  never  thought  of  him  whose  very  hope  was 
in,  whose  very  wash  was  for  me.  Alas  !  alas  !  my  poor  uncle  t 
how  gladly  would  I  resign  every  prospect  my  soldier's  life  may 
hold  out,  with  all  its  glittering  promise,  and  all  the  flattery  of 
success,  to  be  once  more  beside  you ;  to  feel  your  warm  and 
manly  grasp  ;  to  see  your  smile  ;  to  hear  your  voice  ;  to  be  again 
where  all  our  best  feelings  are  born  and  nurtured,  our  cares 
assuaged,  our  joys  more  joyed  in,  and  our  griefs  more  wept — 
at  home  !  These  very  words  have  more  music  to  my  ears  than 
all  the  softest  strains  that  ever  syren  sung.  They  bring  us  back 
to  all  we  have  loved,  by  ties  that  are  never  felt  but  through 
such  simple  associations.  And  in  the  earlier  memories  called 
up,  our  childish  feelings  come  back  once  more  to  visit  us,  like 
better  spirits,  as  we  walk  amid  the  dreary  desolation  that  years 
of  care  and  uneasiness  have  spread  around  us. 

Wretched  must  he  be  who  ne'er  has  felt  such  bliss  ;  and 
thrice  happy  he,  who,  feeling  it,  knows  that  still  there  lives  for 
him  that  same  early  home,  with  all  its  loved  inmates,  its  every 
dear  and  devoted  object  waiting  his  coming,  and  longing  for  his 
approach. 

Such  were  my  thoughts  as  I  stood  gazing  at  the  bold  line  of 
coast  now  gradually  growing  more  and  more  dim  while  evening 


244  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fell,  and  we  continued  to  stand  farther  out  to  sea.  So  absorbed 
was  I  all  this  time  in  my  reflections,  that  I  never  heard  the 
voices  which  now  suddenly  burst  upon  my  ears  quite  close  be- 
side me.  I  turned,  and  saw  for  the  first  time  that,  at  the  end 
of  the  quarter-deck,  stood  what  is  called  a  roundhouse,  a  small 
cabin,  from  which  the  sounds  in  question  proceeded.  I  walked 
gently  forward,  and  peeped  in,  and  certainly  anything  more  in 
contrast  with  my  late  reverie  need  not  be  conceived.  There 
sat  the  Skipper,  a  bluff,  round-faced,  jolly-looking  little  tar, 
mixing  a  bowl  of  punch  at  a  table,  at  which  sat  my  friend 
Power,  the  Adjutant,  and  a  tall,  meagre-looking  Scotchman, 
whom  I  once  met  in  Cork,  and  heard  that  he  was  the  Doctor 
of  some  infantry  regiment.  Two  or  three  black  bottles,  a 
paper  of  cigars,  and  a  tallow  candle  were  all  the  table  equipage  ; 
but,  certainly,  the  party  seemed  not  to  want  for  spirits  and  fun, 
to  judge  from  the  hearty  bursts  of  laughing  that  every  moment 
pealed  forth,  and  shook  the  little  building  that  held  them. 
Power,  as  usual  with  him,  seemed  to  be  taking  the  lead,  and 
was  evidently  amusing  himself  with  the  peculiarities  of  his 
companions. 

"  Come,  Adjutant,  fill  up  ;  here's  to  the  campaign  before  us  ; 
we,  at  least,  have  nothing  but  pleasure  in  the  anticipation ; 
no  lovely  wife  behind ;  no  charming  babes  to  fret,  and  be 
fretted  for,  eh  ?  " 

"Vara  true,"  said  the  Doctor,  who  was  mated  with  a  tartar  ; 
"  ye  maun  have  less  regrets  at  leaving  hame  ;  but  a  married 
man  is  no'  entirely  denied  his  ain  consolations." 

"  Good  sense  in  that,"  said  the  Skipper ;  "  a  wide  berth  and 
plenty  of  sea  room  are  not  bad  things  now  and  then." 

"  Is  that  your  experience  also  ?  "  said  Power,  with  a  knowing 
look.  "  Come,  come,  Adjutant,  we're  not  so  ill  off,  you  see  ; 
but,  by  Jove,  I  can't  imagine  how  it  is  a  man  ever  comes  to 
thirty  without  having  at  least  one  wife ;  without  counting  his 
colonial  possessions,  of  course." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Adjutant,  wi'.h  a  sigh,  as  he  drained  his 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  245 

glass  to  the  bottom.  "  It  is  devilish  strange — woman,  lovely 
woman  !  "  Here  he  filled  and  drank  again,  as  though  he  had 
been  proposing  a  toast  for  his  own  peculiar  drinking, 

"  I  say,  now,"  resumed  Power,  catching  at  once  that  there 
was  something  working  in  his  mind — "  I  say,  now,  how  hap- 
pened it  that  you,  a  right  good-looking  soldier-like  fellow,  that 
always  made  his  way  among  the  fair  ones,  with  that  confounded 
roguish  eye  and  slippery  tongue — how  the  deuce  did  it  come  to 
pass  that  you  never  married  ?  " 

"  I've  been  more  than  once  on  the  verge  of  it,"  said  the 
Adjutant,  smiling  blandly  at  the  flattery. 

"And  nae  bad  notion  yours  just  to  stay  there,"  said  the 
Doctor,  with  a  very  peculiar  contortion  of  countenance. 

"  No  pleasing  you — no  contenting  a  fellow  like  you,"  said 
Power,  returning  to  the  charge  ;  "  that's  the  thing  ;  you  get  a 
certain  ascendency ;  you  have  a  kind  of  success  that  renders 
you,  as  the  French  say,  tete  viontee.,  and  you  think  no  woman 
rich  enough,  or  good-looking  enough,  or  big  enough. 

"No;  by  Jove  you're  wrong,"  said  the  Adjutant,  swallowing 
the  bait,  hook  and  all — "  quite  wrong  there  ;  for,  somehow,  all 
my  life,  I  was  decidedly  susceptible.  Not  that  I  cared  much 
for  your  blushing  sixteen,  or  budding  beauties  in  white  muslin, 
fresh  from  a  back-board  and  a  governess  ;  no,  my  taste  inclined 
rather  to  the  more  sober  charms  of  two  or  three-and-thirty,  the 
embonpoint,  a  good  foot  and  ankle,  a  sensible  breadth  about  the 
shoulders " 

"Somewhat  Dutch-like,  I  take  it,"  said  the  Skipper,  puffing 
out  a  volume  of  smoke  ;  "  a  little  bluff  in  the  bows,  and  great 
stowage,  eh  ?  " 

"You  leaned,  then,  towards  the  widows.-"'  said  Power. 

"  Exactly  :  I  confess,  a  widow  always  was  my  weakness. 
There  was  something  I  ever  liked  in  the  notion  of  a  woman 
who  had  got  over  all  the  awkward  girlishness  of  early  years, 
and  had  that  self-possession  which  habit  and  knowledge  of 


246  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  world  confer,  and  knew  enough  of  herself  to  understand 
what  she  really  wished,  and  where  she  would  really  go." 

"  Like  the  trade  winds,"  puffed  fhe  Skipper. 

"  Then,  as  regards  fortune,  they  have  a  decided  superiority 
over  the  spinster  class.  I  defy  any  man  breathing — let  him  be 
half  police-magistrate,  half  chancellor — to  find  out  the  figure 
of  a  young  lady's  dower.  On  your  first  introduction  to  the 
house,  some  kind  friend  whispers,  '  Go  it,  old  boy ;  forty  thou- 
sand, not  a  penny  less.'  A  few  weeks  later,  as  the  siege  pro- 
gresses, a  maiden  aunt,  disposed  to  pufiing,  comes  down  to 
twenty  ;  this  diminishes  again  one-half,  but  then  '  the  money  is  in 
Bank  Stock,  hard  Three-and-a-Half.'  You  go  a  little  farther, 
and,  as  you  sit  one  day  over  your  wine  with  papa,  he  certainly 
promulgates  the  fact  that  his  daughter  has  five  thousand  pounds^ 
two  of  which  turn  out  to  be  in  Mexican  bonds,  and  three  in 
an  Irish  mortgage." 

"Happy  for  you,"  interrupted  Power,  "that  it  be  not  in 
Galway,  where  a  proposal  to  foreclose  would  be  a  signal  for 
your  being  called  out,  and  shot  without  benefit  of  clergy." 

"  Bad  luck  to  it,  for  Galway,"  said  the  Adjutant.  "  I  was 
nearly  taken  in  there  once  to  marry  a  girl  that  her  brother-in- 
law  swore  had  eight  hundred  a  year,  and  it  came  out  after- 
wards that  so  she  had,  but  it  was  for  one  year  only ;  and  he 
challenged  me  for  doubting  his  word  too." 

"  There's  an  old  formula  for  finding  out  an  Irish  fortune," 
says  Power,  "  worth  all  the  algebra  they  ever  taught  in  Trinity, 
Take  the  half  of  the  assumed  sum,  and  divide  it  by  three ;  the 
quotient  will  be  a  flattering  representative  of  the  figure  sought 
for." 

"  Not  in  the  north,"  said  the  Adjutant,  firmly — "  not  in  the 
north,  Power ;  they  are  all  well  ofif  there.  There's  a  race  of  canny, 
thrifty,  half-Scotch  niggers — your  pardon,  Doctor,  they  are  all 
Irish — linen-weaving,  Presbyterian,  yarn-factoring,  long-nosed, 
hard-drinking  fellows,  that  lay  by  rather  a  snug  thing  now  and 
then.     Do  you  know,  I  was  very  near  it  once  in   the  nortli. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  247 

I've  half  a  mind  to  tell  you  the  story ;  though,  perhaps,  you'll 
laugh  at  me." 

The  whole  party  at  once  protested  that  nothing  could  induce 
them  to  deviate  so  widely  from  the  line  of  propriety  ;  and  the 
Skipper  having  mixed  a  fresh  bowl,  and  filled  all  the  glasses 
round,  the  cigars  were  lighted,  and  the  Adjutant  began. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

THE  adjutant's   STORY — LIFE  IN  DERRY. 

"  It  is  now  about  eight,  maybe  ten,  years  since,  we  were 
ordered  to  march  from  Belfast  and  take  up  our  quarters  in 
Londonderry.  We  had  not  been  more  than  a  few  weeks  alto- 
gether in  Ulster,  when  the  order  came  ;  and,  as  we  had  been, 
for  the  preceding  two  years,  doing  duty  in  the  south  and  west, 
we  concluded  that  the  island  was  tolerably  the  same  in  all 
parts.  We  opened  our  campaign  in  tha  maiden  city,  exactly 
as  we  had  been  doing  with  '  unparalleled  success '  in  Cashel, 
Fermoy,  Tuam,  etc. — that  is  to  say,  we  announced  garrison 
balls  and  private  theatricals ;  offered  a  cup  to  be  run  for  in 
steeple-chase ;  turned  out  a  four-in-hand  drag,  with  mottled 
greys ;  and  brought  over  two  Deal  boats  to  challenge  the 
north." 

"The  i8th  found  the  place  stupid,"  said  his  companions. 

"  To  be  sure  they  did  ;  slow  fellows  like  them  must  find 
any  place  stupid.  No  dinners  ;  but  they  gave  none.  No  fun  : 
but  they  had  none  in  themselves.  In  fact,  we  knew  better  i 
we  understood  how  the  thing  was  to  be  done  ;  and  resolved 
that,  as  a  mine  of  rich  ore  lay  unworked,  it  was  reserved  for  us 
to  produce  the  shining  metal  that  others,  less  discerning,  had 
failed  to  discover.  Little  we  knew  of  the  matter;  never  was 
there  a  blunder  like  ours.     Were  you  ever  in  Derry  }  " 


248  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"Never,"  said  the  three  listeners. 

"  Well,  then,  let  me  inform  you  that  the  place  has  its  own 
peculiar  features.  In  the  first  place,  all  the  large  towns  in  the 
south  and  west  have,  besides  the  country  neighborhood  that  sur- 
rounds them,  a  certain  sprinkling  of  gentlefolk,  who,  though  with 
small  fortunes  and  not  much  usage  of  the  world,  are  still  a  great 
accession  to  society,  and  makeup  the  blank  which,  even  in  the 
most  thickly-peopled  country,  would  be  sadly  felt  without  them. 
Now,  in  Derry,  there  is  none  of  this.  After  the  great  guns — ■ 
and,  per  Baccho  I  what  great  guns  they  are  1 — you  have  nothing 
but  the  men  engaged  in  commerce — sharp,  clever,  shrewd,  well- 
informed  fellows ;  they  are  deep  in  flax-seed,  cunning  in 
molasses,  and  not  to  be  excelled  in  all  that  pertains  to  coffee, 
sassafras,  cinnamon,  gum,  oakum,  and  elephants'  teeth.  The 
place  is  a  rich  one,  and  the  spirit  of  commerce  is  felt  through- 
out it.  Nothing  is  cared  for,  nothing  is  talked  of,  nothing 
alluded  to,  that  does  not  bear  upon  this ;  and,  in  fact,  if  you 
haven't  a  venture  in  Smyrna  figs,  Memel  timber,  Dutch  dolls, 
or  some  such  commodity,  you  are  absolutely  nothing,  and 
might  as  well  be  at  a  ball  with  a  cork  leg,  or  go  deaf  to  the 
Opera. 

'•  Now,  when  I've  told  thus  much,  I  leave  you  to  guess  what 
impression  our  triumphal  entry  into  the  city  produced.  In- 
stead of  the  admiring  crowds  that  awaited  us  elsewhere,  as  we 
marched  gaily  into  quarters,  here  we  saw  nothing  but  grave, 
sober-looking,  and,  I  confess  it,  intelligent-looking  faces,  that 
scrutinized  our  appearance  closely  enough,  but  evidently  with 
no  great  approval,  and  less  enthusiasm.  The  men  passed  on 
hurriedly  to  the  counting-houses  and  wharfs  ;  the  women,  with 
almost  as  little  interest,  peeped  at  us  from  the  windows,  and 
walked  away  again.  Oh  !  how  we  wished  for  Galway — glorious 
Galway,  that  paradise  of  the  infantry,  that  lies  west  of  the 
Shannon.  Little  we  knew,  as  we  ordered  the  band,  in  lively 
anticipation  of  the  gaieties  before  us,  to  strike  up  '  Payne's 
first  set,'  that  to  the  ears  of  the  fair  listeners,  in  Ship  Quay 


7nE  IRISH  DKAGOO.V.  24c) 

Street,  the  rumble  of  a  sugar  hogshead,  or  the  crank  of  a 
weighing  crane,  were  more  delightful  music." 

"  By  Jove,"  interrupted  Power,  "  you  are  quite  right.  Women 
are  strongly  imitative  in  their  tastes.  The  lovely  Italian, 
whose  very  costume  is  a  natural  following  of  a  Raphael,  is  no 
more  like  the  pretty  Liverpool  damsel  than  Genoa  is  to 
Glasnevin  ;  and  yet,  what  the  deuce  have  they,  dear  souls  ! 
with  their  feet  upon  a  soft  carpet  and  their  eyes  upon  the 
pages  of  Scott  or  Byron,  to  do  with  all  the  cotton  or  dimity 
that  ever  was  printed  ?  But  let  us  not  repine  :  that  very  plastic 
character  is  our  greatest  blessing." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure  that  it  always  exists,"  said  the  Doctor, 
dubiously,  as  though  his  own  experience  pointed  otherwise. 

"Well,  go  ahead  !  "  said  the  Skipper,  who  evidently  disliked 
the  digression  thus  interrupting  the  Adjutant's  story. 

"  Well,  we  marched  along,  looking  right  and  left  at  the  pretty 
caces — and  there  were  plenty  of  them,  too — that  a  momentary 
curiosity  drew  to  the  windows;  but,  although  we  smiled,  and 
ogled,  and  leered,  as  only  a  newly  arrived  regiment  can  smile, 
ogle,  or  leer,  by  all  that's  provoking  we  might  as  well  have 
wasted  our  blandishments  upon  the  Presbyterian  meeting-house 
that  frowned  upon  us  with  its  high-pitched  roof  and  round 
ft'indows. 

" '  Droll  people,  these,'  said  one  ;  '  Rayther  rum  ones,'  cried 
another  ;  '  The  black  north,  by  Jove  ! '  said  a  third  ;  and  so  we 
went  along  to  the  barracks,  somewhat  displeased  to  think  that, 
though  the  i8th  were  slow,  they  might  have  met  their  match. 

"  Disappointed,  as  we  undoubtedly  felt,  at  the  little  enthusiasm 
that  marked  our  entree,  we  still  resolved  to  persist  in  our 
original  plan,  and,  accordingly,  early  the  following  morning, 
announced  our  intention  of  giving  amateur  theatricals.  The 
Mayor,  who  called  upon  our  Colonel,  was  the  first  to  learn 
this,  and  received  the  information  with  pretty  much  the  same 
kind  of  look  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  might  be  supposed 
to  assume,  if  requested  by   a  friend  to  ride  *  a  Derby.'     The 


^50  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

incredulous  expression  of  the  poor  man's  face,  as  he  turned 
from  one  of  us  to  the  other,  evidently  canvassing  in  his  mind 
'whether  we  might  not,  by  some  special  dispensation  of  Provi- 
dence, be  all  insane,  T  shall  never  forget. 

"  His  visit  was  a  very  short  one  ;  whether  concluding  that 
we  were  not  quite  safe  company,  or  whether  our  notification 
was  too  much  for  his  nerves,  I  know  not. 

"  We  were  not  to  be  balked,  however  ;  our  plans  for  gaiety, 
long-planned  and  conned  over,  were  soon  announced  in  all 
form  ;  and  though  we  made  efforts  almost  superhuman  in  the 
cause,  our  plays  were  performed  to  empty  benches,  our  balls 
were  unattended,  our  picnic  invitations  politely  declined,  and, 
in  a  word,  all  our  advances  treated  with  a  cold  and  chilling 
politeness,  that  plainly  said,  '  We'll  none  of  you.' 

"  Each  day  brought  some  new  discomfiture,  and,  as  we  met 
at  mess,  instead  of  having,  as  heretofore,  some  prospect  of 
pleasure  and  amusement  to  chat  over,  it  was  only  to  talk 
gloomily  over  our  miserable  failures,  and  lament  the  dreary 
quarters  that  our  fates  had  doomed  us  to. 

"  Some  months  wore  on  in  this  fashion,  and  at  length — what 
will  not  time  do  ? — we  began,  by  degrees,  to  forget  our  woes. 
Some  of  us  took  to  late  hours  and  brandy-and-water ;  others 
got  sentimental,  and  wrote  journals,  and  novels  and  poetry ; 
some  made  acquaintances  among  the  townspeople,  and  cut  in 
to  a  quiet  rubber  to  pass  the  evening  ;  while  another  detach- 
ment, among  which  I  was,  got  up  a  little  love  affair  to  while 
away  the  tedious  hours,  and  cheat  the  lazy  sun. 

"  I  have  already  said  something  of  my  taste  in  beauty ;  now, 
Mrs.  Boggs  was  exactly  the  style  of  woman  I  fancied.  She 
was  a  widow ;  she  had  black  eyes — not  your  jet-black,  spark- 
ling, Dutch-doll  eyes,  that  roll  about  and  twinkle,  but  mean 
nothing — no ;  hers  had  a  soft,  subdued,  downcast,  pensive 
look  about  them,  and  were  fully  as  melting  a  pair  of  orbs  as 
any  blue  eyes  you  ever  looked  at, 

"  Then,  she   had  a  short  upper  lip,    and   sweet   teeth ;  by 


7  HE  IRISH  DRA  G  O  ON.  2  5 1 

Jove,  they  were  pearls !  and  she  showed  them,  too,  pretty 
often.  Her  figure  was  well  rounded,  plump,  and  what  the 
P>ench  call  nettc.  To  complete  all,  her  instep  and  ankle  were 
unexceptional ;  and  lastly,  her  jointure  was  seven  hundred 
pounds  per  annum,  with  a  trifle  of  eight  thousand  more,  that 
the  late  lamented  Boggs  bequeathed,  when,  after  four  months 
of  uninterrupted  bliss,  he  left  Derry  for  another  world, 

"  When  chance  first  threw  me  in  the  way  of  the  fair  widow, 
some  casual  coincidence  of  opinion  happened  to  raise  me  in 
her  estimation,  and  I  soon  afterwards  received  an  invitation 
to  a  small  evening  party  at  her  house,  to  which  I  alone  of  the 
regiment  was  asked. 

"  I  shall  not  weary  you  with  the  details  of  my  intimacy  :  it 
is  enough  that  I  tell  you  I  fell  desperately  in  love.  I  began  by 
visiting  twice  or  thrice  a  week,  and,  in  less  than  two  months, 
spent  every  morning  at  her  house,  and  rarely  left  it  till  the 
'  Roast  beef '  announced  mess. 

"  I  soon  discovered  the  widow's  cue ;  she  was  serious. 
Now,  I  had  conducted  all  manner  of  flirtations  in  my  previous 
life  ;  timid  young  ladies,  manly  young  ladies,  musical,  artistical, 
poetical,  and  hysterical.  Bless  you,  I  knew  them  all  by  heart; 
but  never  before  had  I  to  deal  with  a  serious  one,  and  a  widow 
to  boot.  The  case  was  a  trying  one.  For  some  weeks  it  was 
all  very  up-hill  work ;  all  the  red  shot  of  warm  affection  I  used 
to  pour  in  on  other  occasions  was  of  no  use  here.  The  lan- 
guage of  love,  in  which  I  was  no  mean  proficient,  availed  me  not. 
Compliments  and  flattery,  those  rare  skirmishers  before  the  en- 
gagement, were  denied  me  ;  and  I  verily  think  that  a  tender 
squeeze  of  the  hand  would  have  cost  me  my  dismissal. 

*' '  How  very  slow,  all  this  ! '  thought  I,  as,  at  the  end  of 
two  months'  siege,  I  still  found  myself  seated  in  the  trenches, 
and  not  a  single  breach  in  the  fortress  ;  '  but,  to  be  sure,  it's 
the  way  they  have  in  the  north,  and  one  must  be  patient.' 

"While  thus  I  was  in  no  very  sanguine  frame  of  mind  as  to 
my  prospects,  in   reality  my  progress  was   very  considerable. 


252  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

Having  become  a  member  of  Mr.  M'Phun's  congregation,  I 
was  gradually  rising  in  the  estimation  of  the  widow  and  her 
friends,  whom  my  constant  attendance  at  meeting,  and  my 
very  serious  demeanor,  had  so  far  impressed,  that  very  grave 
deliberation  was  held  whether  I  should  not  be  made  an  elder 
at  the  next  brevet. 

"  If  the  widow  Boggs  had  not  been  a  very  lovely  and  wealthy 
widow — had  she  not  possessed  the  eyes,  lips,  hips,  ankles,  and 
jointure  aforesaid — I  honestly  avow  that  neither  the  charms  of 
that  sweet  man  Mr.  M'Phun's  eloquence,  nor  even  the  flatter- 
ing distinction  in  store  forme,  would  have  induced  me  to  prolong 
my  suit.  However,  I  was  not  going  to  despair  when  in  sight 
of  land.  The  widow  was  evidently  softened.  A  little  time 
longer,  and  the  most  scrupulous  moralist,  the  most  rigid  ad- 
vocate for  employing  time  wisely,  could  not  have  objected  to 
my  daily  system  of  courtship.  It  was  none  of  your  sighing, 
dying,  ogling,  hand-squeezing,  waist-pressing,  oath-swearing, 
everlasting-adoring  affairs,  with  an  interchange  of  rings  and 
lockets  ;  not  a  bit  of  it.  It  was  confoundedly  like  a  controversial 
meeting  at  the  Rotundo,  and  I  myself  had  a  far  greater  resem- 
blance to  Father  Tom  Maguire  than  a  gay  Lothario. 

"  After  all,  when  mess-time  came,  when  the  '  Roast  beef  ' 
played,  and  we  assembled  at  dinner,  and  the  soup  and  fish 
had  gone  round,  with  two  glasses  of  sherry  in,  my  spirits 
rallied,  and  a  very  jolly  evening  consoled  me  for  all  my  fatigues 
and  exertions,  and  supplied  me  with  energy  for  the  morrow ; 
for,  let  me  observe  here,  that  I  only  made  love  before  dinner. 
The  evenings  I  reserved  for  myself,  assuring  Mrs.  Boggs 
that  my  regimental  duties  required  all  my  time  after  mess 
hour,  in  which  I  was  perfectly  correct ;  for  at  six  we  dined ; 
at  seven  I  opened  the  claret  No.  i  ;  at  eight  I  had  uncorked  my 
second  bottle  ;  by  half-past  eight  I  was  returning  to  the  sherry  ; 
and  at  ten,  punctual  to  the  moment,  I  was  repairing  to  my 
quarters  on  the  back  of  my  servant,  Tim  Daly,  vv-ho  had  carried 
me  safely  for  eight  years,  without  a  single  mistake,  as  the  fox- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  253 

hunters  say.  This  was  a  way  we  had  in  the  — th.  Every  man 
was  carried  away  from  mess,  some  sooner,  some  later.  I  was 
always  an  early  riser,  and  went  betimes. 

"  Now,  although  I  had  very  abundant  proof,  from  circum- 
stantial evidence,  that  I  was  nightly  removed  from  the  mess- 
room  to  my  bed  in  the  mode  I  mention,  it  would  have  puzzled 
me  sorely  to  prove  the  fact  in  any  direct  way;  inasmuch  as, 
by  half-past  nine,  as  the  clock  chimed,  and  Tim  entered  to 
take  me,  I  was  very  innocent  of  all  that  was  going  on,  and, 
except  a  certain  vague  sense  of  regret  at  leaving  the  decanter, 
felt  nothing  whatever. 

"  It  so  chanced — what  mere  trifles  are  we  ruled  by  in  our  des- 
tiny ! — that  just  as  my  suit  with  the  widow  had  assumed  its 
most  favorable  footing,  old  General  Hinks,  that  commanded 
the  district,  announced  his  coming  over  to  inspect  our  regiment. 
Over  he  came  accordingly,  and,  to  be  sure,  we  had  a  day  of  it. 
We  were  paraded  for  six  mortal  hours  ;  then  we  were  march- 
ing and  countermarching  ;  moving  into  line  ;  back  again  into 
column  ;  now  forming  open  column,  then  into  square  ;  till,  at 
last,  we  began  to  think  that  the  old  General  was  like  the  Fly- 
ing Dutchman,  and  was  probably  condemned  to  keep  on 
drilling  us  to  the  day  of  judgment.  To  be  sure,  he  enlivened 
the  proceeding  to  me  by  pronouncing  the  regiment  the  worst- 
drilled  and  appointed  corps  in  the  service,  and  the  Adjutant 
(me  !)  the  stupidest  dunderhead — these  were  his  words — he 
had  ever  met  with. 

'"Never  mind,'  thought  I ;  'a  few  days  more,  and  it's  little 
I'll  care  for  the  eighteen  manoeuvres.  It's  small  trouble  your 
eyes  right,  or  your  left  shoulders  forward,  will  give  me.  I'll 
sell  out,  and  with  the  Widow  Boggs  and  seven  hundred  a  year 
— but  no  matter.' 

"This  confounded  inspection  lasted  till  half-past  five  in  the 
afternoon;  so  that  our  mess  was  delayed  a  full  hour  in  con- 
sequence, and  it  was  past  seven  as  we  sat  down  to  dinner. 
Our  faces  were  grim  enough  as  we  met  together  at  first ;  but 


254  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

what  will  not  a  good  dinner  and  good  wine  do  for  the  surliest 
party  ?  By  eight  o'clock  we  began  to  feel  somewhat  more  con- 
vivially  disposed ;  and,  before  nine,  the  decanters  were  per- 
forming a  quick  step  round  the  table,  in  a  fashion  very  ex- 
hilarating and  very  jovial  to  look  at. 

"  '  No  flinching  to-night,'  said  the  senior  Major.  '  We've  had 
a  severe  day  ;  let  us  also  have  a  merry  evening.' 

'"By  Jove!  Ormond,'  cried  another,  'we  must  not  leave 
this  to-night.  Confound  the  old  humbugs  and  their  musty 
whist  party  ;  throw  them  over.' 

"'I  say,  Adjutant,'  said  Forbes,  addressing  me,  'you've 
nothing  particular  to  say  to  the  fair  widow  this  evening? 
You'll  not  bolt,  I  hope  ? ' 

"  '  That  he  shan't,'  said  one  near  me  ;  '  he  must  make  up  for 
his  absence  to-morrow,  for  to-night  we  all  stand  fast.' 

" '  Besides,'  said  another,  '  she's  at  meeting  by  this.  Old — 
what-d'ye-call-him  ? — is  at  fourteenthly  before  now.' 

" '  A  note  for  you,  sir,'  said  the  mess  waiter,  presenting  me 
with  a  rose-colored  three-cornered  billet.  It  was  from  la-cJiere 
Boggs  herself,  and  ran  thus : 

"'Dear  Sir, 
"  '  Mr.  M'Phun   and  a  few  friends  are   coming   to    tea  at  my   house 
after  meeting :  perhajis  you  will  also  favor  us  with  your  company. 

"  '  Yours  truly, 

" '  Eliza  Boggs,* 

"  What  was  to  be  done .''  Quit  the  mess — leave  a  jolly  party 
just  at  the  jolliest  moment — exchange  Lafitte  and  red  hermi- 
tage for  a  soiree  of  elders,  presided  over  by  that  sweet  man, 
Mr.  M'Phun  !  It  was  too  bad ! — but  then,  how  much  was  in 
the  scale  ?  What  would  the  widow  say  if  I  declined  ?  What 
would  she  think  1  I  well  knew  that  the  invitation  meant  noth- 
ing less  than  a  full-dress  parade  of  me  before  her  friends,  and 
that  to  decline  was  perhaps  to  forfeit  all  my  hopes  in  that 
quarter  forever. 

"  '  Any  answer,  sir  ? '  said  the  waiter, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  255 

"'Yes,'  said  I,  in  a  half-whisper,  'I'll  go — tell  the  servant, 
I'll  go. 

"  At  this  moment  my  tender  epistle  was  subtracted  from 
before  me,  and,  ere  I  had  turned  round,  had  made  the  tour  of 
half  the  table.  I  never  perceived  the  circumstance,  however, 
and  filling  my  glass,  professed  my  resolve  to  sit  to  the  last, 
with  a  mental  reserve  to  take  my  departure  at  the  very  first 
opportunity.  Ormond  and  the  Paymaster  quitted  the  room  for 
a  moment,  as  if  to  give  orders  for  a  broil  at  twelve,  and  now 
all  seemed  to  promise  a  very  convivial  and  well-sustained 
party  for  the  night. 

" '  Is  that  all  arranged  ? '  inquired  the  Major,  as  Ormond 
entered. 

"  '  All  right,'  said  he  ;  '  and  now  let  us  have  a  bumper  and  a 
song.     Adjutant,  old  boy,  give  us  a  chant.' 

"  '  What  shall  it  be,  then  ? '  inquired  I,  anxious  to  cover  my 
intended  retreat  by  any  appearance  of  joviality. 

"  '  Give  us — 

'  "  When  I  was  in  the  Fusiliers 
Some  fourteen  years  ago."  ' 

"  '  No,  no  ;  confound  it !  I've  heard  nothing  else  since  I  joined 
the  regiment.     Let  us  have  the  "  Paymaster's  Daughter."  ' 

"  'Ah  !  that's  pathetic;  I  like  that,'  lisped  a  young  Ensign. 

"  '  If  I'm  to  have  a  vote,'  grunted  out  the  senior  Major,  '  1 
pronounce  for  "  West  India  Quarters."  ' 

'"Yes,  yes,"  said  half-a-dozen  voices  together,  'Let's  have 
"West  India  Quarters."  Come,  give  him  a  glass  of  sherry, 
and  let  him  begin.' 

"  I  had  scarcely  finished  off  my  glass,  and  cleared  my  throat 
for  my  song,  when  the  clock  on  the  chimney-piece  chimed  half- 
past  nine,  and  the  same  instant  I  felt  a  heavy  hand  fall  upon 
my  shoulder.  I  turned,  and  beheld  my  servant  Tim.  This, 
as  I  have  already  mentioned,  was  the  hour  at  which  Tim  was 
in  the  habit  of  taking  me  home  to  my  quarters  ;  and  though 
we  had  dined  an  hour  later,  he  took  no  notice  of  the  circuni- 


256  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

stance,  but,  true  to  his  custom,  he  was  behind  my  chair.  A 
very  cursory  glance  at  my  '  familiar '  was  quite  sufficient  to 
show  me  that  we  had  somehow  changed  sides;  for  Tim,  who 
was  habitually  the  most  sober  of  mankind,  was,  on  the  present 
occasion,  exceedingly  drunk,  while  I,  a  full  hour  before  that 
consummation,  was  perfectly  sober. 

" '  What  d'ye  want,  sir  ? '  inquired  I,  with  something  of 
severity  in  my  manner. 

"  '  Come  home,'  said  Tim,  with  a  hiccup  that  set  the  whole 
table  in  a  roar. 

"  '  Leave  the  room  this  instant,'  said  I,  feeling  wrath  at 
being  thus  made  a  butt  of  for  his  offences.  '  Leave  the  room, 
or  I'll  kick  you  out  of  it.'  Now,  this,  let  me  add,  in  a  par- 
enthesis, was  somewhat  of  a  boast,  for  Tim  was  six  feet  three, 
and  strong  in  proportion,  and,  when  in  liquor,  fearless  as  a 
tiger. 

"  '  You'll  kick  me  out  the  room — eh  !  will  you  ?  Try — only 
try  it,  that's  all.'  Here  a  new  roar  of  laughter  burst  forth, 
while  Tim,  again  placing  an  enormous  paw  upon  my  shoulders, 
continued,  '  Don't  be  sitting  there,  making  a  baste  of  yourself, 
when  you've  got  enough.     Don't  you  see  you're  drunk  ? ' 

"  I  sprang  to  my  legs  on  this,  and  made  a  rush  to  the  fireplace, 
to  secure  the  poker  ;  but  Tim  was  beforehand  with  me,  and  seiz- 
ing me  by  the  waist  with  both  hands,  flung  me  across  his  shoul- 
ders, as  though  I  were  a  baby,  saying,  at  the  same  time,  '  I'  11  take 
you  away  at  half-past  eight,  to-morrow,  av  you're  as  rampageous 
again.'  I  kicked,  I  plunged,  I  swore,  I  threatened,  I  even 
begged  and  implored  to  be  set  down  ;  but,  whether  my  voice 
was  lost  in  the  uproar  around  me,  or  that  Tim  only  regarded 
my  denunciations  in  the  light  of  cursing,  I  know  not,  but  he 
carried  me  bodily  down  the  stairs,  steadying  himself  by  one 
hand  on  the  banisters,  while  with  the  other  he  held  me  as  in  a 
vice.  I  had  but  one  consolation  all  this  while ;  it  was  this, 
that,  as  my  quarters  lay  immediately  behind  the  mess-room, 
Tim's  excursion  would  soon  come  to  an  end,   and  I  should 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  257 

be  free  once  more  ;  but  guess  my  terror  to  find  that  the  drunken 
scoundrel,  instead  of  going,  as  usual,  to  the  left,  turned  short 
to  the  right  hand,  and  marched  boldly  into  Ship  Quay  Street. 
Every  window  in  the  mess-room  was  filled  with  our  fellows, 
absolutely  shouting  with  laughter.  '  Go  it  Tim  ! — that's  the 
fellow  ! — hold  him  tight ! — never  let  go  ! '  cried  a  dozen  voices  ; 
while  the  wretch,  with  the  tenacity  of  drunkenness,  gripped  me 
still  harder,  and  took  his  way  down  the  middle  of  the  street. 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  evening  in  July,  a  soft  summer  night,  as 
I  made  this  pleasing  excursion  down  the  most  frequented  thor- 
oughfare in  the  maiden  city;  my  struggles  every  moment  excit- 
ing roars  of  laughter  from  an  increasing  crowd  of  spectators, 
who  seemed  scarcely  less  amused  than  puzzled  at  the  exhibi- 
tion. In  the  midst  of  a  torrent  of  imprecations  against  my  tor- 
turer, a  loud  noise  attracted  me.  I  turned  my  head,  and  saw 
— horror  of  horrors  ! — the  door  of  the  meeting-house  just  flung 
open,  and  the  congregation  issuing  forth  en  masse.  Is  it  any 
wonder  if  I  remember  no  more  ?  There  I  was,  the  chosen  one 
of  the  widow  Boggs — the  elder  elect — the  favored  friend  and 
admired  associate  of  Mr.  M'Phun,  taking  an  airing  on  a  sum- 
mer's evening  on  the  back  of  a  drunken  Irishman.  Oh  !  the 
thought  was  horrible  ;  and,  certainly,  the  short  and  pithy  epithets 
l)y  which  I  was  characterized  in  the  crowd,  neither  improved 
my  temper  nor  assuaged  my  wrath ;  and  I  feel  bound  to  con- 
fess that  my  own  language  was  neither  serious  nor  becoming. 
Tim,  however,  cared  little  for  all  this,  and  pursued  the  even 
tenor  of  his  way  through  the  whole  crowd,  nor  stopped  till,  hav- 
ing made  half  the  circuit  of  the  wall,  he  deposited  me  safe  at 
my  own  door,  adding,  as  he  set  me  down,  '  Oh  !  av  you're  as 
throublesome  every  evening,  it's  a  wheelbarrow  I'll  be  obleeged 
to  bring  for  you.* 

"  The  next  day  I  obtained  a  short  leave  of  absence,  and,  ere 
a  fortnight  expired,  exchanged  into  the  — th,  preferring  Halifax 
itself  to  the  ridicule  that  awaited  me  in  Londonderry."' 

17 


258  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

FRED    power's  ADVENTURE  IN    PHILIPSTOWN. 

The  lazy  hours  of  the  long  summer  day  crept  slowly  over. 
The  sea,  unbroken  by  foam  or  ripple,  shone  like  a  broad  blue 
mirror,  reflecting  here  and  there  some  fleecy  patches  of  snow- 
white  cloud  as  they  stood  unmoved  in  the  sky.  The  good  ship 
rocked  to  and  fro  with  a  heavy  and  lumbering  motion  ;  the 
cordage  rattled ;  the  bulkheads  creaked ;  the  sails  flapped 
lazily  against  the  masts ;  the  very  sea-gulls  seemed  to  sleep  as 
they  rested  on  the  long  swell  that  bore  them  along  ;  and  every- 
thing in  sea  and  sky  bespoke  the  calm.  No  sailor  trod  the 
deck  ;  no  watch  was  stirring ;  the  very  tiller  ropes  were  de- 
serted ;  and  as  they  traversed  backwards  and  forwards  with 
every  roll  of  the  vessel,  told  that  we  had  no  steerage  way,  and 
lay  a  mere  log  upon  the  water. 

I  sat  alone  in  the  bow,  and  fell  into  a  musing  fit  upon  the 
past  and  the  future.  How  happily  for  us  is  it  ordained  that, 
in  the  most  stirring  existences,  there  are  every  here  and  there 
such  little  resting-spots  of  reflection,  from  which,  as  from  some 
eminence,  we  look  back  upon  the  road  we  have  been  treading 
in  life,  and  cast  a  wistful  glance  at  the  dark  vista  before  us  ! 
When  first  we  set  out  upon  our  worldly  pilgrimage,  these  are, 
indeed,  precious  moments,  when,  with  buoyant  heart  and  spirit 
high,  believing  all  things,  trusting  all  things,  our  very  youth 
comes  back  to  us,  reflected  from  every  object  we  meet ;  and, 
like  Narcissus,  we  are  but  worshipping  our  own  image  in  the 
water.  As  we  go  on  in  life,  the  cares,  the  anxieties,  and  the 
business  of  the  world,  engross  us  more  and  more  ;  and  such 
moments  become  fewer  and  shorter.  Many  a  bright  dream  has 
been   dissolved,  many  a  fairy  vision  replaced,  by  some  dark 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  259 

reality ;  blighted  hopes,  false  friendships,  have  gradually  worn 
callous  the  heart  once  alive  to  every  gentle  feeling,  and  time 
begins  to  tell  upon  us  ;  yet  still,  as  the  well-remembered  melody 
to  which  we  listened  with  delight  in  infancy  brings  to  our 
mature  age  a  touch  of  early  years,  will  the  very  association 
of  these  happy  moments  recur  to  us  in  our  reverie,  and 
make  us  young  again  in  thought.  Then  it  is  that,  as  we  look 
back  upon  our  worldly  career,  we  become  convinced  how  truly 
is  the  child  the  father  of  the  man,  how  frequently  are  the  pro- 
jects of  our  manhood  the  fruit  of  some  boyish  predilection"; 
and  that,  in  the  emulative  ardor  that  stirs  the  schoolboy's 
heart,  we  may  read  Xht  prestige  of  that  high  daring  that  makes 
a  hero  of  its  possessor. 

These  moments,  too,  are  scarcely  more  pleasurable  than  they 
are  salutary  to  us.  Disengaged,  for  the  time,  from  every 
worldly  anxiety,  we  pass  in  review  before  our  own  selves,  and 
in  the  solitude  of  our  own  hearts  are  we  judged.  That  still 
small  voice  of  conscience,  unheard  and  unlistened  to  amid  the 
din  and  bustle  of  life,  speaks  audibly  to  us  now  ;  and,  while 
chastened  on  one  side  by  regrets,  we  are  sustained  on  the  other 
by  some  approving  thought,  and  with  many  a  sorrow  for  the 
past,  and  many  a  promise  for  the  future,  we  begin  to  feel  "  how 
good  it  is  for  us  to  be  here." 

The  evening  wore  later ;  the  red  sun  sank  down  upon  the 
sea,  growing  larger  and  larger  ;  the  long  line  of  mellow  gold 
that  sheeted  along  the  distant  horizon,  grew  first  of  a  dark 
ruddy  tinge,  then  paler  and  paler,  till  it  became  almost  gray; 
a  single  star  shone  faintly  in  the  east,  and  darkness  soon  set 
in.  With  night  came  the  wind,  for  almost  imperceptibly  tlic 
sails  swelled  slowly  out,  a  slight  rustle  at  the  bow  followed,  the 
ship  lay  gently  over,  and  we  were  once  more  in  motion.  It 
struck  four  bells  ;  some  casual  resemblance  in  the  sound  of  the 
old  pendulum  that  marked  the  hour  at  my  uncle's  house,  startled 
me,  so  that  I  actually  knew  not  where  I  was.  With  lightning 
speed  my  once  home  ruse  up  before  me  with  its  happy  iiearls ; 


2  6o  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  old  familiar  faces  were  there ;  the  gay  laugh  was  in  my 
ears  ;  there  sat  my  dear  old  uncle,  as  witli  bright  eye  and  mellow 
voice  he  looked  a  very  welcome  to  his  guests  ;  there  Boyle  : 
there  Considine  ;  there  the  grim-visaged  portraits  that  graced 
the  old  walls,  whose  black  oak  wainscot  stood  in  broad  light 
and  shadow,  as  the  blazing  turf  fire  shone  upon  it ;  there  was 
my  own  place,  now  vacant ;  methought  my  uncle's  eye  was 
turned  towards  it,  and  that  I  heard  him  say,  "  My  poor  boy  ! 
I  wonder  where  is  he  now  !  "  My  heart  swelled ;  my  chest 
heaved  ;  the  tears  coursed  slowly  down  my  cheeks,  as  I  asked 
myself,  "  Shall  I  ever  see  them  more  ?  "  Oh  !  how  little,  how 
very  little  to  us  are  the  accustomed  blessings  of  our  life,  till  some 
change  has  robbed  us  of  them  ;  and  how  dear  are  they  when 
lost  to  us.  My  uncle's  dark  foreboding  that  we  should  never 
meet  again  on  earth  came,  for  the  first  time,  forcibly  to  my 
mind,  and  my  heart  was  full  to  bursting.  What  could  repay 
me  for  the  agony  of  that  moment,  as  I  thought  of  him — my 
first,  my  best,  my  only  friend — whom  I  had  deserted  ?  and  how 
gladly  would  I  have  resigned  my  bright  day-dawn  of  ambition 
to  be  once  more  beside  his  chair;  to  hear  his  voice  ;  to  see  his 
smile  ;  to  feel  his  love  for  me  !  A  loud  laugh  from  the  cabin 
roused  me  from  my  sad  depressing  reverie  ;  and,  at  the  same 
instant,  Mike's  well-known  voice  informed  me  that  the  Captain 
was  looking  for  me  everywhere,  as  supper  was  on  the  table. 
Little  as  I  felt  disposed  to  join  the  party  at  such  a  moment,  as 
I  knew  there  was  no  escaping  Power,  I  resolved  to  make  the 
best  of  matters  ;  so,  after  a  few  minutes,  I  followed  Mickey 
down  the  companion,  and  entered  the  cabin. 

The  scene  before  me  was  certainly  not  calculated  to  perpetu- 
ate depressing  thoughts.  At  the  head  of  a  rude  old-fashioned 
table,  upon  which  figured  several  black  bottles,  and  various  ill- 
looking  drinking  vessels  of  every  shape  and  material,  sat  Fred 
Power  ;  on  his  right  was  placed  the  Skipper  ;  on  his  left,  the 
Doctor  :  the  bronzed,  merry-looking,  weather-beaten  features 
of  the  one  contrasting  ludicrously  with  the  pale,  ascetic,  acute- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  261 

looking  expression  of  the  other.  Sparks,  more  than  half-drunk, 
with  the  mark  of  a  red-hot  cigar  upon  his  nether  lip,  was  lower 
down ;  while  Major  Monsoon,  to  preserve  the  symmetry  of  the 
party,  had  protruded  his  head,  surmounted  by  a  huge  red  night- 
cap, from  the  berth  opposite,  and  held  out  his  goblet  to  be 
replenished  from  the  punch-bowl. 

"  Welcome,  thrice  welcome,  thou  man  of  Galway  !  "  cried 
out  Power,  as  he  pointed  to  a  seat,  and  pushed  a  wine-glass 
towards  me.  "  Just  in  time,  too,  to  pronounce  upon  a  new 
brewery  ;  taste  that ;  a  little  more  of  the  lemon  you  would  say, 
perhaps  ?  Well,  I  agree  with  you  ;  rum  and  brandy  ;  Glenlivet 
and  guava  jelly ;  limes,  green  tea,  and  a  slight  suspicion  of 
preserved  ginger — nothing  else,  upon  honor — and  the  most 
simple  mixture  for  the  cure,  the  radical  cure,  of  blue  devils 
and  debt  I  know  of  ;  eh.  Doctor  ?  you  advise  it  yourself,  to  be 
taken  before  bed-time  ;  nothing  inflammatory  in  it ;  nothing 
pugnacious  ;  a  mere  circulation  of  the  better  juices  and  more 
genial  spirits  of  the  marly  clay,  without  arousing  any  of  the 
baser  passions  ;  whisky  is  the  devil  for  that." 

"  I  canna  say  that  I  dinna  like  whisky-toddy,"  said  the 
Doctor  ;  "  in  the  cauld  winter  nights  it's  no  sae  bad." 

"  Ah  !  that's  it,"  said  Power  ;  there's  the  pull  you  Scotch 
have  upon  us  poor  Patlanders  ;  cool,  calculating,  long-headed 
fellows,  you  only  come  up  to  the  mark  after  fifteen  tumblers  ; 
whereas  we  hot-brained  devils,  with  a  blood  at  212  deg.  of 
Fahrenheit  and  a  high-pressure  engine  of  good  spirits  always 
ready  for  an  explosion,  we  go  clean  mad  when  tipsy  ;  not  but 
I  am  fully  convinced  that  a  mad  Irishman  is  worth  two  sane 
people  of  any  other  country  under  heaven." 

"  If  you  mean  by  that  insin — insin — sinuation  to  imply  any 
disrespect  to  the  English,"  stuttered  out  Sparks,  "  I  am  bound  to 
say  that  I  for  one,  and  the  Doctor,  I  am  sure,  for  another " 

"  Na,  na,"  interrupted  the  Doctor,  "  ye  mauna  coont  upon 
me  ;  I'm  no  disposed  to  fecht  ower  our  liquor." 

"  Then,  Major  Monsoon,  I'm  certain " 


262  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Are  ye,  faith  ?  "  said  the  Major,  with  a  grin  ;  "  blessed  are 
they  who  expect  nothing — of  which  number  you  are  not — for 
most  decidedly  you  shall  be  disappointed." 

"  Never  mind.  Sparks,  take  the  whole  fight  to  your  own 
proper  self,  and  do  battle  like  a  man  ;  and  here  I  stand,  ready 
at  all  arms  to  prove  my  position — that  we  drink  better,  sing 
better,  court  better,  fight  better,  and  make  better  punch  than 
every  John  Bull  from  Berwick  to  the  Land's  End." 

Sparks,  however  who  seemed  not  exactly  sure  how  far  his 
antagonist  was  disposed  to  quiz,  relapsed  into  a  half-tipsy  ex- 
pression of  contemptuous  silence,  and  sipped  his  liquor  with- 
out reply, 

"Yes,"  said  Power,  after  a  pause,  "bad  luck  to  it  for  whisky; 
it  nearly  got  me  broke  once,  and  poor  Tom  O'Reilly  of  the  5th, 
too,  the  best-tempered  fellow  in  the  service ;  we  were  as  near 
it  as  touch  and  go ;  and  all  for  some  confounded  Loughrea 
spirits,  that  we  believed  to  be  perfectly  innocent,  and  used  to 
swill  away  freely,  without  suspicion  of  any  kind." 

"  Let's  hear  the  story,"  said  I,  "  by  all  means." 

"It's  not  a  long  one,"  said  Power ;  "  so  I  don't  care  if  I  tell 
it ;  and  besides,  if  I  make  a  clean  breast  of  my  own  sins,  I'll 
insist  upon  Monsoon's  telling  you  afterwards  how  he  stocked 
his  cellar  in  Cadiz  ;  eh,  Major  ?  there's  worse  tipple  than  the 
King  of  Spain's  sherry  ?  " 

"You  shall  judge  for  yourself,  old  boy,"  said  Monsoon, 
good-humoredly  ;  "  and,  as  for  the  narrative,  it  is  equally  at 
your  service.  Of  course,  it  goes  no  further.  The  Commander- 
in-chief,  long  life  to  him  !  is  a  glorious  fellow  ;  but  he  has  no 
more  idea  of  a  joke  than  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and 
it  might  chance  to  reach  him." 

"  Recount,  and  fear  not !  "  cried  Power,  "  we  are  discreet  as 
the  worshipful  company  of  apothecaries." 

"  But  you  forget  you  are  to  lead  the  way." 

"  Plere  goes,  then,"  said  the  jolly  Captain  ;  "  not  that  the 
story  has  any  merit  in  it,  but  the  moral  is  beautiful. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  ^63 

"  Ireland,  to  be  sure,  is  a  beautiful  country,  but  somehow  it 
would  prove  a  very  dull  one  to  be  quartered  in,  if  it  were  not 
that  the  people  seem  to  have  a  natural  taste  for  the  army. 
From  the  belle  of  Merrion  Square  down  to  the  innkeeper's 
daughter  in  Tralee,  the  loveliest  part  of  the  creation  seem  to 
have  a  perfect  appreciation  of  our  high  acquirements  and  ad- 
vantages; and,  in  no  other  part  of  the  globe,  the  Tonga  Islands 
included,  is  a  red  coat  more  in  favor.  To  be  sure,  they  would 
be  very  ungrateful  if  it  were  not  the  case  ;  for  we,  upon  our 
sides,  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  make  ourselves  agreeable. 
We  ride,  drink,  play,  and  make  love  to  the  ladies,  from  Fairhead 
to  Killarney,  in  a  way  greatly  calculated  to  render  us  popular  ; 
and,  as  far  as  making  the  time  pass  pleasantly,  we  are  the  boys 
for  the  'greatest  happiness'  principle.  I  repeat  it;  we  deserve 
our  popularity.  Which  of  us  does  not  get  head  and  ears  in  debt 
with  garrison  balls  and  steeple-chases,  picnics,  regattas,  and  the 
thousand-and-one  inventions  to  get  rid  of  one's  spare  cash,  so 
called  for  being  so  sparingly  dealt  out  by  our  governors  ?  Now 
and  then,  too,  when  all  else  fails,  we  take  a  newly-joined  Ensign, 
and  make  him  marry  some  pretty  but  penniless  lass,  in  a  country 
town,  just  to  show  the  rest  that  we  are  not  joking,  but  have  seri- 
ous ideas  of  matrimony,  in  the  midst  of  all  our  flirtations.  If 
it  were  all  like  this,  the  Green  Isle  would  be  a  paradise  ;  but, 
unluckily,  every  now  and  then,  one  is  condemned  to  some  infer- 
nal place,  where  there  is  neither  a  pretty  face  nor  tight  ankle  ; 
where  the  priest  himself  is  not  a  good  fellow  ;  and  long,  ill- 
paved,  straggling  streets,  filled,  on  market  days,  with  booths 
of  striped  calico,  and  soapy  cheese,  is  the  only  promenade  ; 
and  a  ruinous  barrack,  with  mouldy  walls  and  a  tumbling 
chimney,  the  only  quarters. 

'*  In  vain,  on  your  return  from  your  morning  stroll  or  after- 
noon canter,  you  look  on  the  chimney-piece  for  a  shower  of 
visiting-cards,  and  pink  notes  of  invitation  ;  in  vain  you  ask  your 
servant  has  any  one  called.  Alas  !  your  only  visitor  has  been 
the  gauger,  to  demand  a  party  to  assist  in  still-hunting,  amid 


264  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

that  interesting  class  of  the  population,  who,  having  nothing  to 
eat,  are  engaged  in  devising  drink,  and  care  as  much  for  the  life 
of  a  red-coat  as  you  do  for  that  of  a  crow  or  a  curlew.  This 
may  seem  overdrawn ;  but  I  would  ask  you,  were  you  ever  for 
your  sins  quartered  in  that  capital  city  of  the  Bog  of  Allen  they 
call  Philipstown  ?  Oh,  but  it  is  a  romantic  spot  !  They  tell  us 
somewhere  that  much  of  the  expression  of  the  human  face 
divine  depends  upon  the  objects  which  constantly  surround  us. 
Thus  the  inhabitants  of  mountain  districts  imbibe,  as  it  were,  a 
certain  bold  and  daring  character  of  expression  from  the  scenery, 
very  different  from  the  placid  and  monotonous  look  of  those 
who  dwell  in  plains  and  valleys  ;  and  I  can  certainly  credit  the 
theory  in  this  instance,  for  every  man,  woman,  and  child  you 
meet  has  a  brown,  baked,  scuffy,  turf-like  face,  that  fully  satis- 
fies you  that,  if  Adam  were  formed  of  clay,  the  Philipstown 
people  were  worse  treated,  and  only  made  of  bog  mould. 

"  Well,  one  fine  morning,  poor  Tom  and  myself  were  marched 
off  from  Birr,  where  one  might  '  live  and  love  forever,'  to  take 
up  our  quarters  at  this  sweet  spot.  Little  we  knew  of  Philips- 
town,  and,  like  my  friend  the  Adjutant  there,  when  he  laid 
siege  to  Derry,  we  made  our  entrke  with  all  the  pomp  we  could 
muster,  and  though  we  had  no  band,  our  drums  and  fifes  did 
duty  for  it ;  and  we  brushed  along  through  turf-creels  and 
wicker  baskets  of  new  brogues  that  obstructed  the  street  till 
we  reached  the  barrack,  the  only  testimony  of  admiration  we 
met  with  being,  I  feel  bound  to  admit,  from  a  ragged  urchin  of 
ten  years,  who,  with  a  wattle  in  his  hand,  imitated  me  as  I 
marched  along,  and,  when  I  cried  halt,  took  his  leave  of  us  by 
dexterously  fixing  his  thumb  to  the  side  of  his  nose  and  out- 
stretching his  fingers,  as  if  thus  to  convey  a  very  strong  hint 
that  we  were  not  half  so  fine  fellows  as  we  thought  ourselves. 
Well,  four  mortal  summer  months  of  hot  sun  and  cloudless  sky 
went  over,  and  still  we  lingered  in  that  vile  village,  the  everlast- 
ing monotony  of  our  days  being  marked  by  the  same  brief 
morning  drill,  the  same  blue-legged  chicken  dinner,  the  same 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOiV.  265 

smoky  Loughrea  whisky,  and  the  same  evening  stroll  along  the 
canal  bank  to  watch  for  the  Dublin  packet-boat,  with  its  never- 
varying  cargo  of  cattle-dealers,  priests,  and  peelers  on  their  way 
to  the  west  country,  as  though  the  demand  for  such  colonial 
productions  in  these  parts  was  insatiable.  This  was  pleasant, 
you  will  say  but  what  was  to  be  done  ?  We  had  nothing  else. 
Now,  nothing  saps  a  man's  temper  like  ennui.  The  cranky,  pee- 
\  ish  people  one  meets  with  would  be  excellent  folk,  if  they  only 
had  something  to  do.  As  for  us,  I'll  venture  to  say  two  men 
more  disposed  to  go  pleasantly  down  the  current  of  life  it  were 
hard  to  meet  with;  and  yet,  such  was  the  consequence  of  these 
confounded  four  months'  sequestration  from  all  other  society, 
we  became  sour  and  cross-grained  ;  everlastingly  disputing  about 
trifles,  and  continually  arguing  about  matters  which  neither 
were  interested  in,  nor,  indeed,  knew  anything  about.  There 
were,  it  is  true,  few  topics  to  discuss  ;  newspapers  we  never 
saw  ;  sporting  there  was  none ;  but,  then,  the  drill,  the  return 
of  duty,  the  probable  chances  of  our  being  ordered  for  service, 
were  all  daily  subjects  to  be  talked  over,  and  usually  with 
considerable  asperity  and  bitterness.  One  point,  however, 
always  served  us  when  hard  pushed  for  a  bone  of  contention, 
and  which,  begun  by  a  mere  accident  at  first,  gradually  in- 
creased to  a  sore  and  peevish  subject,  and  finally  led  to  the 
consequences  which  I  have  hinted  at  in  the  beginning.  This 
was  no  less  than  the  respective  merits  of  our  mutual  servants ; 
each  everlastingly  indulging  in  a  tirade  against  the  other  for 
awkwardness,  incivility,  unhandiness — charges,  I  am  bound  to 
confess,  most  amply  proved  on  either  side. 

"  '  Well,  I  am  sure,  O'Reilly,  if  you  can  stand  that  fellow, — 
it's  no  affair  of  mine,  but  such  an  ungainly  savage  I  never  met,* 
I  would  say. 

"  To  which  he  would  reply,  *  Bad  enough  he  is,  certainly ; 
but,  by  Jove  !  when  I  only  think  of  your  Hottentot,  I  feel 
grateful  for  what  I've  got." 

"  Then  ensued  a  discussion,  with  attack,  rejoinder,  charge, 


266  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

and  recrimination,  till  we  retired  for  the  night,  wearied  with  our 
exertions,  and  not  a  little  ashamed  of  ourselves  at  bottom  for 
our  absurd  warmth  and  excitement.  In  the  morning  the  matter 
would  be  rigidly  avoided  by  each  party  until  some  chance 
occasion  had  brought  it  on  the  tapis,  when  hostilities  would  be 
immediately  renewed,  and  carried  on  with  the  same  vigor,  to 
end  as  before. 

"  In  this  agreeable  state  of  matters  we  sat,  one  warm  summer 
evening,  before  the  mess-room,  under  the  shade  of  a  canvas 
awning,  discussing,  by  way  of  refrigerant,  our  eighth  tumbler 
of  whisky  punch.  We  had,  as  usual,  been  jarring  away  about 
everything  under  heaven.  A  lately  arrived  post-chaise,  with  an 
old,  stiff-looking  gentleman  in  a  queue,  had  formed  a  kind  of 
*  godsend  '  for  debate,  as  to  who  he  was,  whither  he  was  going, 
whether  he  really  had  intended  to  spend  the  night  there,  or  that 
he  only  put  up  because  the  chaise  was  broken ;  each,  as  was 
customary,  maintaining  his  own  opinion  with  an  obstinacy  we 
have  often  since  laughed  at,  though,  at  the  time,  we  had  few 
mirthful  thoughts  about  the  matter. 

"As  the  debate  waxed  warmed,  O'Reilly  asserted  that  he 
positively  knew  the  individual  in  question  to  be  a  United  Irish- 
man, travelling  with  instructions  from  the  French  Government, 
while  I  laughed  him  to  scorn  by  swearing  that  he  was  the  rector 
of  Tyrrell's  Pass  ;  that  I  knew  him  well ;  and,  moreover,  that 
he  was  the  worst  preacher  in  Ireland.  Singular  enough  it 
was  that  all  this  while  the  disputed  identity  was  himself  standing 
coolly  at  the  inn  window,  with  his  snuff-box  in  his  hand, 
leisurely  surveying  us  as  we  sat,  appearing,  at  least,  to  take  a 
very  lively  interest  in  our  debate. 

" '  Come,  now,'  said  O'Reilly,  '  there's  only  one  way  to  con- 
clude this,  and  make  you  pay  for  your  obstinacy.  What  will 
you  bet  that  he's  the  rector  of  Tyrrell's  Pass  ? ' 

"  '  What  odds  will  you  take  that  he's  Wolfe  Tone  ? '  inquired 
I,  sneeringly. 

" '  Five  to  one  against  the  rector,'  said  he,  exultingly. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  267 

" '  An  elephant's  molar  to  a  toothpick  against  Wolfe  Tone,' 
cried  I. 

"  '  Ten  pounds  even  that  I'm  nearer  the  mark  than  you,'  said 
Tom,  with  a  smash  of  his  fist  upon  the  table. 

" '  Done,'  said  I — '  done.  But  how  are  we  to  decide  the 
wager  ? ' 

" '  That's  soon  done,'  said  he.  At  the  same  instant  he 
sprang  to  his  legs,  and  called  out,  '  Pat — I  say,  Pat — I  want 
you  to  present  my  respects  to ' 

"  '  No,  no,  I  bar  that — no  ex  parte  statements.  Here,  Jem, 
do  you  simply  tell  that ' 

"'That  fellow  can't  deliver  a  message.  Do  come  here,  Pat. 
Just  beg  of ' 

"  '  He'll  blunder  it,  the  confounded  fool ;  so,  Jem,  do  you 

go.' 

"  The  two  individuals  thus  addressed  were  just  in  the  act  of 
conveying  a  tray  of  glasses  and  a  spiced  round  of  beef  for 
supper  into  the  mess-room  ;  and,  as  I  may  remark  that  they 
fully  entered  into  the  feelings  of  jealousy  their  respective 
masters  professed,  each  eyed  the  other  w'ith  a  look  of  very 
unequivocal  dislike. 

" '  Arrah  !  you  needn't  be  pushing  me  that  way,'  said  Pat, 
'  an'  the  round  o'  beef  in  my  hands.' 

"  '  Devil's  luck  to  ye  !  it's  the  glasses  you'll  be  breaking  with 
your  awkward  elbow.' 

"  *  Then  why  don't  ye  leave  the  way  ?  ain't  I  your  suparior  ? 

"  *  Ain't  I  the  Captain's  own  man  ? ' 

"  *  Ay,  and  if  you  war' !  Don't  I  belong  to  his  betters  "i  Isn't 
my  master  the  two  Liftenants  ? ' 

"  This,  strange  as  it  may  sound,  was  so  far  true,  as  I  held  a 
commission  in  an  African  corps,  with  my  Lieutenancy  in  the  5th. 

"'  Be-gorra,  av  he  was  six there  now,  you  done  it! ' 

"  At  the  same  moment  a  tremendous  crash  took  place,  and 
the  large  dish  fell  in  a  thousand  pieces  on  the  pavement,  while 
the  spiced  round  rolled  pensively  down  the  yard. 


268  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Scarcely  was  the  noise  heard,  when,  with  one  vigorous  kick, 
the  tray  of  glasses  was  sent  spinning  into  the  air,  and  the  next 
moment  the  disputants  were  engaged  in  bloody  battle.  It  was 
at  this  moment  that  our  attention  was  first  drawn  towards 
them,  and  I  need  not  say  with  what  feelings  of  interest  w'e 
looked  on. 

"  '  Hit  him,  Pat — there,  Jem,  under  the  guard — that's  it — go 
in — well  done,  left  hand — by  Jove,  that  was  a  facer — his  eye's 
closed — he's  down — not  a  bit  of  it — how  do  you  like  that? — 
unfair,  unfair — no  such  thing — I  say  it  was — not  at  all — I 
deny  it ! ' 

"  By  this  time  we  had  approached  the  combatants  each  man 
patting  his  own  fellow  on  the  back,  and  encouraging  him  by 
the  most  lavish  promises.  Now  it  was,  but  in  what  way  I  never 
could  exactly  tell,  that  I  threw  out  my  right  hand  to  stop  a 
blow  that  I  saw  coming  rather  too  near  me,  when,  by  some 
unhappy  mischance,  my  doubled  fist  lighted  upon  Tom 
O'Reilly's  nose.  Before  I  could  express  my  sincere  regret  for 
the  accident,  the  blow  was  returned  with  double  force,  and  the 
next  moment  we  were  at  it  harder  than  the  others.  After  five 
minutes'  sharp  work,  we  both  stopped  for  breath,  and  in- 
continently burst  out  a  laughing.  There  was  Tom,  with  a  nose 
as  large  as  three ;  a  huge  cheek  on  one  side,  and  the  whole 
head  swinging  round  like  a  harlequin's  ;  while  I,  with  one  eye 
closed,  and  the  other  like  a  half-shut  cockle-shell,  looked 
scarcely  less  rueful.  We  had  not  much  time  for  mirth,  for  at 
the  same  instant  a  sharp,  full  voice  called  out  close  beside 
us  : — 

'"To  your  quarters,  sirs,  I  put  you  both  under  arrest,  from 
which  you  are  not  to  be  released  until  the  sentence  of  a  court- 
martial  decide  if  conduct  such  as  this  becomes  officers  and 
gentlemen,' 

"  I  looked  round,  and  saw  the  old  fellow  in  the  queue. 

" '  Wolfe  Tone,  by  all  that's  unlucky  1 '  said  I,  with  an  attempt 
at  a  smile. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  269 

"'The  Rector  of  Tyrrell's  Pass,'  cried  out  Tom,  with  a 
snuffle  ;  '  the  worst  preacher  in  Ireland — eh,  Fred  ?  " 

"  We  had  not  much  time  for  further  commentaries  upon  our 
friend,  for  he  at  once  opened  his  frock  coat,  and  displayed  to 
our  horrified  gaze  the  uniform  of  a  general  officer. 

" '  Yes,  sir,  General  Johnson,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  present 
him  to  your  acquaintance  ;  and  now,  guard,  turn  out.' 

"  In  a  few  minutes  more  the  orders  were  issued,  and  poor 
Tom  and  myself  found  ourselves  fast  confined  to  our  quarters, 
with  a  sentinel  at  the  door,  and  the  pleasant  prospect  that,  in 
the  space  of  about  ten  days,  we  should  be  broke,  and  dismissed 
the  service  ;  which  verdict,  as  the  general  order  would  say,  the 
Commander  of  the  Forces  has  been  graciously  pleased  to 
approve, 

"  However,  when  morning  came,  the  old  General,  who  was 
really  a  trump,  inquired  a  little  further  into  the  matter,  saw  it 
was  partly  accidental,  and,  after  a  severe  reprimand,  and  a 
caution  about  Loughrea  whisky  after  the  sixth  tumbler,  released 
us  from  arrest,  and  forgave  the  whole  affair." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE   VOYAGE. 

Ugh  !  what  a  miserable  thing  is  a  voyage !  Here  we  are 
now  eight  days  at  sea ;  the  eternal  sameness  of  all  around 
growing  every  hour  less  supportable.  Sea  and  sky  are  beau- 
tiful things  when  seen  from  the  dark  woods  and  waving  mead- 
ows on  shore  ;  but  their  picturesque  effect  is  sadly  marred 
from  want  of  contrast ;  besides  tliat,  the  "  ioitjoars  pork," 
with  crystals  of  salt  as  long  as  your  wife's  fingers  ;  the  pota- 
toes, that  seemed  varnished  in  French  polish  ;  the  tea,  sea- 


270  CHARLES    O'MALLEY, 

soned  with  geological  specimens  from  the  basin  of  London, 
yclept  maple  sugar  ;  and  the  butter — ye  gods  ! — the  butter  ! 
But  why  enumerate  these  smaller  features  of  discomfort,  and 
omit  the  more  glaring  ones  ?  The  utter  selfishness  which  blue 
water  suggests,  as  inevitably  as  the  cold  fit  follows  the  ague ; 
the  good  fellow  that  shares  his  knapsack  or  his  last  guinea 
on  land,  here  forages  out  the  best  corner  to  hang  his  ham- 
mock ;  jockeys  you  into  a  comfortless  crib,  where  the  uncaulked 
deck-butt  filters  every  rain  from  heaven  on  your  head  ;  he 
votes  you  the  corner  at  dinner,  not  only  that  he  may  place  you 
with  your  back  to  the  thorough  draught  of  the  gangway  ladder, 
but  that  he  may  eat,  drink,  and  lie  down,  before  you  have 
even  begun  to  feel  the  qualmislmess  that  the  dinner  of  a  troop 
ship  is  well  calculated  to  suggest ;  cuts  his  pencil  with  your 
best  razor ;  wears  your  shirts,  as  washing  is  scarce  ;  and  winds 
up  all  by  having  a  good  story  of  you  every  evening  for  the 
edification  of  the  other  "  sharp  gentlemen,"  who,  being  too 
wide  awake  to  be  humbugged  themselves,  enjoy  his  success 
prodigiously.  This,  gentle  reader,  is  neither  confession  nor 
avowal  of  mine.  The  passage  I  have  here  presented  to  you 
I  have  taken  from  the  journal  of  my  brother  officer,  Mr.  Sparks, , 
who,  when  not  otherwise  occupied,  usually  employed  his  time 
in  committing  to  paper  his  thoughts  upon  men,  manners,  and 
things  at  sea  in  general ;  though,  sooth  to  say,  his  was  not  an 
idle  life  ;  being  voted  by  unanimous  consent  "  a  junior,"  he 
was  condemned  to  offices  that  the  veriest  fag  in  Eton  or  Har- 
row had  rebelled  against.  In  the  morning,  under  the  pseu- 
donym of  Airs.  Sparks,  he  presided  at  breakfast,  having  pre- 
viously made  tea,  coffee,  and  chocolate  for  the  whole  cabin, 
besides  boiling  about  twenty  eggs  at  various  degrees  of  hard- 
ness ;  he  was  under  heavy  recognizances  to  provide  a  plate  of 
buttered  toast  of  very  alarming  magnitude,  fried  ham,  kidneys, 
etc.,  to  no  end.  Later  on,  when  others  sauntered  about  the 
deck,  vainly  endeavoring  to  fix  their  attention  upon  a  novel 
or  a  review,  the  poor  Cornet  might  be  seen  with  a  white  apron 


THE  IRISH  DKA GOON.  2 7 1 

tucked  gracefully  round  his  spare  proportions,  whipping  eggs 
for  pancakes,  or  with  upturned  shirt-sleeves  fashioning  dough 
for  a  pudding.  As  the  day  waned,  the  cook's  galley  became 
his  haunt,  where,  exposed  to  a  roasting  fire,  he  inspected  the 
details  of  a  cuisine,  for  which,  whatever  his  demerits,  he  was  sure 
of  an  ample  remuneration  in  abuse  at  dinner.  Then  came  the 
dinner  itself,  that  dread  ordeal,  where  nothing  was  praised,  and 
everything  censured.  This  was  followed  by  the  punch-making, 
where  the  tastes  of  six  diiTerent  and  differing  individuals  were 
to  be  exclusively  consulted  in  the  self-same  beverage ;  and, 
lastly,  the  supper  at  night,  when  Sparkle,  as  he  was  familiarly 
called,  towards  evening,  grown  quite  exhausted,  became  the 
subject  of  unmitigated  wrath  and  most  unmeasured  reproba- 
tion. 

"  I  say.  Sparks,  it's  getting  late  ;  the  spatch-cock,  old  boy ; 
don't  be  slumbering." 

"  By-the-bye,  Sparkle,  what  a  mess  you  made  of  that  pea- 
soup  to-day  !     By  Jove  !  I  never  felt  so  ill  in  my  life." 

"  Na,  na,  it  was  na  the  soup ;  it  was  something  he  pit  in  the 
punch,  that's  burning  me  ever  since  I  took  it.  Ou,  man,  but 
ye're  an  awfu'  creture  wi'  vittals." 

"  He'll  improve,  Doctor,  he'll  improve ;  don't  discourage 
him  ;  the  boy's  young ;  be  alive  now,  there ;  where's  the  toast 
— confound  you — where's  the  toast !  " 

"  There,  Sparks,  you  like  a  drumstick,  I  know — mustn't 
muzzle  the  ox,  eh  ?  Scripture  for  you,  old  boy ;  eat  away  ; 
Jiang  the  expense  ;  hand  him  over  the  jug — empty — eh,  Charley  ? 
Come,  Sparkle,  bear  a  hand,  the  liquor's  out." 

*'  But  won't  you  let  me  eat  ?  " 

"  Eat !  heavens,  what  a  fellow  for  eating  ?  By  George,  such 
an  appetite  is  clean  against  the  articles  of  war!  Come,  man, 
it's  drink  we're  thinking  of;  there's  the  rum,  sugar,  limes  ;  see 
to  the  hot  water.     Well,  Skipper,  how  are  we  getting  on  ? " 

"  Lying  our  course  ;  eight  knots  off  the  log  ;  pass  the  rum. 
Why,  Mister  Sparks  }  " 


27i  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

"  Eh,  Sparks,  what's  this  ?  " 

"  Sparks,  my  man,  confound  it."  And  then,  omnes  chorus- 
ing, "  Sparks  !  "  in  every  key  of  the  gamut,  the  luckless  fellow 
would  be  obliged  to  jump  up  from  his  meagre  fare,  and  set  to 
work  at  a  fresh  brewage  of  punch  for  the  others.  The  bowl 
and  the  glasses  filled,  by  some  little  management  on  Power's 
part  our  friend  the  Cornet  would  be  drawn  out,  as  the  phrase 
is,  into  some  confession  of  his  early  years,  which  seemed  to 
have  been  exclusively  spent  in  love-making — devotion  to  the 
fair  being  as  integral  a  portion  of  his  character  as  tippling  was 
of  the  worthy  Major's. 

Like  most  men  who  pass  their  lives  in  over-studious  efforts 
to  please — however  ungallant  the  confession  be — the  amiable 
Sparks  had  had  little  success  ;  his  love,  if  not,  as  it  generally 
happened,  totally  unrequited,  was  invariably  the  source  of 
some  awkward  catastrophe,  there  being  no  imaginable  error 
he  had  not,  at  some  time  or  other,  fallen  into,  nor  any  conceiv- 
able mischance  to  which  he  had  not  been  exposed.  Inconsola- 
ble widows,  attached  wives,  fond  mothers,  newly-married  brides, 
engaged  young  ladies,  were,  by  some  co/itretanps,  continually 
the  subject  of  his  attachments  ;  and  the  least  mishap  which 
followed  the  avowal  of  his  passion  was  to  be  heartily  laughed 
at,  and  obliged  to  leave  their  neighborhood.  Duels,  apologies, 
actions  at  law,  compensations,  etc.,  were  of  every-day  occur- 
rence ;  and  to  such  an  extent,  too,  that  any  man  blessed  with 
a  smaller  bump  upon  the  occiput,  would  eventually  have  long 
since  abandoned  the  pursuit,  and  taken  to  some  less  expen- 
sive pleasure ;  but  poor  Sparks,  in  the  true  spirit  of  a  martyr, 
only  gloried  the  more,  the  more  he  suffered ;  and,  like  the 
worthy  man  who  continued  to  purchase  tickets  in  the  lottery 
for  thirty  years,  with  nothing  but  a  succession  of  blanks,  he 
ever  imagined  that  Fortune  was  only  trying  his  patience,  and 
had  some  cool  forty  thousand  pounds  of  happiness  waiting  his 
perseverance  in  the  end.  Whether  this  prize  ever  did  turn  up 
in  the  course  of  years,  I  am  unable  to  say  ;  but,  certainly,  up 


THE  IRISH  DRAG OON.  273 

to  the  period  of  his  history  I  now  speak  of,  all  had  been  as 
gloomy  and  unrequiting  as  need  be.  Power,  who  knew  some- 
thing of  every  man's  adventures,  was  aware  of  so  much  of  poor 
Sparks's  career,  and  usually  contrived  to  lay  a  trap  for  a  con- 
fession that  generally  served  to  amuse  us  during  an  evening, 
as  much,  I  acknowledge,  from  the  manner  of  the  recital,  as 
anything  contained  in  the  story.  There  was  a  species  of  seri- 
ous matter-of-fact  simplicity  in  his  detail  of  the  most  ridiculous 
scenes  that  left  you  convinced  that  his  bearing  upon  the  affair 
in  question  must  have  greatly  heightened  the  absurdity  : 
nothing,  however  comic  or  droll  in  itself,  ever  exciting  in  him 
the  least  approach  to  a  smile.  He  sat  with  his  large  light-blue 
eyes,  light  hair,  long  upper  Up,  and  retreating  chin,  lisping  out 
an  account  of  an  adventure,  with  a  look  of  Liston  about  him 
that  was  inconceivably  amusing. 

"  Come,  Sparks,"  said  Power,  "  I  claim  a  promise  you  made 
me  the  other  night,  on  condition  we  let  you  off  making  the  oyster- 
patties  at  ten  o'clock  ;  you  can't  forget  what  I  mean."  Here 
the  Captain  knowingly  touched  the  tip  of  his  ear,  at  which  sig- 
nal the  Cornet  colored  slightly,  and  drank  off  his  wine  in  a 
hurried,  confused  way.  He  promised  to  tell  us,  Major,  how 
he  lost  the  tip  of  his  left  ear.  I  have  myself  heard  hints  of  the 
circumstance,  but  would  much  rather  hear  Sparks's  own  version 
of  it." 

"  Another  love  story,"  said  the  Doctor,  with  a  grin,  "  I'll  be 
bound." 

"  Shot  off  in  a  duel  ?  "  said  I,  inquiringly  ;  "  close  work, 
too." 

"  No  such  thing,"  replied  Power  ;  "  but  Sparks  will  enlighten 
you.  It  is,  without  exception,  the  most  touching  and  beauti- 
ful thing  I  ever  heard  ;  as  a  simple  story,  it  beats  the  'Vicar  of 
Wakefield  '  to  sticks." 

"  You  don't  say  so  .'' "  said  poor  Sparks,  blushing, 

"  Ay,  that  I  do,  and  maintain  it  too.     I'd  rather  be  the  hero 
of  that  little  adventure,  and  be  able  to  recount  it  as  you  do— 
18 


274  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

for,  mark  me,  that's  no  small  part  of  the  effect — than  T*d  be 
full  colonel  of  the  regiment.  Well,  I  am  sure  I  always  thought 
it  affecting  ;  but,  somehow,  my  dear  friend,  you  don't  know 
your  powers  ;  you  have  that  within  you  would  make  the  fortune 
of  half  the  periodicals  going.  Ask  Monsoon  or  O'Malley  there 
if  I  did  not  say  so  at  breakfast,  when  you  were  grilling  the  old 
hen— which,  by-the-bye,  let  me  remark,  was  not  one  of  your 
chefs-d'oeuvre.^^ 

"  A  tougher  beastie  I  never  put  a  tooth  in," 

"  But  the  story — the  story,"  said  I. 

"Yes,"  said  Power,  with  a  tone  of  command,  "the  story. 
Sparks," 

"  Well,  if  you  really  think  it  worth  telling,  as  I  have  always 
felt  it  a  very  remarkable  incident,  here  goes." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

MR.      SPARKS'S     STORY. 

"  I  SAT  at  breakfast  one  beautiful  morning  at  the  Goat  Inn  at 
Barmouth,  looking  out  of  a  window  upon  the  lovely  vale  of 
Barmouth,  with  its  tall  trees  and  brown  trout-stream  strug- 
gling through  the  woods,  then  turning  to  take  a  view  of  the 
calm  sea,  that,  speckled  over  with  white-sailed  fishing  boats, 
stretched  away  in  the  distance.  The  eggs  were  fresh  ;  the 
trout  newly  caught ;  the  cream  delicious  ;  before  me  lay  the 
Flwdwddlwji  Advertiser,  which,  among  the  fashionable  arrivals 
at  the  sea-side,  set  forth  Mr.  Sparks,  nephew  of  Sir  Toby 
Sparks,  of  Manchester, — a  paragraph,  by  the  way,  I  always 
inserted.  The  English  are  naturally  an  aristocratic  people, 
and  set  a  due  value  upon  a  title." 

"  A  very  just  observation,"  remarked  Power,  seriously,  while 
Sparks  continued. 

"  However,  as  far  as  any  result  from  the  announcement,  I 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  275 

might  as  well  have  spared  myself  the  trouble,  for  not  a  single 
person  called  ;  not  one  solitary  invitation  to  dinner  ;  not  a  pic- 
nic ;  not  a  breakfast ;  no,  nor  even  a  tea-party  was  heard  of. 
Barmouth,  at  the  time  I  speak  of,  was  just  in  that  transition 
state  at  which  the  caterpillar  may  be  imagined,  when,  having 
abandoned  his  reptile  habits,  he  still  has  not  succeeded  in  be- 
coming a  butterfly.  In  fact,  it  had  ceased  to  be  a  fishing- 
village,  but  had  not  arrived  at  the  dignity  of  a  watering-place. 
Now,  I  know  nothing  as  bad  as  this.  You  have  not,  on  one 
hand,  the  quiet  retirement  of  a  little  peaceful  hamlet,  with  its 
humble  dwellings  and  cheap  pleasures,  nor  have  you  the  gay 
and  animated  tableau  of  fashion  in  miniature  on  the  other; 
but  you  have  noise,  din,  bustle,  confusion,  beautiful  scenery, 
and  lovely  points  of  view,  marred  and  ruined  by  vulgar  associa- 
tions. Every  bold  rock  and  jutting  promontory  has  its  citizen 
occupants  ;  every  sandy  cove  or  tide-washed  bay  has  its  myriads 
of  squalling  babes  and  red  baize-clad  bathing  women,  those 
veritable  descendants  of  the  nymphs  of  old.  Pink  parasols, 
donkey-carts,  baskets  of  bread-and-butter,  reticules,  guides  to 
Barmouth,  specimens  of  ore,  fragments  of  gypsum,  meet  you  at 
every  step,  and  destroy  every  illusion  of  the  picturesque. 

" '  I  shall  leave  this,'  thought  I.  '  My  dreams,  my  long- 
cherished  dreams  of  romantic  walks  upon  the  sea-shore,  of  even- 
ing strolls  by  moonlight,  through  dell  and  dingle,  are  reduced 
to  a  short  promenade  through  an  alley  of  bathing-boxes  amid, 
a  screaming  population  of  nursery  maids  and  sick  children, 
with  a  thorough  bass  of  "  Fresh  shrimps  !  "  discordant  enough 
to  frighten  the  very  fish  from  the  shores.  There  is  no  peace, 
no  quiet,  no  romance,  no  poetry,  no  love.'  Alas  !  that  most  of 
all  was  wanting  !  for,  after  all,  what  is  it  wliich  liglits  up 
the  heart,  save  the  flame  of  a  mutual  attachment  "i  what  gilds 
the  fair  stream  of  life,  save  the  bright  ray  of  warm  affection } 
what " 

"  In  a  word,"  said  Power,  "it  is  the  sugar  in  the  punch-bowl 
of  our  existence.     J^cr^e,  Sparks  ;  push  on." 


276  CHARLES  G'M ALLEY, 

"  I  was  not  long  in  making  up  my  mind.  1  called  for  my 
bill ;  I  packed  my  clothes  ;  I  ordered  post-horses  ;  I  was  ready 
to  start ;  one  item  in  the  bill  alone  detained  me.  The  fre- 
quent occurrence  of  the  enigmatical  word  '  crw  '  following  my 
servant's  name,  demanded  an  explanation,  which  I  was  in  the 
act  of  receiving,  when  a  chaise-and-four  drove  rapidly  up  to 
the  house.  In  a  moment  the  blinds  were  drawn  up,  and  such 
a  head  appeared  at  the  window !  Let  me  pause  for  one  mo- 
ment to  drink  in  the  remembrance  of  that  lovely  being  ;  eyes, 
where  heaven's  own  blue  seemed  concentrated,  were  shaded  by 
long,  deep  lashes  of  the  darkest  brown  ;  a  brow  fair,  noble, 
and  expansive,  at  each  side  of  which  masses  of  dark-brown 
hair  waved  half  in  ringlets,  half  in  loose  falling  bands,  shadow- 
ing her  pale  and  downy  cheek,  where  one  faint  rosebud  tinge 
seemed  lingering  ;  lips  slightly  parted,  as  though  to  speak, 
gave  to  the  features  all  the  play  of  animation  which  completed 
this  intellectual  character,  and  made  up " 

"  What  I  should  say  was  a  devilish  pretty  girl,"  interrupted 
Power. 

"  Back  the  widow  against  her  at  long  odds,  any  day,"  mur- 
mured the  Adjutant. 

"  She  was  an  angel !  an  angel !  "  cried  Sparks,  with  enthu- 
siasm. 

"  So  was  the  widow,  if  you  go  to  that,"  said  the  Adjutant, 
hastily. 

"  And  so  is  Matilda  Dalrymple,"  said  Power,  with  a  sly  look 
at  me.     "  We  are  all  honorable  men — eh,  Charley  ?  " 

"  Go  ahead  with  the  story,"  said  the  Skipper  ;  "  I'm  begin- 
ning to  feel  an  interest  in  it." 

" '  Isabella,'  said  a  man's  voice,  as  a  large,  well-dressed  per- 
sonage assisted  her  to  alight — '  Isabella,  love,  you  must  take 
a  little  rest  here  before  we  proceed  farther.' 

" '  I  think  she  had  better,  sir,'  said  a  matronly-looking 
woman,  with  a  plaid  cloak  and  a  black  bonnet. 

"They  disappeared  within  the  house,  and  I  was  left  alone. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  277 

The  bright  dream  was  passed ;  she  was  there  no  longer ;  but 
in  my  heart  her  image  Uved,  and  I  almost  felt  she  was  before 
me.  I  thought  I  heard  her  voice  ;  I  saw  her  move  ;  my  limbs 
trembled ;  my  hands  tingled  ;  I  rang  the  bell,  ordered  my 
trunks  back  again  to  No.  5,  and,  as  I  sank  upon  the  sofa, 
murmured  to  myself,  '  This  is  indeed  love  at  first  sight.'  " 

"  How  devilish   sudden  it  was,"'  said  the  Skipper. 

"  Exactly  like  camp  fever,"  responded  the  Doctor.  "  One 
moment  ye  are  vara  well ;  the  next  ye  are  seized  wi'  a  kind  of 
shivering;  then  comes  a  kind  of  mandering,  dandering,  travel- 
ling a'overness." 

"  D the  camp  fever,"  interrupted  Power. 

"  Well,  as  I  observed,  I  fell  in  love ;  and  here  let  me  take 
the  opportunity  of  observing  that  all  that  we  are  in  the  habit 
of  hearing  about  single  or  only  attachments  is  mere  nonsense. 
No  man  is  so  capable  of  feeling  deeply  as  he  who  is  in  the 
daily  practice  of  it.  Love,  like  everything  else  in  this  world, 
demands  a  species  of  cultivation.  The  mere  tyro  in  an  affair 
of  the  heart  thinks  he  has  exhausted  all  its  pleasures  and 
pains  ;  but  only  he  who  has  made  it  his  daily  study  for  years, 
familiarizing  his  mind  with  every  phase  of  the  passion,  can 
properly  or  adequately  appreciate  it.  Thus,  the  more  you  love, 
the  better  you  love ;  the  more  frequently  has  your  heart 
yielded " 

"  It's  vara  like  the  mucous  membrane,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  I'll  break  your  neck  with  the  decanter  if  you  interrupt  him 
again  !  "  exclaimed  Power, 

"  For  days  I  scarcely  ever  left  the  house,"  resumed  Sparks, 
"  watching  to  catch  one  glance  of  the  lovely  Isabella.  My 
farthest  excursion  was  to  the  little  garden  of  the  inn,  where  I 
used  to  set  every  imaginable  species  of  snare,  in  the  event  of 
her  venturing  to  walk  there.  One  day  I  would  leave  a  volume  of 
poetry  ;  another,  a  copy  of  '  Paul  and  Virginia'  with  a  marked 
page  ;  sometimes  my  guitar,  with  a  broad,  blue  ribbon,  would 
hang  pensively  from  a  tree  ;  but,  alas  !  all  in  vain  ;  she   never 


278  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

appeared.  At  length,  I  took  courage  to  ask  the  waiter  about 
her.  For  some  minutes  he  could  not  comprehend  what  I 
meant;  but,  at  last,  discovering  my  object,  he  cried  out,  'Oh! 
No.  8,  sir;  it  is  No.  8,  you  mean." 

*' '  It  may  be,'  said  I.     '  What  of  her,  then  ? ' 

"  '  Oh,  sir,  she's  gone  these  three  days.' 

"  '  Gone  !  '  said  I,  with  a  groan. 

"  '  Yes,  sir ;  she  left  this  early  on  Tuesday  with  the  same 
old  gentleman  and  the  old  woman  in  a  chaise-and-four.  They 
ordered  horses  at  Dolgelly  to  meet  them  ;  but  I  don't  know 
which  road  they  took  afterwards.' 

"  I  fell  back  on  my  chair  unable  to  speak.  Here  was  I  en- 
acting Romeo  for  three  mortal  days  to  a  mere  company  of 
Welsh  waiters  and  chambermaids,  sighing,  serenading,  recit- 
ing, attitudinizing,  rose-plucking,  soliloquizing,  half-suiciding, 
and  all  for  the  edification  of  a  set  of  savages,  with  about  as 
much  civilization  as  their  own  goats. 

" '  The  bill,'  cried  I,  in  a  voice  of  thunder ;  '  my  bill  this 
instant.' 

"  I  had  been  imposed  upon  shamefully  ;  grossly  imposed 
upon,  and  would  not  remain  another  hour  in  the  house.  Such 
were  my  feelings  at  least,  and  so  thinking,  I  sent  for  my 
servant,  abused  him  for  not  having  my  clothes  ready  packed  ; 
he  replied  ;  I  reiterated  ;  and,  as  my  temper  mounted,  vented 
every  imaginable  epithet  upon  his  head,  and  concluded  by 
paying  him  his  wages  and  sending  him  about  his  business. 
In  one  hour  more  I  was  upon  the  road. 

"  *  What  road,  sir  ? '  said  the  postilion,  as  he  mounted  into 
the  saddle. 

" '  To  the  devil,  if  you  please,'  said  I,  throwing  myself  back 
in  the  carriage. 

"  '  Very  well,  sir,'  replied  the  hoy,  putting  spurs  to  his  horse. 

"  That  evening  I  arrived  in  Bedgellert. 

"  The  little  humble  inn  of  Bedgellert,  with  its  thatched  roof 
and  earthen  floor,  was  a  most  welcome  sight  to  me,  after  eleven 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  279 

hours'  travelling  on  a  broiling  July  day.  Behind  the  very 
house  itself  rose  the  mighty  Snowdon,  towering  high  above 
the  other  mountains,  whose  lofty  peaks  were  lost  amid  the 
clouds  ;  before  me  was  the  narrow  valley " 

"  Wake  me  up  when  he's  under  way  again,"  said  the  Skip- 
per, yawning  fearfully, 

"  Go  on,  Sparks,"  said  Power,  encouragingly :  "  I  was  never 
more  interested  in  my  life;  eh,  O'Malley?" 

"  Quite  thrilling,"  responded  I,  and  Sparks  resumed, 

"Three  weeks  did  I  loiter  about  that  sweet  spot,  my  mind 
filled  with  images  of  the  past  and  dreams  of  the  future,  my 
fishing-rod  my  only  companion ;  not,  indeed,  that  I  ever 
caught  anything  :  for,  somehow,  my  tackle  was  always  getting 
foul  of  some  willow-tree  or  water-lily,  and,  at  last,  I  gave  up 
even  the  pretence  of  whipping  the  streams.  Well,  one  day — I 
remember  it  as  well  as  though  it  were  but  yesterday — it  was 
the  4th  of  August — I  had  set  off  upon  an  excursion  to  Llan- 
berris.  I  had  crossed  Snowdon  early,  and  reached  the  little 
lake  on  the  opposite  side  by  breakfast  time.  There  I  sat  down 
near  the  ruined  tower  of  Dolbadern,  and,  opening  my  knap- 
sack, made  a  hearty  meal,  I  have  ever  been  a  day-dreamer ; 
and  there  are  few  things  I  like  better  than  to  lie,  upon  some 
hot  and  sunny  day,  in  the  tall  grass  beneath  the  shade  of  some 
deep  boughs,  with  running  water  murmuring  near,  hearing  the 
summer  bee  buzzing  monotonously,  and  in  the  distance,  the 
clear,  sharp  tinkle  of  the  sheep-bell.  In  such  a  place,  at  such 
a  time,  one's  fancy  strays  playfully,  like  some  happy  child, 
and  none  but  pleasant  thoughts  present  themselves.  Fatigued 
by  my  long  walk,  and  overcome  by  heat,  I  fell  asleep.  How 
long  I  lay  there  I  cannot  tell,  but  the  deep  shadows  were  half- 
way down  the  tall  mountain  when  I  awoke.  A  sound  had 
startled  me  ;  I  thought  I  heard  a  voice  speaking  close  to  me. 
I  looked  up,  and  for  some  seconds  I  could  not  believe  that  I 
was  not  dreaming.  Beside  me,  within  a  few  paces,  stood  Isa- 
l)i'lla,  the  beautiful  vision  that  I  had  seen  at  Barmouth,  but  far, 


28o  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

a  thousand  times,  more  beautiful.  She  was  dressed  in  some- 
thing Uke  a  peasant's  dress,  and  wore  the  round  hat  which,  in 
Wales  at  least,  seems  to  suit  the  character  of  the  female  face 
so  well ;  her  long  and  waving  ringlets  fell  carelessly  upon  her 
shoulders,  and  her  cheek  flushed  from  walking.  Before  I  had 
a  moment's  notice  to  recover  my  roving  thought,  she  spoke  : 
her  voice  was  full  and  round,  but  soft  and  thrilling,  as  she 
said, — 

"  '  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  for  having  disturbed  you  unconsciously  ; 
but,  having  done  so,  may  I  request  you  will  assist  me  to  fill 
this  pitcher  with  water  ? ' 

"  She  pointed  at  the  same  time  to  a  small  stream  which 
trickled  down  a  fissure  in  the  rock,  and  formed  a  little  well  of 
clear  water  beneath.  I  bowed  deeply,  and  murmuring  some- 
thing— I  know  not  what — took  the  pitcher  from  her  hand,  and 
scaling  the  rocky  cliff,  mounted  to  the  clear  source  above, 
where,  having  filled  the  vessel,  I  descended.  When  I  reached 
the  ground  beneath,  I  discovered  that  she  was  joined  by 
another  person,  whom,  in  an  instant,  I  recognized  to  be  the 
old  gentleman  I  had  seen  with  her  at  Barmouth,  and  who  in 
the  most  courteous  manner  apologized  for  the  trouble  I  had 
been  caused,  and  informed  me  that  a  party  of  his  friends  were 
enjoying  a  little  picnic  quite  near,  and  invited  me  to  make  one 
of  them. 

"  I  need  not  say  that  I  accepted  the  invitation,  nor  that  with 
delight  I  seized  the  opportunity  of  forming  an  acquaintance 
with  Isabella,  who,  I  must  confess,  upon  her  part,  showed  no 
disinclination  to  the  prospect  of  my  joining  the  party. 

"  After  a  few  minutes'  walking,  we  came  to  a  small  rocky 
point  which  projected  for  some  distance  into  the  lake,  and 
offered  a  view  for  several  miles  of  the  vale  of  Llanberris. 
Upon  this  lovely  spot  we  found  the  party  assembled  ;  they 
consisted  of  about  fourteen  or  fifteen  persons,  all  busily  engaged 
in  the  arrangement  of  a  very  excellent  cold  dinner,  each 
individual   having  some  peculiar  province  allotted  Ko  him  f 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  281 

hei,  to  be  performed  by  their  own  hands.  Thus,  one  elderly 
gentleman  was  whipping  cream  under  a  chestnut-tree,  while  a 
very  fashionably-dressed  young  man  was  washing  radishes  in 
the  lake  ;  an  old  lady  with  spectacles  was  frying  salmon  over 
a  wood  fire,  opposite  to  a  short,  pursy  man  with  a  bald  head 
and  drab  shorts,  deep  in  the  mystery  of  a  chicken  salad,  from 
which  he  never  lifted  his  eyes,  when  I  came  up.  It  was  thus  I 
found  how  the  fair  Isabella's  lot  had  been  cast,  as  a  drawer  of 
water  ;  she,  with  the  others,  contributing  her  share  of  exertion 
for  the  common  good.  The  old  gentleman  who  accompanied 
her  seemed  the  only  unoccupied  person,  and  appeared  to  be 
regarded  as  the  ruler  of  the  feast ;  at  least,  they  all  called  him 
General,  and  implicitly  followed  every  suggestion  he  threw  out. 
He  was  a  man  of  a  certain  grave  and  quiet  manner,  blended 
with  a  degree  of  mild  good-nature  and  courtesy,  that  struck 
me  much  at  first,  and  gained  greatly  on  me,  even  in  the  few 
minutes  I  conversed  with  him  as  we  came  along.  Just  before 
he  presented  me  to  his  friends,  he  gently  touched  my  arm,  and, 
drawing  me  aside,  whispered  in  my  ear, — 

"  '  Don't  be  surprised  at  anything  you  may  hear  to-day  here  ; 
ior  I  must  inform  you  this  is  a  kind  of  club,  as  I  may  call  it, 
where  every  one  assumes  a  certain  character,  and  is  bound  to 
sustain  it  under  a  penalty.  We  have  these  little  meetings 
every  now  and  then  ;  and,  as  strangers  are  never  present,  I 
feel  some  explanation  necessary,  that  you  may  be  able  to  enjoy 
the  thing  ; — you  understand  ? ' 

"'Oh,  perfectly,' said  I,  overjoyed  at  the  novelty  of  the 
scene,  and  anticipating  much  pleasure  from  my  chance  meet- 
ing with  such  very  original  characters. 

"  *  Mr.  Sparks,  Mrs.  Winterbottom.  Allow  me  to  present 
Mr.  Sparks  !  ' 

"  '  Any  news  from  Batavia,  young  gentleman  ? '  said  the 
sallow  old  lady  addressed.     'How  is  coffee?' 

"  The  General  passed  on,  introducing  me  rapidly  as  he 
went. 


282  CHARLES  &MALLEYi 

"  *  Mr.  Doolittle,  Mr.  Sparks.' 

"  *  Ah,  how  do  you  do,  old  boy  ? '  said  Mr,  Doolittle  ;  *  sit 
down  beside  me.  We  have  forty  thousand  acres  of  pickled 
cabbage  spoiling  for  want  of  a  little  vinegar.' 

" '  Fie,  fie,  Mr.  Doolittle,'  said  the  General,  and  passed  on  to 
another. 

"  '  Mr.  Sparks,  Captain  Crosstree.' 

"  *  Ah,  Sparks,  Sparks  !  son  of  old  Blazes  !  ha,  ha,  ha  ! '  and 
the  Captain  fell  back  into  an  immoderate  fit  of  laughter. 

"  '  Le  Roi  est  servi,^  said  the  thin  meagre  figure  in  nankeens, 
bowing,  cap  in  hand,  before  the  General ;  and,  accordingly,  we 
all  assumed  our  places  upon  the  grass. 

"  *  Say  it  again  !  say  it  again  !  and  I'll  plunge  this  dagger  in 
your  heart  !'  said  a  hollow  voice,  tremulous  with  agitation  and 
rage,  close  beside  me.  I  turned  my  head,  and  saw  an  old 
gentleman,  with  a  wart  on  his  nose,  sitting  opposite  a  meat  pie, 
which  he  was  contemplating  with  a  look  of  fiery  indignation. 
Before  I  could  witness  the  sequel  of  the  scene,  I  felt  a  soft 
hand  pressed  upon  mine.  I  turned.  It  was  Isabella  herself, 
who,  looking  at  me  with  an  expression  I  shall  never  forget, 
said  : — 

*' '  Don't  mind  poor  Faddy  ;  he  never  hurts  any  one.' 

"  Meanwhile  the  business  of  dinner  went  on  rapidly.  The 
servants,  of  whom  enormous  numbers  were  now  present,  ran 
hither  and  thither  ;  and  duck,  ham,  pigeon-pie,  cold  veal,  apple 
tarts,  cheese,  pickled  salmon,  melon  and  rice  pudding,  flourished 
on  every  side.  As  for  me,  whatever  I  might  have  gleaned  from 
the  conversation  around,  under  other  circumstances,  I  was  too 
much  occupied  with  Isabella  to  think  of  any  one  else.  My 
suit — for  such  it  was — progressed  rapidly.  There  was  evi- 
dently something  favorable  in  the  circumstances  we  last  met 
under  ;  for  her  manner  had  all  the  warmth  and  cordiality  of  old 
friendship.  It  is  true  that,  more  than  once,  I  caught  the 
General's  eye  fixed  upon  us,  with  anything  but  an  expression 
of  pleasure,  and  I  thought  that  Isabella  blushed  and  seemed 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  283 

confused  also.  '  What  care  I  ? '  however,  was  my  reflection  ; 
'  my  views  are  honorable  ;  and  the  nephew  and  heir  of  Sir 
Toby  Sparks '  Just  in  the  very  act  of  making  this  reflec- 
tion, the  old  man  in  the  shorts  hit  me  in  the  eye  with  a  roasted 
apple,  calling  out  at  the  moment, — 

"  '  When  did  you  join,  thou  child  of  the  pale-faces  ? ' 

*' '  Mr.  Murdocks  ! '  cried  the  General,  in  a  voice  of  thunder, 
and  the  little  man  hung  down  his  head,  and  spoke  not. 

"  '  A  word  with  you,  young  gentleman,'  said  a  fat  old  lady 
pinching  my  arm  above  the  elbow. 

"'Never  mind  her,'  said  Isabella,  smiling;  '  poor  dear  old 
Dorking,  she  thinks  she's  an  hour-glass.     How  droll,  isn't  it? ' 

" '  Young  man,  have  you  any  feelings  of  humanity  ? '  in- 
quired the  old  lady,  with  tears  in  her  eyes  as  she  spoke ; 
'  will  you — dare  you  assist  a  fellow-creature  under  my  sad 
circumstances  ?  ' 

"  '  What  can  I  do  for  you,  madam  ? '  said  I,  really  feeling  for 
her  distress. 

" '  Just  like  a  good  dear  soul,  just  turn  me  up,  for  I'm  nearly 
run  out.' 

"  Isabella  burst  out  a  laughing  at  the  strange  request — an 
excess  which,  I  confess,  I  was  unable  myself  to  repress  ;  upon 
which  the  old  lady,  putting  on  a  frown  of  the  most  ominous 
blackness,  said  : — 

''You  may  laugh,  madam  ;  but  first,  before  you  ridicule  the 
misfortunes  of  others,  ask  yourself  are  you,  too,  free  from 
infirmity  ?  When  did  you  see  the  ace  of  spades,  madam  ? 
answer  me  that." 

"  Isabella  became  suddenly  pale  as  death,  her  very  lips 
blanched,  and  her  voice,  almost  inaudible  muttered  : — 

"'Am  I,  then,  deceived  .-•  Is  not  this  he  ?'  So  saying,  she 
placed  her  hand  upon  my  shoulder. 

"  'That  the  ace  of  spades? '  exclaimed  the  old  lady,  with  a 
sneer — '  that  the  ace  of  spades  ! ' 

"  '  Are  you,  or  are  you  not,  sir  ? '  said  Isabella,  fixing  her 


284  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

deep  and  languid  eyes  upon  me.  '  Answer,  as  you  are  honest ; 
are  you  the  ace  of  spades  ? ' 

"  '  He  is  the  King  of  Tuscarora.  Look  at  his  war-paint ! ' 
cried  an  elderly  gentleman,  putting  a  streak  of  mustard  across 
my  nose  and  cheek. 

" '  Then  am  I  deceived,'  said  Isabella.  And,  flying  at  me, 
she  plucked  a  handful  of  hair  out  of  my  whiskers. 

"  *  Cuckoo,  cuckoo  ! '  shouted  one  ;  '  Bow,  wow,  wow  ! '  roared 
another  ;  '  Phiz  !  '  went  a  third  ;  and,  in  an  instant,  such  a  scene 
of  commotion  and  riot  ensued  !  Plates,  dishes,  knives,  forks, 
and  decanters  flew  right  and  left ;  every  one  pitched  into  his 
neighbor  with  the  most  fearful  cries,  and  hell  itself  seemed 
broke  loose.  The  hour-glass  and  the  Moulah  of  Oude  had  got 
me  down,  and  were  pummelling  me  to  death,  when  a  short 
thickset  man  came  on  all  fours  slap  down  upon  them  shouting 
out,  '  Way,  make  way  for  the  royal  Bengal  tiger  ! '  at  which  they 
both  fled  like  lightning,  leaving  me  to  the  encounter  single- 
handed.  Fortunately,  however,  this  was  not  of  very  long 
duration,  for  some  well-disposed  Christians  pulled  him  from  ofif 
me ;  not,  however,  before  he  had  seized  me  in  his  grasp,  and 
bitten  off  a  portion  of  my  right  ear,  leaving  me,  as  you  see,  thus 
mutilated  for  the  rest  of  my  days." 

"  What  an  extraordinary  club  !  "  broke  in  the  Doctor. 

"  Club  !  sir,  club  !  it  was  a  lunatic  asylum.  The  General 
was  no  other  than  the  famous  Doctor  Andrew  Moorville,  that 
had  the  great  madhouse  at  Bangor,  and  who  was  in  the  habit 
of  giving  his  patients  every  now  and  then  a  kind  of  country 
party  ;  it  being  one  remarkable  feature  of  their  malady  that 
when  one  takes  to  his  peculiar  flight,  whatever  it  be,  the  others 
immediately  take  the  hint,  and  go  off  at  score.  Hence  my 
agreeable  adventure;  the  Bengal  tiger  being  a  Liverpool 
merchant,  and  the  most  vivacious  madman  in  England  ;  while 
the  hour-glass  and  the  Moulah  were  both  on  an  experimental 
tour  to  see  whether  they  should  not  be  pronounced  totally 
incurable  for  life." 


7 HE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  285 

"And  Isabella  ?  "  inquired  Power. 

"  Ah  !  poor  Isabella  had  been  driven  mad  by  a  card-playing 
aunt  at  Bath,  and  was  in  fact,  the  most  hopeless  case  there. 
I'he  last  words  I  heard  her  speak  confirmed  my  mournful  im- 
pression of  her  case  : — 

"  '  Yes,'  said  she,  as  they  removed  her  to  her  carriage,  '  I 
must,  indeed,  have  but  weak  intellects,  when  I  could  have  taken 
the  nephew  of  a  Manchester  cotton-spinner,  with  a  face  like  a 
printed  calico,  for  a  trump  card,  and  the  best  in  the  pack  !  '  " 

Poor  Sparks  uttered  these  last  words  with  a  faltering  accent, 
and  finishing  his  glass  at  one  draught,  withdrew  without  wish- 
ing us  good-night. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


THE   SKIPPER. 


In  such  like  gossipings  passed  our  days  away,  for  our  voyage 
itself  had  nothing  of  adventure  or  incident  to  break  its  dull 
monotony  ;  save  some  few  hours  of  calm,  we  had  been  steadily 
following  our  seaward  track  with  a  fair  breeze,  and  the  long 
pennant  pointed  ever  to  the  land  whereour  ardent  expectations 
were  hurrying  before  it. 

The  latest  accounts  which  had  reached  us  from  the  Peninsula, 
told  that  our  regiment  was  almost  daily  engaged  ;  and  we  burned 
with  impatience  to  share  with  the  others  the  glory  they  were 
reaping.  Power,  who  had  seen  service,  felt  less  on  this  score 
than  we  who  had  not  "fleshed  our  maiden  swords  ;  "  but  even 
lie  sometimes  gave  way;  and,  when  the  wind  fell,  towards  sun- 
set, he  would  break  out  into  some  exclamation  of  discontent, 
half  fearing  we  should  be  too  late  ;  "  for,"  said  he,  "  if  we  go 
on  in  this  way,  the  regiment  will  be  relieved,  and  ordered  home 
before  we  reach  it." 


286  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Never  fear,  my  boys,  you'll  have  enough  of  it.  Both  sides 
like  the  work  too  well  to  give  in ;  they've  got  a  capital  ground, 
and  plenty  of  spare  time,"  said  the  Major. 

"  Only  to  think,"  cried  Power,  "  that  we  should  be  lounging 
away  our  idle  hours,  when  these  gallant  fellows  are  in  the 
saddle,  late  and  early.  It  is  too  bad  ;  eh,  O'Malley  ?  you'll  not 
be  pleased  to  go  back  with  the  polish  on  your  sabre?  What 
will  Lucy  Dashwood  say  ?  " 

This  was  the  first  allusion  Power  had  ever  made  to  her,  and 
I  became  red  to  the  very  forehead. 

"  By-the-bye,"  added  he,  "  I  have  a  letter  for  Hammersley, 
which  should  rather  have  been  entrusted  to  your  keeping." 

At  these  words  I  felt  cold  as  death,  while  he  continued  : — 

"  Poor  fellow  !  certainly  he  is  most  desperately  smitten  ;  for, 
mark  me,  when  a  man  at  his  age  takes  the  malady,  it  is 
forty  times  as  severe  as  with  a  younger  fellow,  like  you.  But 
then,  to  be  sure,  he  began  at  the  wrong  end  in  the  matter ;  why 
commence  with  papa?  When  a  man  has  his  own  consent  for 
liking  a  girl,  he  must  be  a  contemptible  fellow  if  he  can't  get 
her  ;  and,  as  to  anything  else  being  wanting,  I  don't  under- 
stand it.  But  the  moment  you  begin  by  influencing  the  heads 
of  the  house,  good-bye  to  your  chances  with  the  dear  thing  her- 
self, if  she  have  any  spirit  whatever.  It  is,  in  fact,  calling  on 
her  to  surrender  without  the  honors  of  war ;  and  what  girl 
would  stand  that  ?  " 

"  It's  vara  true,"  said  the  Doctor  :  "there's  a  strong  speerit 
of  opposition  in  the  sex,  from  physiological  causes." 

"  Curse  your  physiology,  old  Galen  :  what  you  call  opposi- 
tion, is  that  piquant  resistance  to  oppression  that  makes  half 
the  charm  of  the  sex.  It  is  with  them — with  reverence  be  it 
spoken — as  with  horses  :  the  dull,  heavy-shouldered  ones,  that 
bore  away  with  the  bit  m  their  teeth,  never  caring  whether  you 
are  pulling  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  are  worth  nothing  ;  the  real 
luxury  is  in  the  management  of  your  arching  necked  curvetter, 
springing  from  side  to  side  with  every  motion  of  your  wrist, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  287 

madly  bounding  at  restraint ;  yet,  to  the  practised  hand,  held  in 
check  with  a  silk  thread  ;  eh.  Skipper— am  I  not  right?" 

"  Well,  I  can't  say  I've  had  much  to  do  with  horse-beasts,  but 
I  believe  you're  not  far  wrong.  The  lively  craft  that  answers 
the  helm  quick,  goes  round  well  in  stays,  luffs  up  close  within 
a  point  or  two,  when  you  w^ant  her,  is  always  a  good  sea-boat, 
even  though  she  pitches  and  rolls  a  bit ;  but  the  heavy  lugger 
that  never  knows  whether  your  helm  is  up  or  down,  whether 
she's  off  the  wind  or  on  it,  is  only  fit  for  firewood — you  can  do 
nothing  with  a  ship  or  a  woman,  if  she  hasn't  got  steerage  way 
on  her." 

"  Come,  Skipper,  we've  all  been  telling  our  stories ;  let  us 
hear  one  of  yours  ? " 

"  My  yarn  won't  come  so  well  after  your  sky-scrapers  of  love 
and  courting,  and  all  that.  But,  if  you  like  to  hear  what  hap- 
pened to  me  once,  I  have  no  objection  to  tell  you. 

"  I  often  think  how  little  we  know  what's  going  to  happen  to 
us  any  minute  of  our  lives.  To-day  we  have  the  breeze  fair  in 
our  favor ;  we  are  going  seven  knots,  studding-sails  set,  smooth 
water,  and  plenty  of  sea-room  ;  to-morrow  the  wind  freshens 
to  half  a  gale,  the  sea  gets  up,  a  rocky  coast  is  seen  from 
the  lee  bow,  and  maybe — to  add  to  all — we  spring  a  leak  for- 
ward ;  but  then,  after  all,  bad  as  it  looks,  mayhap,  w^e  rub 
through  even  this,  and,  with  the  next  day,  the  prospect  is  as 
bright  and  cheering  as  ever.  You'll  perhaps  ask  me  what  has 
all  this  moralizing  to  do  with  women  and  ships  at  sea  ?  Noth- 
ing at  all  with  them,  except  that  I  was  agoing  to  say,  that  when 
matters  look  worst,  very  often  the  best  is  in  store  for  us,  and 
we  should  never  say  strike  when  there  is  a  timber  together. 
Now  for  my  story  : — 

"  It's  about  four  years  ago,  I  was  strolling  one  evening  down 
the  side  of  the  harbor  at  Cove,  with  my  hands  in  my  pockets, 
having  nothing  to  do,  nor  no  prospect  of  it,  for  my  last  ship 
had  been  wrecked  off  the  Bermudas,  and  nearly  all  the  crew 
lost ;  and  somehow,  when  a  man  is  in  misfortune,  the  under- 


28S  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

writers  won't  have  him  at  no  price.  Well,  there  I  was,  looking 
about  me  at  the  craft  that  lay  on  every  side  waiting  for  a  fair 
wind  to  run  down  channel.  All  was  active  and  busy ;  every 
one  getting  his  vessel  ship-shape  and  tidy  ;  tarring,  painting, 
mending  sails,  stretching  new  bunting,  and  getting  in  sea-store  ; 
boats  were  plying  on  every  side,  signals  flying,  guns  firing  from 
the  men-of-war,  and  everything  was  lively  as  might  be ;  all  but 
me.  There  I  was,  like  an  old  water-logged  timber  ship,  never 
moving  a  spar,  but  looking  for  all  the  world  as  though  I  were 
a  settling  fast  to  go  down  stern  foremost ;  maybe  as  how  I  had 
no  objection  to  that  same ;  but  that's  neither  here  nor  there. 
Well,  I  sat  down  on  the  fluke  of  an  anchor,  and  began  a  think- 
ing if  it  wasn't  better  to  go  before  the  mast  than  live  on 
that  way.  Just  before  me,  where  I  sat  down,  there  was  an  old 
schooner  that  lay  moored  in  the  same  place  for  as  long  as  I 
could  remember  ;  she  was  there  when  I  was  a  bo}^,  and  never 
looked  a  bit  the  fresher  nor  newer  as  long  as  I  recollected  ;  her 
old  bluff  bows,  her  high  poop,  her  round  stern,  her  flush  deck, 
all  Dutch-like,  I  knew  them  well,  and  many  a  time  I  delighted 
to  think  what  queer  kind  of  a  chap  he  was  that  first  set  her  on 
the  stocks,  and  pondered  in  what  trade  she  ever  could  have 
been.  All  the  sailors  about  the  port  used  to  call  her  Noah's 
Ark,  and  swear  she  was  the  identical  craft  that  he  stowed  away 
all  the  wild  beasts  in  during  the  rainy  season.  Be  that  as  it  might, 
since  I  fell  into  misfortune,  I  got  to  feel  a  liking  for  the  old 
schooner  ;  she  was  like  an  old  friend ;  she  never  changed  to 
me,  fair  weather  or  foul ;  there  she  was,  just  the  same  as  thirty 
years  before,  when  all  the  world  were  forgetting  and  steering, 
wide  away  from  me.  Every  morning  I  used  to  go  down  to  the 
harbor  and  have  a  look  at  her,  just  to  see  that  all  was  right 
and  nothing  stirred  ;  and,  if  it  blew  very  hard  at  night,  I'd  get 
up  and  go  down  to  look  how  she  weathered  it,  just  as  if  I  was 
at  .sea  in  her.  Now  and  then  I'd  get  some  of  the  watermen  to 
row  me  aboard  of  her,  and  leave  me  there  for  a  few  hours  ; 
when  I  used  to  be  quite  happy  walking  the  deck,  holding  the  old 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  289 

worm-eaten  wheel,  looking  out  ahead,  and  going  down  below, 
just  as  though  I  was  in  command  of  her.  Day  after  day  this 
habit  grew  on  me,  and  at  last  my  whole  life  was  spent  in  watch- 
ing her  and  looking  after  her, — there  was  something  so  much 
alike  in  our  fortunes,  that  I  always  thought  of  her.  Like  my- 
self, she  had  had  her  day  of  life  and  activity ;  we  had  both 
braved  the  storm  and  the  breeze  ;  her  shattered  bulwarks  and 
worn  cutwater  attested  that  she  had,  like  myself,  not  escaped 
her  calamities.  We  both  had  survived  our  dangers,  to  be  neg- 
lected and  forgotten,  and  to  lie  rotting  on  the  stream  of  life  till 
the  crumbling  hand  of  Time  should  break  us  up,  timber  by 
timber.  Is  it  any  wonder  if  I  loved  the  old  craft?  nor  if,  by 
any  chance  the  idle  boys  would  venture  aboard  of  her  to 
play  and  amuse  themselves,  that  I  hallooed  them  away  ;  or, 
when  a  newly-arrived  ship,  not  caring  for  the  old  boat,  would 
run  foul  of  her,  and  carry  away  some  spar  or  piece  of  running 
rigging,  I  would  suddenly  call  out  to  them  to  sheer  off  and  not 
damage  us  ?  By  degrees,  they  came  all  to  notice  this ;  and 
I  found  that  they  thought  me  out  of  my  senses,  and  many  a 
trick  was  played  off  upon  old  Noah,  for  that  was  the  name  the 
sailors  gave  me. 

"Well,  this  evening,  as  I  was  saying,  I  sat  upon  the  fluke  of  the 
anchor,  waiting  for  a  chance  boat  to  put  me  aboard.  It  was 
past  sunset,  the  tide  was  ebbing,  and  the  old  craft  was  surging  to 
the  fast  current  that  ran  by  with  a  short  impatient  jerk,  as 
though  she  were  well  weary,  and  wished  to  be  at  rest ;  her 
loose  stays  creaked  mournfully,  and,  as  she  yawed  over,  the 
sea  ran  from  many  a  breach  in  her  worn  sides,  like  blood  trick- 
ling from  a  wound,  '  Ay,  ay,'  thoughr  1, '  the  hour  is  not  far  off ; 
another  stiff  gale,  and  all  that  remains  of  you  will  l)e  found 
high  and  dry  upon  the  shore."  My  heart  was  very  heavy  as  I 
thought  of  this,  for,  in  my  loneliness,  the  old  Ark -though  that 
was  not  her  name,  as  I'll  tell  you  presently — was  all  the  compan- 
ion, I  had.  I've  heard  of  a  poor  prisoner  wlio,  for  many  and 
many  years,  watched  a  spider  that  wove  his  web  within  his  win- 
19 


290  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

dow,  and  never  lost  sight  of  him  from  morning  till  night ;  and, 
somehow,  I  can  believe  it  well ;  the  heart  will  cling  to  some- 
thing, and,  if  it  has  no  living  object  to  press  to,  it  will  find  a 
lifeless  one, — it  can  no  more  stand  alone  than  the  shrouds  can 
without  the  mast.  The  evening  wore  on,  as  I  was  thinking 
thus  ;  the  moon  shone  out,  but  no  boat  came,  and  I  was  just 
determining  to  go  home  again  for  the  night,  when  I  saw  two 
men  standing  on  the  steps  of  the  wharf  below  me,  and  looking 
straight  at  the  Ark.  Now,  I  must  tell  you  I  always  felt  un- 
easy when  any  one  came  to  look  at  her,  for  I  began  to  fear 
that  some  shipowner  or  other  would  buy  her  to  break  up, 
though,  except  the  copper  fastenings,  there  was  little  of  any 
value  about  her.  Now,  the  moment  I  saw  the  two  figures 
stop  short,  and  point  to  her,  I  said  to  myself,  '  Ah !  my  old 
girl,  so  they  won't  even  let  the  blue  water  finish  you,  but  they 
must  set  their  carpenters  and  dockyard  people  to  work  upon 
you.'  This  thought  grieved  me  more  and  more.  Had  a  stiff 
sou'wester  laid  her  over,  I  should  have  felt  it  more  natural,  for 
her  sand  was  run  out ;  but,  just  as  this  passed  through  my 
mind,  I  heard  a  voice  from  one  of  the  persons,  that  I  at  once 
knew  to  be  the  Port  Admiral's  : — 

"'Well,  Dawkins,'  said  he  to  the  other,  'if  you  think  she'll 
hold  together,  I'm  sure  I've  no  objection.  I  don't  like  the 
job,  I  confess;  but  still  the  Admiralty  must  be  obeyed.' 

"  *  Oh,  my  Lord,'  said  the  other,  '  she's  the  very  thing  ;  she's 
a  rakish-looking  craft,  and  will  do  admirably  ;  any  repair  we 
want,  a  few  days  will  effect ;  secrecy  is  the  great  thing.' 

"  '  Yes,'  said  the  Admiral,  after  a  pause,  '  as  you  observed, 
secrecy  is  the  great  thing.' 

"  '  Ho  !  ho  ! '  thought  I,  '  there's  something  in  the  wind  here  ; ' 
so  I  laid  myself  out  upon  the  anchor-stock,  to  listen  better, 
unobserved. 

" '  We  must  find  a  crew  for  her,  give  her  a  few  carronades, 
make  her  as  ship-shape  as  we  can,  and,  if  the  Skipper ' 

" '  Ay,  but   there    is   the   real  difficulty,'  said  the  Admiral, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


291 


hastily  ;  '  where  are  we  to  find  a  fellow  that  will  suit  us  ?  We 
can't  every  day  find  a  man  willing  to  jeopardize  himself  in  such 
a  cause  as  this,  even  though  the  reward  be  a  great  one.' 

" '  Very  true,  my  Lord ;  but  I  don't  think  there  is  any 
necessity  for  our  explaining  to  him  the  exact  nature  of  the 
service.' 

"  '  Come,  come,  Dawkins,  you  can't  mean  that  you'll  lead  a 
poor  fellow  into  such  a  scrape  blindfolded  ? ' 

"  '  Why,  my  Lord,  you  never  think  it  requisite  to  give  a  plan 
of  your  cruise  to  your  ship's  crew  before  clearing  out  of 
harbor.' 

"  '  This  may  be  perfectly  just,  but  I  don't  like  it,'  said  the 
Admiral, 

"  '  In  that  case,  my  Lord,  you  are  imparting  the  secrets  of 
the  Admiralty  to  a  party  who  may  betray  the  whole  plot.' 

"  *  I  wish,  with  all  my  soul,  they'd  given  the  order  to  any 
one  else,'  said  the  Admiral,  with  a  sigh  ;  and,  for  a  few  moments, 
neither  spoke  a  word. 

"  '  Well,  then,  Dawkins,  I  believe  there  is  nothing  for  it  but 
what  you  say ;  meanwhile,  let  the  repairs  be  got  in  hand,  and 
see  after  a  crew.' 

"'Oh,  as  to  that,'  said  the  other,  'there  are  plenty  of 
scoundrels  in  the  fleet  here  fit  for  nothing  else.  Any  fellow 
who  has  been  thrice  up  for  punishment  in  six  months,  we'll 
draft  on  board  of  her ;  the  fellows  who  have  only  been  once  to 
the  gangway,  we'll  make  the  officers.' 

"  '  A  pleasant  ship's  company,'  thought  I,  '  if  the  devil  would 
only  take  the  command.' 

"  '  And  with  a  Skipper  proportionate  to  their  merit,'  said 
Dawkins. 

" '  Begad,  I'll  wish  the  French  joy  of  them,'  said  the 
Admiral. 

"  '  Ho  !  ho  ! '  thought  T,  '  I've  found  you  out  at  last ;  so  this 
is  a  secret  expedition;  I  see  it  all;  they're  fitting  her  out  as  a 
fire-ship,  and  going  to  send  her  slap  in  among  the  French  fleet 


292  CHARLES  O' hi  ALLEY, 

at  Brest.  Well,'  thought  I,  '  even  that's  better  ;  that,  at  least, 
is  a  glorious  end,  though  the  poor  fellows  have  no  chance  of 
escape.' 

"  '  Now,  then,'  said  the  Admiral,  '  to-morrow  you'll  look  out 
for  the  fellow  to  take  the  command.  He  must  be  a  smart 
seaman,  a  bold  fellow,  too,  otherwise  the  ruffianly  crew  will  be 
too  much  for  him ;  he  may  bid  high,  we'll  come  to  his  price.' 

"  '  So  you  may,'  thought  I,  '  when  you're  buying  his  life.' 

"'I  hope  sincerely,'  continued  the  Admiral,  'that  we  may 
light  upon  some  one  without  wife  or  child ;  I  never  could  for- 
give myself ' 

"  '  Never  fear,  my  Lord,'  said  the  other  ;  '  my  care  shall  be 
to  pitch  upon  one  whose  loss  no  one  would  feel ;  some  one 
without  friend  or  home,  who,  setting  his  life  for  nought,  cares 
less  for  the  gain  than  the  very  recklessness  of  the  adventure.' 

"'That's  me,' said  I,  springing  up  from  the  anchor-stock, 
and  springing  between  them  ;  '  I'm  that  man.' 

"  Had  the  very  devil  himself  appeared  at  the  moment,  I 
doubt  if  they  would  have  been  more  scared.  The  Admiral 
started  a  pace  or  two  backwards,  while  Dawkins,  the  first 
surprise  over,  seized  me  by  the  collar,  and  held  me  fast. 

" '  Who  are  you,  scoundrel,  and  what  brings  you  here  ? '  said 
he,  in  a  voice  hoarse  with  passion. 

" '  I'm  old  Noah,'  said  I ;  for,  somehow,  I  had  been  called 
by  no  other  name  for  so  long,  I  never  thought  of  my  real  one. 

"  '  Noah  ! '  said  the  Admiral—'  Noah  !  Well,  but  Noah, 
what  were  you  doing  down  here  at  this  time  of  night  ? ' 

"  '  I  was  watching  the  Ark,  my  Lord,'  said  I,  bowing,  as  I 
took  off  my  hat. 

"  I've  heard  of  this  fellow  before,  my  Lord,'  said  Dawkins ; 
'  he's  a  poor  lunatic  that  is  always  wandering  about  the  harbor, 
and,  I  believe,  has  no  harm  in  him.' 

"  '  Yes,  but  he  has  been  listening,  doubtless,  to  our  conversa- 
tion,' said  the  Admiral.  '  Eh,  have  you  heard  all  we  have 
been  saying  ? ' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  293 

"  *  Every  word  of  it,  my  Lord.' 

"At  this  the  Admiral  and  Dawkins  looked  steadfastly  at 
each  other  for  some  minutes,  but  neither  spoke  ;  at  last  Dawkins 
said,  '  Well,  Noah,  I've  been  told  you  are  a  man  to  be  depended 
on  ;  may  we  rely  upon  your  not  repeating  anything  you  over- 
heard this  evening — at  least,  for  a  year  to  come  ? ' 

" '  You  may,'  said  I. 

"  *  But,  Dawkins,'  said  the  Admiral,  in  a  half  whisper,  *  if 
the  poor  fellow  be  mad  ? ' 

"  '  My  Lord,'  said  I  boldly,  '  I  am  not  mad.  Misfortune  and 
calamity  I  have  had  enough  of  to  make  me  so ;  but,  thank 
God,  my  brain  has  been  tougher  than  my  poor  heart.  I  was  once 
the  part  owner  and  commander  of  a  goodly  craft,  that  swept  the 
sea,  if  not  with  a  broad  pennon  at  her  mast-head,  with  as  light 
a  spirit  as  ever  lived  beneath  one.  I  was  rich  ;  I  had  a  home 
and  a  child  ;  I  am  now  poor,  houseless,  childless,  friendless, 
and  an  outcast.  If,  in  my  solitary  wretchedness,  I  have  loved 
to  look  upon  that  old  bark,  it  is  because  its  fortune  seemed 
like  my  own.  It  had  outlived  all  that  needed  or  cared  for  it ; 
for  this  reason  have  they  thought  me  mad,  though  there  are 
those,  and  not  few  either,  who  can  well  bear  testimony  if  stain 
or  reproach  lie  at  my  door,  and  if  I  can  be  reproached  with 
aught  save  bad  luck.  I  have  heard,  by  chance,  what  you  have 
said  this  night ;  I  know  that  you  are  fitting  out  a  secret  expedi- 
tion ;  I  know  its  dangers,  its  inevitable  dangers,  and  I  here 
offer  myself  to  lead  it ;  I  ask  no  reward,  I  look  for  no  price. 
Alas !  who  is  left  to  me  for  whom  I  could  labor  now  ? 
Give  me  but  the  opportunity  to  end  my  days  with  honor  on 
board  the  old  craft,  where  my  heart  still  clings  ;  give  me  but 
that.  Well,  if  you  will  not  do  so  much,  let  me  serve  among 
the  crew  ;  put  me  before  the  mast.  My  Lord,  you'll  not  refuse 
this;  it  is  an  old  man  asks,  one  whose  gray  hairs  have  floated 
many  a  year  ago  before  the  breeze.' 

"  '  My  poor  fellow,  you  know  not  what  you  ask ;  this  is  no 
common  case  of  danger.' 


294  CHARLES    CM  ALLEY, 

"  '  I  know  it  all,  my  Lord  :  I  have  heard  it  all. 
"  Dawkins,  what  is  to  be  done  here? '  inquired  the  Admiral. 
"  '  I  sa}',  friend,'  inquired  Dawkins,  laying  his  hand  upon  my 
arm,  '  what  is  your  real  name  ?     Are  you  he  who  commanded 
the  Dwarf  privateer  in  the  Isle  of  France  ? ' 
"  '  The  same.' 

"  '  Then  you  are  known  to  Lord  Collingwood  ? ' 
" '  He  knows  me  well,  and  can  speak  to  my  character.' 
" '  What  he  says  of  himself  is  all  true,  my  Lord.' 
"  'True,'  said  I,  '  true  !  you  did  not  doubt  it,  did  you  ? ' 
"  '  We,'  said  the  Admiral,  '  must  speak  together  again ;  be 
here  to-morrow  night  at  this  hour  ;  keep  your  own   counsel  of 
what    has    passed ;    and    now,    good-night.'     So  saying,  the 
Admiral  took  Dawkins  by  the  arm,  and  returned  slowly  towards 
the  town,  leaving  me  where  I  stood,  meditating  on   this  sin- 
gular meeting,  and  its  possiMe  consequences. 

"  The  whole  of  the  following  day  has  passed  by  me  in  a 
state  of  feverish  excitement,  which  I  cannot  describe ;  this 
strange  adventure  breaking  in  so  suddenly  upon  the  dull  mo- 
notony of  my  daily  existence,  had  so  aroused  and  stimulated  me, 
that  I  could  neither  rest  nor  eat.  How  I  longed  for  night  to 
come  ;  for,  sometimes,  as  the  day  wore  later,  I  began  to  fear 
that  the  whole  scene  of  my  meeting  with  the  Admiral  had  been 
merely  some  excited  dream  of  a  tortured  and  fretted  mind ; 
and,  as  I  stood  examining  the  ground  where  I  believed  the 
interview  to  have  occurred,  I  endeavored  to  recall  the  position 
of  different  objects  as  they  stood  around,  to  corroborate  my 
own  failing  remembrance. 

"  At  last  the  evening  closed  in  ;  but,  unlike  the  preceding  one, 
the  sky  was  covered  with  masses  of  dark  and  watery  cloud, 
that  drifted  hurriedly  across ;  the  air  felt  heavy  and  thick,  and 
unnaturally  still  and  calm  ;  the  water  of  the  harbor  looked  of 
a  dull,  leaden  hue,  and  all  the  vessels  seemed  larger  than  they 
were,  and  stood  out  from  the  landscape  more  clearly  than 
usual ;  now  and  then  a  low  rumbling  noise  was  heard,  some- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  295 

what  alike  in  sound,  but  far  too  faint  for  distant  thunder  ; 
while,  occasionally,  the  boats  and  smaller  craft  rocked  to  and 
fro,  as  though  some  ground  swell  stirred  them,  without  breaking 
the  languid  surface  of  the  sea  above. 

"  A  few  drops  of  thick,  heavy  rain  fell  just  as  the  darkness  came 
on,  and  then  all  felt  still  and  calm  as  before.  I  sat  upon  the 
anchor-stock,  my  eyes  fixed  upon  the  old  Ark,  until  gradually  her 
outline  grew  fainter  and  fainter  against  the  dark  sky,  and  her 
black  hull  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  water 
beneath.  I  felt  that  I  was  looking  towards  her;  for,  long 
after  I  had  lost  sight  of  the  tall  mast  and  high-pitched  bow- 
sprit, I  feared  to  turn  away  my  head,  lest  I  should  lose  the 
place  where  she  lay. 

"  The  time  went  slowly  on,  and,  although  in  reality  I  had 
not  been  long  there,  I  felt  as  if  years  themselves  had  passed  over 
my  head.  Since  I  had  come  there,  my  mind  brooded  over  all 
the  misfortunes  of  my  life  ;  as  I  contrasted  its  outset,  bright 
with  hope  and  rich  in  promise,  with  the  sad  reality,  my  heart 
grew  heavy  and  my  chest  heaved  painfully  ;  so  sunk  was  I 
in  my  reflections,  so  lost  in  thought,  that  I  never  knew  that  the 
storm  had  broken  loose,  and  that  the  heavy  rain  was  falling  in 
torrents.  The  very  ground,  parched  with  long  drought,  smoked 
as  it  pattered  upon  it  ;  while  the  low,  wailing  cry  of  the  sea- 
gull, mingled  with  the  deep  growl  of  far-off  thunder,  told 
that  the  night  was  a  fearful  one  for  those  at  sea.  Wet  through 
and  shivering,  I  sat  still  ;  now  listening,  amid  the  noise  of  the 
hurricane  and  the  creaking  of  the  cordage,  for  any  footstep  to 
approach,  and  now  relapsing  back  into  half  despairing  dread, 
that  my  heated  brain  alone  had  conjured  up  the  scene  of  the 
day  before.  Such  were  my  dreary  reflections,  when  a  loud 
crash  aboard  the  schooner  told  me  that  some  old  spar  had  given 
way.  I  strained  my  eyes  through  the  dark  to  see  what  had  hap- 
pened, but  in  vain,  the  black  vapor,  thick  with  falling  rain, 
obscured  everything,  and  all  was  hid  from  view.  I  could  hear 
that  she  worked  violently  as  the  waves  beat  against  her  worn 


296  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

sides,  and  that  her  iron  cable  creaked  as  she  pitched  to  the 
breaking  sea.  The  wind  was  momentarily  increasing,  and  I 
began  to  fear  lest  I  should  have  taken  my  last  look  at  the  old 
craft,  when  my  attention  was  called  off  by  hearing  a  loud  voice 
cry  out,  '  Hallo  there  !  Where  are  you  ? ' 

'"Ay,  ay,  sir,  I'm  here.'  In  a  moment  the  Admiral  and  his 
friend  were  beside  me. 

"  '  What  a  night ! '  exclaimed  the  Admiral,  as  he  shook  the 
rain  from  the  heavy  boat-cloak,  and  cowered  in  beneath  some 
tall  blocks  of  granite  near.  '  I  began  half  to  hope  that  you  might 
not  have  been  here,  my  poor  fellow,'  said  the  Admiral ;  '  it's  a 
a  dreadful  time  for  one  so  poorly  clad  for  a  storm ;  I  say, 
Dawkins,  let  him  have  a  pull  at  your  flask.'  The  brandy 
rallied  me  a  little,  and  I  felt  that  it  cheered  my  drooping 
courage. 

"  '  This  is  not  a  time,  nor  is  it  a  place  for  much  parley,'  said 
the  Admiral,  '  so  that  we  must  even  make  short  work  of  it. 
Since  we  met  here  last  night,  I  have  satisfied  myself  that  you 
are  to  be  trusted,  that  your  character  and  reputation  have  noth- 
ing heavier  against  them  than  misfortune,  which  certainly,  if  I 
have  been  rightly  informed,  has  been  largely  dealt  out  to  you. 
Now,  then,  I  am  willing  to  accept  of  your  offer  of  service,  if 
you  are  still  of  the  same  mind  as  when  you  made  it,  and  if  you 
are  willing  to  undertake  what  we  have  to  do,  without  any 
question  and  inquiry,  as  to  points  on  which  we  must  not  and 
dare  not  inform  you.  Whatever  you  may  have  overheard  last 
night,  may,  or  may  not,  have  put  you  in  possession  of  our 
secret.  If  the  former,  your  determination  can  be  made  at 
once  ;  if  the  latter,  you  have  only  to  decide  whether  you  are 
ready  to  go  blindfolded,  in  the  business.' 

"  '  I  am  ready,  my  Lord,'  said  I. 

"  '  You  perhaps  are  then  aware  what  is  the  nature  of  the 
service  ? ' 

" '  I  know  it  not,'  said  I.  '  All  that  I  heard,  sir,  leads  me 
to  suppose  it  one  of  danger,  but  that's  all.' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  297 

"  *  I  think,  my  Lord,'  said  Dawkins,  '  that  no  more  need  now 
be  said.  Cupples  is  ready  to  engage,  we  are  equally  so  to  ac- 
cept ;  the  thing  is  pressing.     When  can  you  sail  ? ' 

"  'To-night,'  said  I,  'if  you  will.' 

"  '  Really,  Dawkins,'  said  the  Admiral,  '  I  don't  see  why ' 

"'My  Lord,  I  beg  of  you,'  said  the  other,  interrupting,  'let 
me  now  complete  the  arrangement.  This  is  the  plan,'  said  he, 
turning  towards  me  as  he  spoke  :  '  As  soon  as  that  old  craft  can 
be  got  ready  for  sea,  or  some  other,  if  she  be  not  worth  it,  you 
will  sail  from  this  port  with  a  strong  crew,  well  armed  and 
supplied  with  ammunition.  Your  destination  is  Malta,  your 
object  to  deliver  to  the  Admiral  stationed  there  the  despatches 
with  which  you  will  be  entrusted  ;  they  contain  information  of 
immense  importance,  which,  for  certain  reasons,  cannot  be 
sent  through  a  ship  of  war,  but  must  be  forwarded  by  a  vessel 
that  may  not  attract  peculiar  notice.  If  you  be  attacked,  your 
orders  are  to  resist ;  if  you  be  taken,  on  no  account  destroy 
the  papers,  for  the  French  vessel  can  scarcely  escape  recapture 
from  our  frigates,  and  it  is  of  great  consequence  these  papers 
should  remain.  Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  our  plan  ;  the  details 
can  be  made  known  to  you  hereafter.' 

"  '  I  am  quite  ready,  my  Lord ;  I  ask  for  no  terms ;  I  make 
no  stipulations.  If  the  result  be  favorable,  it  will  be  time 
enough  to  speak  of  that.     When  am  I  to  sail  1 ' 

"  As  1  spoke,  the  Admiral  turned  suddenly  round,  and  said 
something  in  a  whisper  to  Dawkins,  who  appeared  to  overrule 
it,  whatever  it  might  be,  and  finally  brought  him  over  to  his 
own  opinion. 

"  '  Come,  Cupples,'  said  Dawkins,  '  the  afifair  is  now  settled ; 
to-morrow  a  boat  will  be  in  waiting  for  you  opposite  Spike 
Island  to  convey  you  on  board  the  Semiramis.,  where  every  step 
in  the  whole  business  shall  be  explained  to  you  ;  meanwhile, 
you  have  only  to  keep  your  own  counsel,  and  trust  the  secret 
to  no  one.' 

"  '  Yes,  Cupples,'  said  the  Admiral,  '  we  rely   upon  you  for 


298  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

that,  so  good-night.'  As  he  spoke,  he  placed  within  my  hands 
a  crumpled  note  for  ten  pounds,  and,  squeezing  my  fingers, 
departed. 

"  My  yarn  is  spinning  out  to  a  far  greater  length  than  I  in- 
tended, so  I'll  try  and  shorten  it  a  bit.  Then  next  day  I  went 
aboard  the  Sefjiiramis,  where,  when  I  appeared  upon  the  quarter- 
deck, I  found  myself  an  object  of  some  interest.  The  report 
that  I  was  the  man  about  to  command  the  B na?i—t\\^X.  was 
the  real  name  of  the  old  craft,— had  caused  some  curiosity 
among  the  officers,  and  they  all  spoke  to  me  with  great  courtesy. 
After  waiting  a  short  time,  I  was  ordered  to  go  below,  where 
the  Admiral,  his  Flag-captain  Dawkins,  and  the  others  were 
seated.  They  repeated  at  greater  length  the  conversation  of 
the  night  before,  and  finally  decided  that  I  was  to  sail  in  three 
weeks  ;  for,  although  the  old  schooner  was  sadly  damaged,  they 
had  lost  no  time,  but  had  her  already  high  in  dock,  with  two 
hundred  ship  carpenters  at  work  upon  her. 

"  I  do  not  shorten  sail  here  to  tell  you  what  reports  were 
circulated  about  Cove  as  to  my  extraordinary  change  in  cir- 
cumstances, nor  how  I  bore  my  altered  fortunes.  It  is  enough 
if  I  say  that,  in  less  than  three  weeks  I  weighed  anchor,  and 
stood  out  to  sea  one  beautiful  morning  in  autumn,  and  set  out 
upon  my  expedition. 

"  I  have  already  told  you  something  of  the  craft.  Let  me 
complete  the  picture  by  informing  you  that,  before  twenty-four 
hours  passed  over,  I  discovered  that  so  ungainly,  so  awkward, 
so  unmanageable  a  vessel  never  put  to  sea:  in  light  winds  she 
scarcely  stirred  or  moved,  as  if  she  were  waterlogged  ;  if  it  came 
to  blow  upon  the  quarter,  she  fell  off  from  her  helm  at  a  fearful 
rate  ;  in  wearing,  she  endangered  every  spar  she  had  ;  and  when 
you  put  her  in  stays,  when  half  round  she  would  fall  back,  and 
nearly  carry  away  every  stitch  of  canvas  with  the  shock.  If 
the  ship  was  bad,  the  crew  was  ten  times  worse.  What 
Dawkins  said  turned  out  to  be  literally  true :  every  ill-con- 
ducted, disorderly  fellow  who  had  been  up  to  the  gangway  once 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  299 

a  week  or  so,  every  unreclaimed  landsman  of  bad  character 
and  no  seamanship,  was  sent  on  board  of  us  ;  and,  in  fact, 
except  that  there  was  scarcely  any  discipline  and  no  restraint, 
we  appeared  like  a  floating  penitentiary  of  convicted  felons. 

"  So  long  as  we  ran  down  channel,  with  a  slack  sea  and 
fair  wind,  so  long  all  went  on  tolerably  well ;  to  be  sure,  they 
only  kept  watch  when  they  were  tired  below,  when  they  came  up, 
reeled  about  the  deck,  did  all  just  as  they  pleased,  and  treated 
me  with  no  manner  of  respect.  After  some  vain  efforts  to 
repress  their  excesses — vain,  for  I  had  but  one  to  second  me — 
I  appeared  to  take  no  notice  of  their  misconduct,  and  con- 
tented myself  with  waiting  for  the  time  when,  my  dreary 
voyage  over,  I  should  quit  the  command,  and  part  company 
with  such  associates  forever.  At  last,  however,  it  came  on 
to  blow,  and  the  night  we  passed  the  Lizard  was  indeed  a 
fearful  one.  As  morning  broke,  a  sea  running  mountains 
high,  a  wind  strong  from  the  north-west  was  hurrying  the 
old  craft  along  at  a  rate  I  believed  impossible.  I  shall  not 
stop  to  recount  the  frightful  scenes  of  anarchy,  confusion, 
drunkenness,  and  insubordination,  which  our  crew  exhibited  ; 
the  recollection  is  too  bad  already,  and  I  would  spare  you  and 
myself  the  recital  ;  but,  on  the  fourth  day  from  the  setting  in  of 
the  gale,  as  we  entered  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  some  one  aloft  descried 
a  strange  sail  to  windward,  bearing  down  as  if  in  pursuit  of  us. 
Scarcely  did  the  news  reach  the  deck,  when,  bad  as  it  was  before, 
matters  became  now  ten  times  worse,  some  resolving  to  give 
themselves  up,  if  the  chase  happened  to  be  French,  and  vowing 
that,  before  surrendering,  the  spirit-room  should  be  forced,  and 
every  man  let  drink  as  he  pleased.  Others  proposed,  if  there 
were  anything  like  equality  in  the  force,  to  attack,  and  con- 
vert the  captured  vessel,  if  they  succeeded,  into  a  slaver,  and 
sail  at  once  for  Africa.  Some  were  for  blowing  up  the  old 
Brian  with  all  on  board  ;  and,  in  fact,  every  counsel  that  drunken- 
ness, insanity,  and  crime  combined  could  suggest  was  offered 
and  descanted  on.     Meanwhile  the  chase  gained  rapidly  upon 


300  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

upon  us,  and  before  noon  we  discovered  her  to  be  a  French 
letter-of-marque,  with  four  guns,  and  a  long  brass  swivel  upon 
the  poop  deck.  As  for  us,  every  sheet  of  canvas  we  could 
crowd  was  crammed  on,  but  in  vain ;  and,  as  we  labored 
through  the  heavy  sea,  our  riotous  crew  grew  every  moment 
worse,  and,  sitting  down  sulkily  in  groups  upon  the  deck,  de- 
clared that,  come  what  might,  they  would  neither  work  the  ship 
nor  fight  her ;  that  they  had  been  sent  to  sea  in  a  rotten  craft, 
merely  to  effect  their  destruction,  and  that  they  cared  little 
for  the  disgrace  of  a  flag  they  detested.  Half  furious  with  the 
taunting  sarcasm  I  heard  on  every  side,  and  nearly  mad  from 
passion,  and  bewildered,  my  first  impulse  was  to  run  amongst 
them  with  my  drawn  cutlass,  and,  ere  I  fell  their  victim,  take 
heavy  vengeance  upon  the  ringleaders,  when  suddenly  a  sharp 
booming  noise  came  thundering  along,  and  a  round  shot  went 
flying  over  our  heads. 

" '  Down  with  the  ensign ;  strike  at  once  ! '  cried  eight  or 
ten  voices  together,  as  the  ball  whizzed  through  the  rigging. 
Anticipating  this,  and  resolving,  whatever  might  happen,  to  fight 
her  to  the  last,  I  had  made  the  mate,  a  staunch-hearted,  resolute 
fellow,  to  make  fast  the  signal  sailyard  aloft,  so  that  it  was 
impossible  for  any  one  on  deck  to  lower  the  bunting.  Bang 
went  another  gun,  and,  before  the  smoke  cleared  away,  a  third, 
which,  truer  in  its  aim  than  the  rest,  went  clean  through  the 
lower  part  of  our  mainsail. 

" '  Steady,  then,  boys,  and  clear  for  action,'  said  the  mate. 
'  She's  a  French  smuggUng  craft  that  will  sheer  off  when  we  show 
fight,  so  that  we  must  not  fire  a  shot  till  she  comes  alongside.' 

"  '  And  harkee,  lads,'  said  I,  taking  up  the  tone  of  encourage- 
.ment  he  spoke  with,  'if  we  take  her,  I  promise  to  claim  noth- 
ing  of  the    prize.     Whatever   we    capture    you    shall    divide 
amongst  yourselves.' 

" '  It's  very  easy  to  divide  what  we  never  had,'  said  one  ; 
'Nearly  as  easy  as  to  give  it,' cried  another;  'I'll  never  light 
match  or  draw  cutlass  in  the  cause,*  said  a  third. 


THE  IklSII  DRAGOON.  30I 

'* '  Surrender  ! '  '  Strike  the  flag  ! '  '  Down  with  the  colors  ! ' 
roared  several  voices  together. 

"  By  this  time  the  Frenchman  was  close  up,  and  ranging  his 
long  gun  to  sweep  our  decks  :  his  crew  were  quite  perceptible 
— about  twenty  bronzed,  stout-looking  fellows  stripped  to  the 
waist,  and  carrying  pistols  in  broad  flat  belts,  slung  over  the 
shoulder. 

" '  Come,  my  lads,'  said  I,  raising  my  voice,  as  I  drew  a 
pistol  from  my  side  and  cocked  it,  '  our  time  is  short  now ;  I 
may  as  well  tell  you  that  the  first  shot  that  strikes  us  amid- 
ship  blows  up  the  whole  craft  and  every  man  on  board.  We 
are  nothing  less  than  a  fireship,  destined  for  Brest  harbor  to 
blow  up  the  French  fleet.  If  you  are  willing  to  make  an  effort 
for  your  lives,  follow  me  !  ' 

"  The  men  looked  aghast.  Whatever  recklessness  crime  and 
drunkenness  had  given  them,  the  awful  feeling  of  inevitable 
death  at  once  repelled.  Short  as  was  the  time  for  reflection, 
they  felt  that  there  were  many  circumstances  to  encourage  the 
assertion  :  the  nature  of  the  vessel,  her  riotous,  disorderly  crew, 
the  secret  nature  of  the  service,  all  confirmed  it,  and  they 
answered  with  a  shout  of  despairing  vengeance,  '  We'll  board 
her;  lead  us  on.'  As  the  cry  rose  up,  the  long  swivel  from 
the  chase  rang  sharply  in  our  ears,  and  a  tremendous  discharge 
of  grape  flew  through  our  rigging ;  none  of  our  men,  however, 
fell ;  and,  animated  now  with  the  desire  for  battle,  they  sprang 
to  the  binnacle,  and  seized  their  arms. 

"In  an  instant  the  whole  deck  became  a  scene  of  excited 
bustle ;  and  scarcely  was  the  ammunition  dealt  out,  and  the 
boarding-party  drawn  up,  when  the  Frenchman  broached  to, 
and  lashed  his  bowsprit  to  our  own. 

"One  terrific  yell  burst  from  our  fellows  as  they  sprang 
from  the  rigging  and  the  poop  upon  the  astonished  French- 
men, who  thought  that  the  victory  was  already  tlieir  own; 
with  death  and  ruin  behind,  their  only  hope  before,  they 
dashed  forward  like  madmen  to  the  fray. 


302  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

"  Th€-C0Hflict  was  bloody  and  terrific,  though  not  a  long  one; 
nearly  equal  in  number,  but  far  superior  in  personal  strength, 
and  stimulated  by  their  sense  of  danger,  our  fellows  rushed 
onward,  carrying  all  before  them  to  the  quarter-deck.  Here 
the  Frenchmen  rallied,  and,  for  some  minutes,  had  rather  the 
advantage,  until  the  mate  turning  one  of  their  guns  against 
them,  prepared  to  sweep  them  down  in  a  mass.  Then  it  was 
that  they  ceased  their  fire  and  cried  out  for  quarter, — all  save 
their  captain,  a  short  thickset  fellow,  with  a  grizzly  beard  and 
moustache,  who,  seeing  his  men  fall  back,  turned  on  them  one 
glance  of  scowling  indignation,  and,  rushing  foward,  clove  our 
boatswain  to  the  deck  with  one  blow.  Before  the  exaimple 
could  have  been  followed,  he  lay  a  bloody  corpse  upon  the 
deck,  while  our  people,  roused  to  madness  by  the  loss  of  a 
favorite  among  the  men,  dashed  impetuously  forward,  and, 
dealing  death  on  every  side,  left  not  one  man  living  among 
their  unresisting  enemies.  My  story  is  soon  told  now.  We 
brought  our  prize  safe  into  Malta,  which  we  reached  in  five  days. 
In  less  than  a  week  our  men  were  drafted  into  different  men- 
of-war  on  the  station.  I  was  appointed  a  warrant  officer  in  the 
Sheerwater,  forty-four  guns  ;  and,  as  the  Admiral  opened  the 
despatch,  the  only  words  he  spoke  puzzled  me  for  many  a 
day  after. 

"'You  have  accomplished  your  orders  too  well,'  said  he; 
"that  privateer  is  but  a  poor  compensation  for  the  whole 
French  navy.'  " 

"  Well,"  inquired  Power,  "  and  did  you  never  hear  the 
meaning  of  the  words  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  he  ;  "  many  years  after,  I  found  out  that  our  de- 
spatches were  false  ones,  intended  to  have  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  French,  and  mislead  them  as  to  Lord  Nelson's  fleet, 
which  at  that  time  was  cruising  to  the  southward  to  catch  them. 
This,  of  course,  explained  what  fate  was  destined  for  us — a 
French  prison,  if  not  death ;  and,  after  all,  either  was  fully 
good  enough  for  the  crew  that  sailed  in  the  old  Brian. W 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  303 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

THE    LAND. 

It  was  late  when  we  separated  for  the  night,  and  the  morn- 
ing was  already  far  advanced  ere  I  awoke ;  the  monotonous 
tramp  overhead  showed  me  that  the  others  were  stirring,  and  I 
gently  moved  the  shutter  of  the  narrow  window  beside  me  to 
look  out. 

The  sea,  sightly  rippled  upon  its  surface,  shone  like  a  plate 
of  fretted  gold  ;  not  a  wave,  not  a  breaker  appeared ;  but  the 
rushing  sound  close  by  showed  that  we  were  moving  fast  through 
the  water. 

"Always  calm,  hereabouts,"  said  a  gruff  voice  on  deck, 
which  I  soon  recognized  as  the  Skipper's  :  "  no  sea  whatever." 

"  I  can  make  nothing  of  it,"  cried  out  Power,  from  the  fore- 
part of  the  vessel,  "it  appears  to  me  all  cloud." 

"  No,  no,  sir,  beheve  me,  it's  no  fog-bank,  that  large  dark 
mass  to  leeward  there  ;  that's  Cintra." 

"  Land  !  "  cried  I,  springing  up,  and  rushing  upon  deck ; 
"  where.  Skipper, — where  is  the  land  ?  " 

"  I  say,  Charley,"  said  Power,  "  I  hope  you  mean  to  adopt  a 
little  more  clothing  on  reaching  Lisbon  ;  for  though  the  climate 
is  a  warm  one " 

"  Never  mind,  O'Malley,"  said  the  Major,  "  the  Portuguese 
will  only  be  flattered  by  the  attention,  if  you  land  as  you  are.' 

"  Why,  how  so  ?  " 

"  Surely,  you  remember  what  the  niggers  said  when  they 
saw  the  79th  Highlanders  landing  at  St.  Lucie.  They  had 
never  seen  a  Scotch  regiment  before,  and  were  consequently 
somewhat  puzzled  at  the  costume  ;  till,  at  last,  one  more  cun- 
ning than  the  rest  explained  it  by  saying,  'They  are  in  such  a 


304  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

hurry  to  kill  the  poor  black  men,  that  they  came  away  without 
their  breeches.' " 

"  Now,  what  say  you  ?  "  cried  the  Skipper,  as  he  pointed 
with  his  telescope  to  a  dark  blue  mass  in  the  distance ;  see 
there  !  " 

"  Ah,  true  enough,  that's  Cintra  !  " 

*'  Then  we  shall  probably  be  in  the  Tagus  before  morning  ? " 

*'  Before  midnight,  if  the  wind  holds,"  said  the  Skipper. 

We  breakfasted  on  deck,  beneath  an  awning,  the  vessel 
scarcely  seemed  to  move  as  she  cut  her  way  through  the  calm 
water. 

The  misty  outline  of  the  coast  grew  gradually  more  defined, 
and  at  length  the  blue  mountains  could  be  seen,  at  first  but 
dimly ;  but,  as  the  day  wore  on,  their  many-colored  hues 
shone  forth,  and  patches  of  green  verdure,  dotted  with  sheep, 
or  sheltered  by  dark  foliage,  met  the  eye.  The  bulwarks  were 
crowded  with  anxious  faces ;  each  looked  pointedly  towards 
the  shore,  and  many  a  stout  heart  beat  high  as  the  land  drew 
near,  fated  to  cover  with  its  earth  more  than  one  amongst  us. 

"And  that's  Portingale,  Mister  Charles,"  said  a  voice  be- 
hind me.  I  turned,  and  saw  my  man  Mike,  as,  with  anxious 
joy,  he  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the  shore. 

"  They  tell  me  it's  a  beautiful  place,  with  wine  for  nothing, 
and  spirits  for  less.  Isn't  it  a  pity  they  won't  be  raisonable, 
and  make  peace  with  us  ?  " 

"  Why,  my  good  fellow,  we  are  excellent  friends ;  it's  the 
French  who  want  to  beat  us  all." 

"  Upon  my  conscience,  that's  not  right.  There's  an  ould 
saying  in  Connaught, — it's  not  fair  for  one  to  fall  upon 
twenty.  Sergeant  Haggarty  says  that  I'll  see  none  of  the  di- 
varsion  at  all." 

"  I  don  t  well  understand " 

"  He  does  be  telling  me  that,  as  I'm  only  your  footboy,  he'll 
send  me  away  to  the  rear,  where  there's  nothing  but  wounded, 
and  wagons,  and  women." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  305 

"  1  believe  the  sergeant  is  right  there ;  but,  after  all,  Mike, 
it's  a  safe  place." 

"  Ah  !  then,  musha  for  the  safety  ;  I  don't  think  much  of  it; 
sure  they  might  circumvint  us.  And,  av  it  wasn't  displazing 
to  you,  I'd  rather,  list." 

"  Well  I've  no  objection,  Mickey  :  would  you  like  to  join  my 
regiment  ? " 

"By  coorse,  your  honor.  I'd  like  to  be  near  yourself;  be- 
kase,  too,  if  anything  happens  to  you — the  Lord  be  betune  us 
and  harm," — here  he  crossed  himself  piously, — "  sure  I'd  like 
to  be  able  to  tell  the  master  how  you  died  ;  and,  sure,  there's 
Mr.  Considine — God  pardon  him  ! — he'll  be  beating  my  brains 
out  av  I  couldn't  explain  it  all." 

"  Well,  Mike,  I'll  speak  to  some  of  my  friends  here  about  you, 
and  we'll  settle  it  all  properly  :  here's  the  Doctor. " 

"Arrah,  Mr.  Charles,  don't  mind  him;  he's  a  poor  crayture 
entirely  ;  devil  a  thing  he  knows." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean,  man  ?  he's  physician  to  the 
forces." 

"  Oh,  be-gorra,  and  so  he  may  be,"  said  Mike  with  a  toss  of 
his  head ;  "  those  army  docthers  isn't  worth  their  salt.  It's 
thruth  I'm  telling  you  ;  sure  didn't  he  come  to  see  me  when  I 
was  sick  below  in  the  hould  ? 

"  '  How  do  you  feel  ? '  says  he. 

" '  Terribly  dhry  in  the  mouth,'  says  I. 

"  '  But  your  bones,'  says  he,  '  hows  them  ?  * 

" '  As  if  cripples  was  kicking  me,'  says  I. 

"  Well,  with  that  he  went  away,  and  brought  back  two  pow- 
ders. 

"  '  Take  them,'  says  he,  '  and  you'll  be  cured  in  no  time.' 

•'  '  What's  them  ? '  says  I. 

"  '  They're  ematics,'  says  he. 

" '  Blood  and  ages,'  says  I,  '  are  they  ? ' 

"  '  Devil  a  lie,'  says  he  ;  'take  them  immediately.' 

"  And  I  tuk  them — and,  would  you  believe  me,  Mistef 
20 


3o6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Charles? — it's  truth  I'm  telling  you — devil  a  one  o'  them 
would  stay  on  my  stomach.  So  you  see  what  a  docther 
he  is !  " 

I  could  not  help  smiling  at  Mike's  ideas  of  medicine,  as  I 
turned  away  to  talk  to  the  Major,  who  was  busily  engaged  be- 
side me.  His  occupation  consisted  in  furbishing  up  a  very 
tarnished  and  faded  uniform,  whose  white  seams  and  thread- 
bare lace  betokened  many  years  of  service. 

"Getting  up  our  traps,  you  see,  O'Malley,"  said  he,  as  he 
looked  with  no  small  pride  at  the  faded  glories  of  his  old  vest- 
ment ;  "  astonish  them  at  Lisbon,  we  flatter  ourselves.  I  say. 
Power,  what  a  bad  style  of  dress  they've  got  into  latterly,  with 
their  tight  waist,  and  strapped  trousers — nothing  free,  nothing 
easy,  nothing  digage  about  it.  When  in  a  campaign,  a  man 
ought  to  be  able  to  stow  prog  for  twenty-four  hours  about  his 
person,  and  no  one  the  wiser.  A  very  good  rule,  I  assure  you, 
though  it  sometimes  leads  to  awkward  results.  At  Vimeira,  I 
got  into  a  sad  scrape  that  way.  Old  Sir  Harry,  that  com- 
manded there,  sent  for  the  sick  return.  I  was  at  dinner  when 
the  orderly  came ;  so  I  packed  up  the  eatables  about  me,  and 
rode  ofiF.  Just,  however,  as  I  came  up  to  the  quarters,  my 
horse  stumbled  and  threw  me  slap  on  my  head. 

"'  Is  he  killed  ? '  said  Sir  Harry. 

" '  Only  stunned,  your  Excellency,'  said  some  one. 

" '  Then  he'll  come  to,  I  suppose.  Look  for  the  papers  in 
his  pocket.' 

"  So  they  turned  me  on  my  back,  and  plunged  a  hand  into 
my  side-pocket,  but,  the  devil  take  it,  they  pulled  out  a  roast 
hen.  Well,  the  laugh  was  scarcely  over  at  this,  when  another 
fellow  dived  into  my  coat  behind,  and  lugged  out  three  sau- 
sages ;  and  so  they  went  on,  till  the  ground  was  covered  with 
ham,  pigeon-pie,  veal,  kidney,  and  potatoes,  and  the  only  thing 
like  a  paper  was  a  mess  roll  of  the  4th,  with  a  droll  song  about 
Sir  Harry,  written  in  pencil  on  the  back  of  it.  Devil  of  a  bad 
affair  for  me ;  I  was  nearly  broke  for  it ;  but  they  only  rep- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  307 

rimanded  me  a  little,  and  I  was  afterwards  attached  to  the 
victualling  department." 

What  an  anxious  thing  is  the  last  day  of  a  voyage  !  how 
slowly  creep  the  hours,  teeming  with  memories  of  the  past  and 
expectations  of  the  future  ! 

Every  plan,  every  well-devised  expedient  to  cheat  the  long 
and  wear}'  days,  is  at  once  abandoned  ;  the  chess-board  and 
the  new  novel  are  alike  forgotten,  and  the  very  quarter-deck 
walk,  with  its  merry  gossip  and  careless  chit-chat,  becomes  dis- 
tasteful. One  blue  and  misty  mountain,  one  faint  outline  of 
the  far-off  shore,  has  dispelled  all  thought  of  these,  and,  with 
straining  eye  and  anxious  heart,  we  watch  for  land. 

As  the  day  wears  on  apace,  the  excitement  increases  :  the 
faint  and  shadowy  forms  of  distant  objects  grow  gradually 
clearer.  Where  before  some  tall  and  misty  mountain-peak  was 
seen,  we  now  descry  patches  of  deepest  blue  and  sombre  olive  ; 
the  mellow  corn  and  the  waving  woods,  the  village  spire  and 
the  lowly  cot,  come  out  of  the  landscape ;  and,  like  some  well- 
remembered  voice,  they  speak  of  home.  The  objects  we  have 
seen,  the  sounds  we  have  heard  a  hundred  times  before 
without  interest,  become  to  us  now  things  that  stir  the 
heart. 

For  a  time  the  bright  glare  of  the  noonday  sun  dazzles  the 
view,  and  renders  indistinct  the  prospect;  but,  as  evening  falls, 
once  more  is  all  fair,  and  bright,  and  rich  before  us.  Rocked 
by  the  long  and  rolling  swell,  I  lay  beside  the  bowsprit,  watch- 
ing the  shore-birds  that  came  to  rest  upon  the  rigging,  or 
following  some  long  and  tangled  sea-weed  as  it  floated  by  ;  my 
thoughts  now  wandering  back  to  the  brown  hills  and  the  broad 
river  of  my  early  home — now  straying  off  in  dreary  fancies  of 
the  future. 

How  flat  and  unprofitable  does  all  ambition  seem  at  such 
moments  as  these  ;  how  valueless,  how  poor,  in  our  estimation, 
those  worldly  distinctions  we  have  so  often  longed  and  thirsted 
for,  as  with  lowly  heart  and  simple  spirit  we  watch  each  humbly 


3o8  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

cottage,  weaving  to  ourselves  some  story  of  its  inmates  as  we 
pass  ! 

The  night  at  length  closed  in,  but  it  was  a  bright  and  starry 
one, — lending  to  the  landscape  a  hue  of  sombre  shadow,  while 
the  outline  of  the  objects  were  still  sharp  and  distinct  as  before. 
One  solitary  star  twinkled  near  the  horizon.  I  watched  it  as, 
at  intervals  disappearing,  it  would  again  shine  out,  marking  the 
calm  sea  with  a  tall  pillar  of  light. 

"  Come  down,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  cried  the  Skipper's  well-known 
voice  ;  "  come  down  below,  and  join  us  in  a  parting  glass — 
that's  the  Lisbon  light  to  leeward,  and  before  two  hours  we 
drop  our  anchor  in  the  Tagus." 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

MAJOR   MONSOON. 

Of  my  travelling  companions  I  have  already  told  my 
readers  something.  Power  is  now  an  old  acquaintance  ;  to 
Sparks  I  have  already  presented  them  ;  of  the  Adjutant  they 
are  not  entirely  ignorant  ;  and  it  therefore  only  remains  forme 
to  introduce  to  their  notice  Major  Monsoon.  I  should  have 
some  scruple  for  the  digression  which  this  occasions  in  my 
narrative,  were  it  not  that  with  the  worthy  Major  I  was  destined 
to  meet  subsequently,  and  indeed  served  under  his  orders  for 
some  months  in  the  Peninsula,  When  Major  Monsoon  had 
entered  the  army,  or  in  what  precise  capacity,  I  never  yet  met 
the  man  who  could  tell.  There  were  traditionary  accounts  of 
his  having  served  in  the  East  Indies  and  in  Canada,  in  times  long 
past.  His  own  peculiar  reminiscences  extended  to  nearly 
every  regiment  in  the  service,  "  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons." 
There  was  not  a  clime  he  had  not  basked  in  ;  not  an  engage- 
ment he  had  not  witnessed.  His  memory,  or,  if  you  will,  his 
invention,  was  never  at  fault ;  and  from  the  siege  of  Seringa- 


THE  IRISH  DR/iGOON. 


309 


patam  to  the  battle  of  Corunna  he  was  perfect  :  besides  this, 
he  possessed  a  mind  retentive  of  even  the  most  trifling  details 
of  his  profession  ;  from  the  formation  of  a  regiment  to  the  in- 
troduction of  a  new  button,  from  the  laying  down  of  a  parallel 
to  the  price  of  a  camp-kettle,  he  knew  it  all.  To  be  sure,  he 
had  served  in  the  Commissary-General's  department  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  nothing  instills  such  habits  as  this. 

"  The  commissaries  are  to  the  army  what  the  special  pleaders 
are  to  the  bar,"  observed  my  friend  Power — "  dry  dogs  ;  not 
over  creditable  on  the  whole,  but  devilish  useful." 

The  Major  had  begun  life  a  two-bottle  man,  but,  by  a  studious 
cultivation  of  his  natural  gifts,  and  a  steady  determination  to 
succeed,  he  had,  at  the  time  I  knew  him,  attained  to  his  fifth. 
It  need  not  be  wondered  at,  then,  that  his  countenance  bore 
some  traces  of  his  habits.  It  was  of  a  deep  sunset  purple, 
which,  becoming  tropical,  at  the  tip  of  the  nose  verged  almost 
upon  a  plum  color  ;  his  mouth  was  large,  thick-lipped,  and 
good-humored  ;  his  voice  rich,  mellow,  and  racy,  and  con- 
tributed, with  the  aid  of  a  certain  dry,  chuckling  laugh,  greatly 
to  increase  the  effect  of  the  stories  which  he  was  ever  ready  to 
recount  ;  and,  as  they  most  frequently  bore  in  some  degree 
against  some  of  what  he  called  his  little  failings,  they  were  ever 
well  received,  no  man  being  so  popular  with  the  world  as  he 
who  flatters  its  vanity  at  his  own  expense.  To  do  this  the 
Major  was  ever  ready,  but  at  no  time  more  so  than  when  the 
evening  wore  late,  and  the  last  bottle  of  his  series  seemed  to 
imply  that  any  caution  regarding  the  nature  of  his  communi- 
cation was  perfectly  unnecessary.  Indeed,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  his  evening  to  the  close,  he  seemed  to  pass  through  a 
number  of  mental  changes,  all  in  a  manner  preparing  him  for 
this  final  consummation,  when  he  confessed  anything  and  every- 
thing ;  and  so  well  regulated  had  these  stages  become,  that  a 
friend  dropping  in  upon  him  suddenly  could  at  once  pronounce, 
from  the  tone  of  his  conversation,  on  what  precise  bottle  the 
Major  was  then  engaged. 


3IO  CHARLES  O-M ALLEY, 

Thus,  in  the  outset  he  was  gastronomic  ;  discussed  the  dinner, 
from  the  soup  to  the  Stilton  ;  criticised  the  cutlets  ;  pronounced 
upon  the  merits  of  the  mutton  ;  and  threw  out  certain  vague 
hints  that  he  would  one  day  astonish  the  world  by  a  little  volume 
upon  cookery. 

With  bottle  No.  2  he  took  leave  of  the  cuisine,  and  opened 
his  battery  upon  the  wine.  Bordeaux,  Burgundy,  hock,  and 
hermitage,  all  passed  in  review  before  him  ;  their  flavor  dis- 
cussed, their  treatment  descanted  upon,  their  virtues  extolled ; 
from  humble  port  to  imperial  tokay,  he  was  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  all ;  and  not  a  vintage  escaped  as  to  when  the  sun 
had  suffered  eclipse,  or  when  a  comet  had  wagged  his  tail  over  it. 

With  No.  3  he  became  pipeclay ;  talked  army  list  and  eighteen 
manoeuvres  ;  lamented  the  various  changes  in  equipments  which 
modern  innovation  had  introduced ;  and  feared  the  loss  of 
pigtails  might  sap  the  military  spirit  of  the  nation. 

With  No.  4  his  anecdotic  powers  came  into  play  ;  he  re- 
counted various  incidents  of  the  war,  with  his  own  individual 
adventures  and  experience,  told  with  an  honest  naivetk  that 
proved  personal  vanity;  indeed,  self-respect  never  marred  the 
interest  of  the  narrative ;  besides,  as  he  had  ever  regarded  a 
campaign  something  in  the  light  of  a  foray,  and  esteemed  war 
as  little  else  than  a  pillage  excursion,  his  sentiments  were 
singularly  amusing. 

With  his  last  bottle,  those  feelings  that  seemed  inevitably 
connected  with  whatever  is  last  appeared  to  steal  over  him  :  a 
tinge  of  sadness  for  pleasures  fast  passing  and  nearly  passed, 
a  kind  of  retrospective  glance  at  the  fallacy  of  all  our  earthly 
enjo3'ments,  insensibly  suggesting  moral  and  edifying  reflec- 
tions, led  him  by  degrees  to  confess  that  he  was  not  quite  sat- 
isfied with  himself,  though  "  not  very  bad  for  a  commissary  ;  " 
and,  finally,  as  the  decanter  waxed  low,  he  would  interlard  his 
meditations  by  passages  of  Scripture,  singularly  perverted  by  his 
misconception  from  their  true  meaning,  and  alternately  throw- 
ing out  prospects  of  censure  or  approval.     Such  was  Major 


THE  IRISH  DKA  GOON.  3 1 1 

Monsoon  ;  and  to  conclude  in  his  own  words  this  brief  sketch, 
he  "  would  have  been  an  excellent  officer  if  Providence  had 
not  made  him  such  a  confounded  drunken  old  scoundrel." 

"  Now,  then,  for  the  King  of  Spain's  story.  Out  with  it,  old 
boy ;  we  are  all  good  men  and  true  here,"  cried  Power,  as  we 
slowly  came  along  upon  the  tide  up  the  Tagus,  "  so  you've 
nothing  to  fear." 

"Upon  my  life,"  replied  the  Major,  "  I  don't  half  like  the 
tone  of  our  conversation.  There  is  a  certain  freedom  young 
men  affect  no\vadays  regarding  morals  that  is  not  at  all  to  my 
taste.     When  I  was  five  or  six  and  twenty " 

"  You  were  the  greatest  scamp  in  the  service,"  cried 
Power. 

"  Fie,  fie,  Fred.  If  I  was  a  little  wild  or  so  " — here  the 
Major's  eyes  twinkled  maliciously — "it  was  the  ladies  that 
spoiled  me ;  I  was  always  something  of  a  favorite,  just  like  our 
friend  Sparks  there.  Not  that  we  fared  very  much  alike  in 
our  little  adventures  ;  for,  somehow,  I  believe  I  was  generally 
in  fault  in  most  of  mine,  as  many  a  good  man  and  many  an 
excellent  man  has  been  before."  Here  his  voice  dropped  into 
a  moralizing  key,  as  he  added,  "  David,  you  know,  didn't  behave 
well  to  old  Uriah.  Upon  my  life  he  did  not,  and  he  was  a 
very  respectable  man." 

"  The  King  of  Spain's  sherry  !  the  sherry  !  "  cried  I,  fearing 
that  the  Major's  digression  might  lose  us  a  good  story. 

"  You  shall  not  have  a  drop  of  it,"  replied  the  Major. 

"But  the  story,  Major,  the  story." 

"  Nor  the  story,  either. " 

"  What,"  said  Power,  "  will  you  break  faith  with  us  ? " 

"  There's  none  to  be  kept  with  reprobates  like  you.  Fill 
my  glass." 

"  Hold  there  !  stop  I  "  cried  Power.  "  Not  a  spoonful  till  he 
redeems  his  pledge." 

"  Well,  then,  if  you  must  have  a  story — for  most  assuredly  I 
must  drink — I   have  no  objection  to  give  you  a  leaf  from  my 


312  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

early  reminiscences ;  and,  in  compliment  to  Sparks  there,  my 
tale  shall  be  of  love." 

"  I  dinna  like  to  lose  the  King's  story.  I  hae  my  thoughts 
it  was  na  a  bad  ane." 

"  Nor  I  neither,  Doctor ;  but " 

"  Come,  come,  you  shall  have  that  too,  the  first  night  we  meet 
in  a  bivouac,  and,  as  I  fear  the  time  may  not  be  very  far  dis- 
tant, don't  be  impatient ;  besides,  a  love-story " 

"  Quite  true,"  said  Power ;  "  a  love-story  claims  precedence  : 
place  mix  dafjies.  There's  a  bumper  for  you,  old  Wickedness; 
so  go  along." 

The  Major  cleared  off  his  glass,  refilled  it,  sipped  twice,  and 
ogled  it  as  though  he  would  have  no  peculiar  objection  to  sip 
once  more,  took  a  long  pinch  of  snuff  from  a  box  nearly  as 
long  as,  and  something  the  shape  of  a  child's  coffin,  looked 
around  to  see  that  we  were  all  attention,  and  thus  began  : — 

"  When  I  have  been  in  a  moralizing  mood,  as  I  very  fre- 
quently am  about  this  hour  in  the  morning,  I  have  often  felt 
surprised  by  what  little,  trivial,  and  insignificant  circumstances 
our  lot  in  life  seems  to  be  cast ;  I  mean  especially  as  regards 
the  fair  sex.  You  are  prospering,  as  it  were,  to-day,  to-morrow 
a  new  cut  of  your  whiskers,  a  novel  tie  of  your  cravat,  mars 
your  destiny  and  spoils  your  future  variian  et  tnutabile,  as 
Horace  has  it.  On  the  other  hand,  some  equally  slight  cir- 
cumstance will  do  what  all  your  ingenuity  may  have  failed  to 
effect.  I  knew  a  fellow  who  married  the  greatest  fortune  in 
Bath,  from  the  mere  habit  he  had  of  squeezing  one's  hand. 
The  lady  in  question  thought  it  particular,  looked  conscious, 
and  all  that ;  he  followed  up  the  blow  ;  and,  in  a  word,  they 
were  married  in  a  week  ;  so  a  friend  of  mine,  who  could  not 
help  winking  his  left  eye,  once  opened  a  flirtation  with  a  lively 
widow  which  cost  him  a  special  license  and  a  settlement.  In 
fact,  you  are  never  safe.  They  are  like  the  guerillas,  and  they 
pick  you  off  when  you  least  expect  it,  and  when  you  think  there 
is  nothing  to  fear.     Therefore,  as  young  fellows  beginning  life, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  313 

I  would  caution  you.     On  this  head  you  can  never  be  too  cir 
cumspect.     Do  you  know,   I  was  once  nearly  caught  by  so 
slight  a  habit  as  sitting  thus,  with  my  legs  across." 

Here  the  Major  rested  his  right  foot  on  his  left  knee,  in  il- 
lustration, and  continued  : — 

"  We  were  quartered  in  Jamaica.  I  had  not  long  joined,  and 
was  about  as  raw  a  young  gentleman  as  you  could  see  ;  the 
only  very  clear  ideas  in  my  head  being,  that  we  were  mon- 
strous fine  fellows  in  the  50th,  and  that  the  planters'  daughters 
were  deplorably  in  love  with  us.  Not  that  I  was  much  wrong 
on  either  side.  For  brandy-and-water,  sangaree,  Manilla  cigars, 
and  the  ladies  of  color,  I'd  have  backed  the  corps  against  the 
service.  Proof  was,  of  eighteen  only  two  ever  left  the  island  ; 
for  what  with  the  seductions  of  the  coffee  plantations,  the  sugar 
canes,  the  new  rum,  the  brown  skins,  the  rainy  season,  and  the 
yellow  fever,  most  of  us  settled  there. 

"  It's  very  hard  to  leave  the  West  Indies  if  once  you've  been 
quartered  there." 

"  So  I  have  heard,"  said  Power. 

"  In  fine,  if  you  don't  knock  under  to  the  climate,  you  be- 
:jonie  soon  totally  unfit  for  living  anywhere  else.  Preserved 
ginger,  yams,  flannel  jackets,  and  grog  won't  bear  exporta- 
tion ;  and  the  free-and-easy  chuck  under  the  chin,  cherishing, 
waist-pressing  kind  of  way  we  get  with  the  ladies  would  be 
quite  misunderstood  in  less  favored  regions,  and  lead  to  very 
unpleasant  consequences. 

"  It  is  a  curious  fact  how  much  climate  has  to  do  with  love- 
making.  In  our  cold  country  the  progress  is  lamentably  slow  ; 
fogs,  east  winds,  sleet,  storms,  and  cutting  March  weather,  nip 
many  a  budding  flirtation  ;  whereas  warm,  sunny  days,  and 
bright  moonlight  nights,  with  genial  air  and  balmy  zephyrs, 
open  the  heart,  like  the  cup  of  a  camellia,  and  let  us  drink  in 
the  soft  dew  of " 

"  Devilish  poetical,  that  !  "  said  Power,  evolving  a  long  blue 
line  of  smoke  from  the  corner  of  his  mouth. 


314  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Isn't  it,  though  ? "  said  the  Major,  smiling  graciously. 
"  'Pen  my  life,  I  thought  so  myself.     Where  was  I  ? " 

"  Out  of  my  latitude  altogether,"  said  the  poor  Skipper, 
who  often  found  it  hard  to  follow  the  thread  of  a  story. 

"  Yes,  I  remember.  I  was  remarking  that  sangaree,  and 
calipash,  mangoes,  and  guava  jelly,  dispose  the  heart  to  love, 
and  so  they  do.  I  was  not  more  than  six  weeks  in  Jamaica 
when  I  felt  it  myself.  Now,  it  was  a  very  dangerous  symptom, 
if  you  had  it  strong  in  you,  for  this  reason.  Our  colonel,  the 
most  cross-grained  old  crabstick  that  ever  breathed,  happened 
himself  to  be  taken  in  when  young,  and  resolving,  like  the  fox 
who  lost  his  tail,  and  said  it  was  not  the  fashion  to  wear  one, 
to  pretend  he  did  the  thing  for  fun,  resolved  to  make  every  fellow 
marry  upon  the  slightest  provocation.  Begad,  you  might  as 
well  enter  a  powder  magazine  with  a  branch  of  candles  in  your 
hand,  as  go  into  society  in  the  island  with  a  leaning  towards 
the  fair  sex.  Very  hard  this  was  for  me  particularly  ;  for, 
like  poor  Sparks  there,  my  weakness  was  ever  for  the  petticoats. 
I  had,  besides,  no  petty  contemptible  prejudices  as  to  nation, 
habits,  language,  color  or  complexion  ;  black,  brown,  or  fair, 
from  the  Muscovite  to  the  Malabar,  from  the  voluptuous 
embonpoint  of  the  Adjutant's  widow — don't  be  angry,  old  boy — 
to  the  fairy  form  of  Isabella  herself,  I  loved  them  all  round. 
But,  were  I  to  give  a  preference  anywhere,  I  should  certainly 
do  so  to  the  West  Indians,  if  it  were  only  for  the  sake  of  the 
planters'  daughters.  I  say  it  fearlessly,  these  colonies  are  the 
brightest  jewels  in  the  crown.  Let's  drink  their  health,  for 
I'm  as  husky  as  a  lime-kiln." 

This  ceremony  being  performed  with  suitable  enthusiasm, 
the  Major  cried  out,  "  Another  cheer  for  Polly  Hackett,  the 
sweetest  girl  in  Jamaica.  By  Jove,  Power,  if  you  only  saw  her, 
as  I  did,  five  and  forty  years  ago,  with  eyes  black  as  jet, 
twinkling,  ogling,  leering,  teasing,  and  imploring,  all  at  once, 
do  you  mind,  and  a  mouthful  of  downright  pearls  pouting 
and  smiling  at  you,  why,  man,  you'd  have  proposed  for  hei 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  315 

in  the  first  half-hour,  and  shot  yourself  the  next,  when  she 
refused  you.  She  was,  indeed  a  perfect  little  beauty,  rayther 
dark,  to  be  sure  ;  a  little  upon  the  rosewood  tinge,  but  beauti- 
fully polished,  and  a  very  nice  piece  of  furniture  for  a  cottage 
orne,  as  the  French  call  it.  Alas !  alas  !  how  these  vanities  do 
catch  hold  of  us !  My  recollections  have  made  me  quite  fever- 
ish and  thirsty  ;  is  there  any  cold  punch  in  the  bowl  ?  Thank 
you,  O'Malley,  that  will  do — merely  to  touch  my  lips.  Well, 
well,  it's  all  passed  and  gone  now.  But  I  was  very  fond  of 
Polly  Hackett,  and  she  was  of  me.  We  used  to  take  our  little 
evening  walks  together  through  the  coffee  plantation  ;  very  ro- 
mantic little  strolls  they  were  ;  she  in  white  muslin,  with  a  blue 
sash  and  blue  shoes  ;  I  in  a  flannel  jacket  and  trousers,  straw  hat 
and  cravat ;  a  Virginia  cigar,  as  long  as  a  walking-stick,  in  my 
mouth,  pufhng  and  courting  between  times  ;  then  we'd  take  a 
turn  to  the  refining-house,  look  in  at  the  big  boilers,  quiz  the 
niggers,  and  come  back  to  Twangberry  Moss  to  supper, 
where  old  Hackett,  the  father,  sported  a  glorious  table  at 
eleven  o'clock.  Great  feeding  it  was.  You  were  always  sure 
of  a  preserved  monkey,  a  baked  land-crab,  or  some  such 
delicacy.  And  such  Madeira !  it  makes  me  dry  to  think  of 
it! 

"  Talk  of  West  India  slavery,  indeed !  It's  the  only  land  of 
liberty.  There  is  nothing  to  compare  with  the  perfect  free- 
and-easy,  devil-may-care-kind-of-a-take-yourself  way  that  every 
one  has  there.  If  it  would  be  any  peculiar  comfort  for  you  to 
sit  in  the  saddle  of  mutton,  and  put  your  legs  in  a  soup  tureen 
at  dinner,  there  would  be  found  very  few  to  object  to  it. 
There  is  no  nonsense  of  any  kind  about  etiquette.  You  eat, 
drink,  and  are  merry,  or,  if  you  prefer,  are  sad  ;  just  as 
you  please.  You  may  wear  uniform,  or  you  may  not ;  it's 
your  own  affair;  and,  consequently,  it  may  be  imagined  how 
insensibly  such  privileges  gain  upon  one,  and  how  very  re- 
luctant we  become  ever  to  resign  or  abandon  them. 

"  I  was  the  man  to  appreciate  it  all.     The  whole  course  of 


3i6  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

proceeding  seemed  to  have  been  invented  for  my  peculiar  con« 
venience,  and  not  a  man  in  the  island  enjoyed  a  more  luxurious 
existence  than  myself,  not  knowing  all  the  while  how  dearly  I 
was  destined  to  pay  for  my  little  comforts.  Among  my  plenary 
after-dinner  indulgences  I  had  contracted  an  inveterate  habit 
of  sitting  cross-legged,  as  I  showed  you.  Now,  this  was  be- 
come a  perfect  necessity  of  existence  to  me.  I  could  have 
dispensed  with  cheese,  with  my  glass  of  port,  my  pickled 
mango,  my  olive,  my  anchovy  toast,  my  nutshell  of  curagoa, 
but  not  my  favorite  lounge.  You  may  smile ;  but  I've  read 
of  a  man  who  could  never  dance  except  in  a  room  with  an 
old  hair-brush.  Now  I'm  certain  my  stomach  would  not 
digest  if  my  legs  were  perpendicular.  I  don't  mean  to  defend 
the  thing.  The  attitude  was  not  graceful ;  it  was  not  impos- 
ing ;    but  it  suited  me  somehow,  and  I  liked  it. 

*'  From  what  I  have  already  mentioned,  you  may  suppose 
that  West  India  habits  exercised  but  little  control  over  my 
favorite  practice,  which  I  indulged  in  every  evening  of  my 
life.  Well,  one  day,  old  Hackett  gave  us  a  gieat  blow-out — a 
dinner  of  two-and-twenty  souls  ;  six  days'  notice ;  turtle  from 
St  Lucie,  guinea-fowl,  claret  of  the  year  forty,  Madeira  a  dis- 
cretion, and  all  that.  Very  well  done  the  whole  thing ;  noth- 
ing wrong,  nothing  wanting.  As  for  me,  I  was  in  great 
feather.  I  took  Polly  in  to  dinner,  greatly  to  the  discomfiture 
of  old  Belson,  our  Major,  who  was  making  up  in  that  quarter ; 
for,  you  must  know,  she  was  an  only  daughter,  and  had  a  very 
nice  thing  of  it  in  molasses  and  niggers.  The  papa  preferred 
the  Major,  but  Polly  looked  sweetly  upon  me.  Well,  down  we 
went,  and  really  a  most  excellent  feed  we  had.  Now,  I  must 
mention  here  that  Polly  had  a  favorite  Blenheim  spaniel  the  old 
fellow  detested  ;  it  was  always  tripping  him  up  and  snarling  at 
him;  for  it  was,  except  to  herself,  a  beast  of  rather  vicious  in- 
clinations. With  a  true  Jamaica  taste,  it  was  her  pleasure  to 
bring  the  animal  always  into  the  dinner-room,  where,  if  papa 
discovered  him,  there  was  sure  to  be  a  row.     Servants  sent  in 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  317 

one  direction  to  hunt  him  out.;  others  endeavoring  to  hide 
him,  and  so  on  ;  in  fact,  a  tremendous  hubbub  always  fol- 
lowed his  introduction  and  accompanied  his  exit,  upon 
which  occasions  I  invariably  exercised  my  gallantry  by  pro- 
tecting the  beast,  although  I  hated  him  like  the  devil  all  the  time. 

"  To  return  to  our  dinner.  After  two  mortal  hours  of  hard 
eating,  the  pace  began  to  slacken,  and,  as  evening  closed  in, 
a  sense  of  peaceful  repose  seemed  to  descend  upon  our  labors. 
Pastilles  shed  an  aromatic  vapor  through  the  room.  The  well- 
iced  decanters  went  with  measured  pace  along ;  conversation, 
subdued  to  the  meridian  of  after-dinner  comfort,  just  mur- 
mured;  the  open  y^Z^/zj-zVi- displayed  upon  the  broad  verandah 
the  orange-tree  in  full  blossom,  slightly  stirring  with  the  cool 
sea-breeze." 

"  And  the  piece  of  white  muslin  beside  you,  what  of  her }  " 

"  Looked  twenty  times  more  bewitching  than  ever.  Well, 
it  was  just  the  hour  when,  opening  the  last  two  buttons  of  your 
white  waistcoat  (remember  we  were  in  Jamaica),  you  stretch 
your  legs  to  the  full  extent,  throw  your  arm  carelessly  over 
the  back  of  your  chair,  look  contemplatively  towards  the  ceil- 
ing, and  wonder,  within  yourself,  why  it  is  not  all  'after  dinner' 
in  this  same  world  of  ours.  Such,  at  least,  were  my  reflections 
as  I  assumed  my  attitude  of  supreme  comfort,  and  inwardly 
ejaculated  a  health  to  Sneyd  and  Barton.  Just  at  this  moment 
I  heard  Polly's  voice  gently  whisper, — 

"  '  Isn't  he  a  love  ?  isn't  he  a  darling  ? ' 

"  *  Zounds  I '  thought  I,  as  a  pang  of  jealousy  shot  through 
my  heart,  *  is  it  the  Major  she  means  .^ '  for  old  Belson,  with 
his  bag  wig  and  rouged  cheeks,  was  seated  on  the  other  side 
of  her. 

" '  What  a  dear  thing  it  is ! '  said  Polly. 

"  '  Worse  and  worse,'  said  I ;  '  it  must  be  him.' 

"  '  I  do  so  love  his  muzzy  face.' 

" '  It  is  him  ! '  said  I,  throwing  off  a  bumper,  and  almost 
boiling  over  with  passion  at  the  moment. 


3i8  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

" '  I  wish  I  could  take  one  look  at  him,'  said  she,  laying 
down  her  head  as  she  spoke. 

"  The  Major  whispered  something  in  her  ear,  to  which  she 
replied, — 

" '  Oh  !  I  dare  not ;  papa  will  see  me  at  once.* 

'"Don't  be  afraid,  madam,'  said  I,  fiercely ;* your  father 
perfectly  approves  of  your  taste.' 

"  '  Are  you  sure  of  it  ? '  said  she,  giving  me  such  a  look. 

" '  I  know  it,'  said  I,  struggling  violently  with  my  agitation. 

"The  Major  leaned  over,  as  if  to  touch  her  hand  beneath 
the  cloth.  I  almost  sprang  from  my  chair,  when  Polly,  in  her 
sweetest  accents,  said, — 

'"  You  must  be  patient,  dear  thing,  or  you  may  be  found 
out,  and  then  there  will  be  such  a  piece  of  work.  Though  I'm 
sure,  Major,  you  would  not  betray  me.'  The  Major  smiled 
till  he  cracked  the  paint  uport  his  cheeks.  '  And  I  am  sure 
that  Mr.  Monsoon ' 

"  '  You  may  rely  upon  me,'  said  I,  half  sneeringly. 

"The  Major  and  I  exchanged  glances  of  defiance,  while 
Polly  continued, — 

"  '  Now,  come,  don't  be  restless.  You  are  very  comfortable 
there.  Isn't  he.  Major  ?'  The  Major  smiled  again  more 
graciously  than  before,  as  he  added, — 

"  '  May  I  take  a  look  ? ' 

"  *  Just  one  peep,  then,  no  more  ! '  said  she,  coquettishly ; 
*  poor  dear  Wowski  is  so  timid.' 

"  Scarcely  had  these  words  borne  balm  and  comfort  to  my 
heart — for  I  now  knew  that  to  the  dog,  and  not  to  my  rival, 
were  all  the  flattering  expressions  applied — when  a  slight 
scream  from  Polly,  and  a  tremendous  oath  from  the  Major, 
raised  me  from  my  dream  of  happiness. 

" '  Take  your  foot  down,  sir.  Mr.  Monsoon,  how  could  you 
do  so  ? '  cried  Polly. 

"  '  What  the  devil,  sir,  do  you  mean  ? '  shouted  the  Major, 

" '  Oh !  I  shall  die  of  shame,'  sobbed  she. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  3 1 9 

"  *  I'll  shoot  him  like  a  riddle,'  muttered  old  Belson. 

"  By  this  time  the  whole  table  had  got  at  the  story,  and  such 
peals  of  laughter,  mingled  with  suggestions  for  my  personal 
maltreatment,  I  never  heard.  All  my  attempts  at  explanation 
were  in  vain.  I  was  not  listened  to,  much  less  believed,  and 
the  old  Colonel  finished  the  scene  by  ordering  me  to  my  quar- 
ters, in  a  voice  I  shall  never  forget,  the  whole  room  being,  at 
the  time  I  make  my  exit,  one  scene  of  tumultuous  laughter 
from  one  end  to  the  other.  Jamaica  after  this  became  too  hot 
for  me.  The  story  was  repeated  on  every  side  ;  for,  it  seems, 
I  had  been  sitting  with  my  foot  on  Polly's  lap  ;  but,  so  occupied 
was  I  with  my  jealous  vigilance  of  the  Major  I  was  not  aware 
of  the  fact  until  she  herself  discovered  it. 

"  I  need  not  say  how  the  following  morning  brought  with  it 
every  possible  offer  of  amende  upon  my  part ;  anything,  from  a 
written  apology  to  a  proposition  to  marry  the  lady,  I  was  ready 
for,  and  how  the  matter  might  have  ended  I  know  not ;  for,  in 
the  middle  of  the  negotiations,  we  were  ordered  off  to  Halifax, 
where,  be  assured,  I  abandoned  my  oriental  attitude  for  many 
a  long  day  after." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE   LANDING. 

What  a  contrast  to  the  dull  monotony  of  our  life  at  sea  did 
the  scene  present  which  awaited  us  on  landing  in  Lisbon.  The 
whole  quay  was  crowded  with  hundreds  of  people  eagerly 
watching  the  vessel  which  bore  from  her  mast  the  broad  ensign 
of  Britain.  Dark-featured,  swarthy,  moustached  faces,  with 
red  caps  rakishly  set  on  one  side,  mingled  with  the  Saxon  faces 
and  fair-haired  natives  of  our  own  country.  Men-of-war  boats 
plied  unceasingly  to  and  fro   across   the  tranquil  river,  some 


320  CHARLES  (TMAl^l^Jii, 

slender  reefer  in  the  stern-sheets  ;  while  behind  him  trailed  thc 
red  pennon  of  some  "  tall  admiral." 

The  din  and  clamor  of  a  mighty  city  mingled  with  the  far- 
off  sounds  of  military  music  ;  and  in  the  vistas  of  the  opening 
street  masses  of  troops  might  be  seen,  in  marching  order  ;  and 
all  betokened  the  near  approach  of  war. 

Our  anchor  had  scarcely  been  dropped,  when  an  eight-oar 
gig,  with  a  midshipman  steering,  came  alongside. 

"  Ship  ahoy,  there  !     You've  troops  on  board  ?  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir." 

Before  the  answer  could  be  spoken,  he  was  on  the  deck. 

"  May  I  ask,"  said  he,  touching  his  cap  slightly,  "  who  is  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  detachment  ?  " 

"Captain  Power;  very  much  at  your  service,"  said  Fred, 
returning  the  salute. 

"  Rear- Admiral  Sir  Edward  Douglas  requests  that  you  will 
do  him  the  favor  to  come  on  board  immediately,  and  bring 
your  despatches  with  you." 

"  I'm  quite  ready,"  said  Power,  as  he  placed  his  papers  in 
his  sabretasche ;  "but  first  tell  us  what's  doing  here.  Any- 
thing new  lately  ?  " 

"I  have  heard  nothing,  except  of  some  affair  with  the  Por- 
tuguese ;  they've  been  drubbed  again  ;  but  our  people  have 
not  been  engaged.  I  say,  we  had  better  get  under  way ;  there's 
our  first  lieutenant,  with  his  telescope  up ;  he's  looking  straight 
at  us.  So,  come  along.  Good-evening,  gentlemen."  And  in 
another  moment  the  sharp  craft  was  cutting  the  clear  water, 
while  Power  gaily  waved  us  a  good-bye. 

"  Who's  for  shore  .<*  "  said  the  Skipper,  as  half-a-dozen  boats 
swarmed  around  the  side,  or  held  on  by  their  boat-hooks  to  the 

rigging- 

"  Who  is  not  ? "  said  Monsoon,  who  now  appeared  in  his  old 

blue  frock  covered  with  tarnished  braiding,  and  a  cocked  hat 

*hat  might  have  roofed  a  pagoda.     "  Who  is  not,  my  old  boy  ? 

s  not  every  man  amongst   us  delighted  with   the   prospect  of 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  3  2 1 

fresh  prog,  cool  wine,  and  a  bed  somewhat  longer  than  four 
feet  six?  I  say,  O'Malley !  Sparks!  Where's  the  Adjutant? 
Ah,  there  he  is  !  We'll  not  mind  the  Doctor  ;  he's  a  very  jovial 
little  fellow,  but  a  damned  bore,  entrc  nous ;  and  we'll  have  a 
cosy  little  supper  at  the  Rue  di  Toledo.  I  know  the  place 
well.  Whew,  now !  Get  away,  boy.  Sit  steady,  Sparks ; 
she's  only  a  cockle-shell.  There — that's  the  Plaza  de  la  Regna 
— there,  to  the  left.  There's  the  great  cathedral — you  can't 
see  it  now.  Another  seventy-four  !  why,  there's  a  whole  fleet 
here  !     I  wish  old  Power  joy  of  his  afternoon  with  old  Douglas." 

"  Do  you  know  him,  then,  Major  ?  " 

"  Do  I ! — I  should  rather  think  I  do.  He  was  going  to  put 
me  in  irons  here  in  this  river  once.  A  great  shame  it  was ; 
but  I'll  tell  you  the  story  another  time.  There — gently  now ; 
that's  it.  Thank  God  !  once  more  upon  land.  How  I  do  hate 
a  ship ;  upon  my  life,  a  sauce-boat  is  the  only  boat  endurable 
in  this  world." 

We  edged  our  way  with  difficulty  through  the  dense  crowd, 
and  at  last  reached  the  Plaza.  Here  the  numbers  were  still 
greater,  but  of  a  different  class  :  several  pretty  and  well-dressed 
women,  with  their  dark  eyes  twinkling  above  their  black  man- 
tillas, as  they  held  them  across  their  faces,  watched  with  an 
intense  curiosity  one  of  the  streets  that  opened  upon  the . 
square. 

In  a  few  moments  the  band  of  a  regiment  was  heard,  and 
very  shortly  after  the  regular  tramp  of  troops  followed,  as  the 
Eighty-seventh  marched  into  the  Plaza,  and  formed  a  line. 

The  music  ceased  ;  the  drums  rolled  along  the  line  ;  and  the 
next  moment  all  was  still.  It  was  really  an  inspiriting  sight  to 
one  whose  heart  was  interested  in  the  career,  to  see  those  gal- 
lant fellows,  as,  with  their  bronzed  faces  and  stalwart  frames, 
they  stood  motionless  as  a  rock.  As  I  continued  to  look,  the 
band  marched  into  the  middle  of  the  square,  and  struck  up 
"  Garryowen."  Scarcely  was  the  first  part  played,  when  a 
tremendous  cheer  burst  from  the  troop-ship  in  the  river.  The 
21 


322  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

welcome  notes  had  reached  the  poor  fellows  there ;  the  well- 
known  sounds,  that  told  of  home  and  country,  met  their  ears; 
and  the  loud  cry  of  recognition  bespoke  their  hearts'  fulness. 

"  There  they  go.  Your  wild  countrymen  have  heard  their 
Ra7iz  des  vaches,  it  seems.  Lord  !  how  they  frightened  the 
poor  Portuguese  !  look  how  they're  running  !  " 

Such  was  actually  the  case.  The  loud  cheer  uttered  from 
the  river  was  taken  up  by  others  straggling  on  shore,  and  one 
universal  shout  betokened  that  fully  one-third  of  the  red-coats 
around  came  from  the  dear  island,  and  in  their  enthusiasm  had 
terrified  the  natives  to  no  small  extent. 

"  Is  not  that  Ferguson  there  !  "  cried  the  Major,  as  an  officer 
passed  us  with  his  arm  in  a  sling.  "  I  say,  Joe — Ferguson  ! 
oh  !  knew  it  was." 

"Monsoon,  my  hearty,  how  goes  it? — only  just  arrived,  I 
see ; — delighted  to  meet  you  out  here  once  more.  Why,  we've 
been  dull  as  a  veteran  battalion  without  you.  These  your 
friends  ?  pray  present  me."  The  ceremony  of  introduction 
over,  the  Major  invited  Ferguson  to  join  our  party  at  supper. 
"  No,  not  to-night.  Major,"  said  he,  "  you  must  be  my  guests 
this  evening.  My  quarters  are  not  five  minutes' walk  from  this 
— I  shall  not  promise  you  very  luxurious  fare." 

"  A  carbonade  with  olives,  a  roast  duck,  a  bowl  of  bishop, 
and,  if  you  will,  a  few  bottles  of  Burgundy,"  said  the  Major ; 
"  don't  put  yourself  out  for  us — soldier's  fare,  eh  .''  " 

I  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  naive  notion  of  simplicity  so 
cunningly  suggested  by  old  Monsoon.  As  I  followed  the  party 
through  the  streets,  my  step  was  light,  my  heart  not  less  so ; 
for  what  sensations  are  more  delightful  than  those  of  landing 
after  a  voyage  ? — the  escape  from  the  durance  vile  of  shipboard 
with  its  montonous  days  and  dreary  nights,  its  ill-regulated 
appointments,  its  cramped  accommodation,  its  uncertain  dura- 
tion, its  eternal  round  of  unchanging  amusements,  for  the 
freedom  of  the  shore,  with  a  land  breeze,  and  a  firm  footing  to 
tread  upon  ;  and,  certainly,  not  least  of  all,  the  sight  of  that 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  323 

brightest  part  of  creation,  whose  soft  eyes  and  tight  ankles  are, 
perhaps,  the  greatest  of  all  imaginable  pleasures  to  him  who 
has  been  the  dweller  on  blue  water  for  several  weeks  long. 

"Here  we  are,"  cried  out  Ferguson,  as  we  stopped  at  the 
door  of  a  large  and  handsome  house.  We  followed  up  a  spa- 
cious stair  into  an  ample  room,  sparingly,  but  not  uncomfortably 
furnished  ;  plans  of  sieges,  maps  of  the  seat  of  war,  pistols, 
sabres,  and  belts  decorated  the  white  walls,  and  a  few  books, 
and  a  stray  army-list,  betokened  the  habits  of  the  occupant. 

While  Ferguson  disappeared  to  make  some  preparations  for 
supper.  Monsoon  commenced  a  congratulation  to  the  party  upon 
the  good  fortune  that  had  befallen  them.  "  Capital  fellow  is 
Joe — never  without  something  good,  and  a  rare  one  to  pass  the 
bottle.  Oh  !  here  he  comes.  Be  alive  there,  Sparks  ;  take  a 
corner  of  the  cloth  ;  how  deliciously  juicy  that  ham  looks  ;  pass 
the  Madeira  down  there  ;  what's  under  that  cover — stewed 
kidneys  ?  "  While  Monsoon  went  on  thus  we  took  our  places  at 
the  table,  and  set  to  with  an  appetite  which  only  a  newly-landed 
traveller  ever  knows. 

"  Another  spoonful  of  the  gravy  ?  Thank  you.  And  so  they 
say  we've  not  been  faring  over  well  latterly  ?  "  said  the  Major.— 
"  Not  a  word  of  truth  in  the  report.  Our  people  have  not  been 
engaged.  The  only  thing  lately  was  a  smart  brush  we  had  at 
the  Tamega.  Poor  Patrick,  a  countryman  of  ours,  and  myself 
were  serving  with  the  Portuguese  brigade,  when  Laborde  drove 
us  back  upon  the  town,  and  actually  routed  us.  The  Portu- 
guese general,  caring  little  for  anything  save  his  own  safety, 
was  making  at  once  for  the  mountains,  when  Patrick  called 
upon  his  battalion  to  face  about  and  charge ;  and  nobly  they 
did  it,  too.  Down  they  came  upon  the  advancing  masses  of 
the  French,  and  literally  hurled  them  back  upon  the  main  body. 
The  other  regiments,  seeing  this  gallant  stand,  wheeled  about, 
and  poured  in  a  volley,  and  then,  fixing  bayonets,  stormed  a 
little  mount  beside  the  hedge,  which  commanded  the  whole  sub- 
urb of  Villa  Real.     The    French,  who   soon  recovered  their 


324  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

order,  now  prepared  for  a  second  attack,  and  came  on  in  two 
dense  columns,  when  Patrick,  who  had  little  confidence  in  the 
steadiness  of  his  people,  for  any  lengthened  resistance,  resolved 
upon  once  more  charging  with  the  bayonet.  The  order 
was  scarcely  given  when  the  French  were  upon  us  ;  their  flank, 
defended  by  some  of  La  Iloussaye's  heavy  dragoons.  For  an 
instant  the  conflict  was  doubtful,  until  poor  Patrick  fell  mortally 
wounded  upon  the  parapet ;  when  the  men,  no  longer  hearing 
his  bold  cheer,  nor  seeing  his  noble  figure  in  the  advance,  turned 
and  fled,  pell-mell,  back  upon  the  town.  As  for  me,  blocked  up 
amid  the  mass,  I  was  cut  down  from  the  shoulder  to  the  elbow 
by  a  young  fellow  of  about  sixteen,  who  galloped  about  like  a 
schoolboy  on  a  hoIida)\  The  wound  was  only  dangerous  from 
the  loss  of  blood,  and  so  I  contrived  to  reach  Amacante  with- 
out much  difficulty  ;  from  whence,  with  three  or  four  others,  I 
was  ordered  here  until  fit  for  service." 

*'  But  what  news  from  our  own  head-quarters  }  "  inquired  I. 

"  All  imaginable  kind  of  rumors  are  afloat.  Some  sa)'^  that 
Craddock  is  retiring ;  othcs,  that  a  part  of  the  army  is  in 
motion  upon  Caldas." 

"  Then  we  are  not  going  to  have  a  very  long  sojourn  here  after 
all,  eh.  Major? — Donna  Maria  de  Tormes  will  be  inconsolable. 
By-the-bye,  their  house  is  just  opposite  us.  Have  you  never 
heard  Monsoon  mention  his  friends  there  ?  " 

"  Come,  come,  Joe,  how  can  you  be  so  foolish  "i " 

"But,  Major,  my  dear  friend,  what  signifies  your  modesty" 
there  is  not  a  man  in  the  service  does  not  know  it,  save  those 
of  the  last  Gazetted 

"  Indeed,  Joe,  I  am  very  angry  with  you." 

"  Well  then,  by  Jove  !  I  must  tell  it  myself  ;  though,  faith, 
lads,  you  lose  not  a  little  for  want  of  Monsoon's  tact  in  the 
narrative." 

"  Anything  is  better  than  trusting  to  such  a  biographer," 
cried  the  Major  :  "  so  here  goes  : — 

*'When  I  was  Acting  Commissary-General  to  the  Portuguese 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  325 

forces  some  few  years  ago,  I  obtained  great  experience  of  the 
habits  of  the  people ;  for  though  naturally  of  an  unsuspecting 
temperament  myself,  I  generally  contrive  to  pick  out  the  little 
foibles  of  my  associates,  even  upon  a  short  acquaintance. 
Now,  my  appointment  pleased  me  very  much  on  this  score  ;  it 
gave  me  little  opportunities  of  examining  the  world.  'The 
greatest  study  of  mankind  is  man  ' — Sparks  would  say  woman 
— but  no  matter. 

"  Now,  I  soon  discovered  that  our  ancient  and  very  excellent 
allies,  the  Portuguese,  with  a  beautiful  climate,  delicious  wines, 
and  very  delightful  wives  and  daughters,  were  the  most  infernal 
rogues  and  scoundrels  ever  met  with.  *  Make  yourself 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  leading  features  of  the  natives,' 
said  old  Sir  Harry  to  me,  in  a  despatch  from  head-quarters ; 
and,  faith,  it  was  not  difficult ;  such  open,  palpable,  undisguised 
rascals  never  were  heard  of.  I  thought  I  knew  a  thing  or  two 
myself,  when  I  landed  ;  but,  Lord  love  you  !  I  was  a  babe ;  I 
was  an  infant  in  swaddling  clothes,  compared  with  them  ;  and 
they  humbugged  me, — ay,  me  I — till  I  began  to  suspect  that  I 
was  only  walking  in  my  sleep. 

"  '  Why,  Monsoon,'  said  the  General,  '  they  told  me  you  were 
a  sharp  fellow,  and  yet  the  people  here  seem  to  work  round 
you  every  day.  This  will  never  do.  You  must  brighten  up  a 
little,  or  I  shall  be  obliged  to  send  you  back.' 

"  '  General,'  said  I,  '  they  used  to  call  me  no  fool  in  England, 
but,  somehow,  here ' 

"  *  I  understand,'  said  he,  '  you  don't  know  the  Portuguese  ; 
there's  but  one  way  with  them — strike  quickly,  and  strike  home. 
Never  give  them  time  for  roguery  ;  for,  if  they  have  a  moment's 
reflection,  they'll  cheat  the  devil  himself;  but,  when  you  see 
the  plot  working,  come  slap  down  and  decide  the  thing  your 
own  way." 

"  Well,  now,  there  never  was  anything  so  true  as  this  advice, 
and,  for  the  eighteen  months  1  acted  upon  it,  I  never  knew  it 
fail. 


326  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

**  *  I  want  a  thousand  measures  of  wheat.' 

" '  Senhor  Excellenza,  the  crops  have  been  miserably  defi- 
cient, and ' 

" '  Sergeant-major,'  I  would  say,  '  these  poor  people  have  no 
corn  ;  it's  a  wine  country;  let  them  make  up  the  rations  that 
way.' 

"  The  wheat  came  in  that  evening. 

"  '  One  hundred  and  twenty  bullocks  wanted  for  the  reserve.' 

" '  The  cattle  are  all  up  the  mountains.' 

"'Let  the  alcalde  catch  them  before  night,  or  I'll  catch  him.'' 

"  Lord  bless  you  !  I  had  beef  enough  to  feed  the  Peninsula. 
And  in  this  way,  while  the  forces  were  eating  short  allowance 
and  half-rations  elsewhere,  our  brigade  were  plump  as  alder- 
men. 

"  When  we  lay  in  Andalusia  this  was  easy  enough.  What  a 
country  to  be  sure  !  Such  vineyards,  such  gardens,  such 
delicious  valleys,  waving  with  corn,  and  fat  with  olives  ;  actually 
it  seemed  a  kind  of  dispensation  of  Providence  to  make  war  in. 
There  was  everything  you  could  desire  ;  and,  then,  the  people, 
like  all  your  wealthy  ones,  were  so  timid,  and  so  easily  frightened, 
you  could  get  what  you  pleased  out  of  them  by  a  little  terror. 
My  scouts  managed  this  very  well. 

"  '  He  is  coming,'  they  would  say,  '  after  to-morrow.' 

"  '  Madre  de  Dios  r' 

"  '  I  hope  he  won't  burn  the  village.' 

"  '■Questos  infernales  Ingkses  !  how  wicked  they  are.' 

"  '  You'd  better  try  what  a  sack  of  moidores  or  doubloons 
might  do  with  him  ;  he  may  refuse  them,  but  make  the  effort.' 

"  Ha  !  "  said  the  Major,  with  a  long-drawn  sigh,  "  those  were 
pleasant  times  ;  alas  !  that  they  should  ever  come  to  an  end. 
Well,  among  the  old  hidalgos  I  met  there  was  one  Don  Emanuel 
Selvio  de  Tormes,  an  awful  old  miser,  rich  as  Croesus,  and 
suspicious  as  the  arch-fiend  himself.  Lord,  how  I  melted  him 
down  !  I  quartered  two  squadrons  of  horse  and  a  troop  of  fly- 
ing artillery  upon  him.     How  the  fellows  did  eat !  such  a  con* 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOM.  32? 

sumption  of  wines  was  never  heard  of ;  and,  as  they  began  to 
slacken  a  little,  I  took  care  to  replace  them  by  fresh  arrivals — 
fellows  from  the  mountains — ca^adores  they  call  them.  At  last 
my  friend  Don  Emanuel  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  he  sent 
me  a  diplomatic  envoy  to  negotiate  terms,  which,  upon  the  whole, 
I  must  say,  were  fair  enough,  and,  in  a  few  days  after,  the 
cacadores  were  withdrawn,  and  I  took  up  my  quarters  at  the 
chateau.  I  have  had  various  chances  and  changes  in  this  wicked 
world,  but  I  am  free  to  confess  that  I  never  passed  a  more 
agreeable  time  than  the  seven  weeks  I  spent  there.  Don 
Emanuel,  when  properly  managed,  became  a  very  pleasant  little 
fellow :  Donna  Maria,  his  wife,  was  a  sweet  creature.  You 
need  not  be  winking  that  way.  Upon  my  life,  she  was  ;  rather 
fat,  to  be  sure,  and  her  age  something  verging  upon  the  fifties ; 
but  she  had  such  eyes,  black  as  sloes,  and  luscious  as  ripe 
grapes;  and  she  was  always  smiling,  and  ogling,  and  looking 
so  sweet.  Confound  me,  if  I  think  she  wasn't  the  most  en- 
chanting being  in  this  world,  with  about  ten  thousand  pounds' 
worth  of  jewels  upon  her  fingers  and  in  her  ears.  I  have  her 
before  me  at  this  instant,  as  she  used  to  sit  in  the  little  arbor 
in  the  garden,  with  a  Manilla  cigar  in  her  mouth,  and  a  little 
brandy-and-water — quite  weak,  you  know — beside  her. 

"  *  Ah  !  General,'  she  used  to  say — she  always  called  me 
General — '  what  a  glorious  career  yours  is  !  A  soldier  is 
indeed  a  man.' 

"  Then  she  would  look  at  poor  Emanuel,  who  used  to  sit  in 
a  corner,  holding  his  hand  to  his  face,  for  hours,  calculating 
interest  and  cent,  per  cent.,  till  he  fell  asleep. 

"  Now,  he  labored  under  a  very  singular  malady — not  that 
I  ever  knew  it  at  the  time — a  kind  of  luxation  of  the  lower  jaw 
which,  when  it  came  on,  happened  someliow  to  press  upon 
some  vital  nerve  or  other,  and  left  him  perfectly  paralyzed  till 
it  was  restored  to  its  proper  place.  In  fact,  during  the  time 
the  agony  lasted,  he  was  like  one  in  a  trance  ;  for  though  he 
could  see  and  hear,  he  could   neither   speak   nor   move,    and 


pS  CHARLES  &MALLEV, 

looked   as  if  he  had  done   with  both   for  many  a  day  to 

come. 

"  Well,  as  I  was  saying,  I  knew  nothing  of  all  this,  till  a 
slight  circumstance  made  it  known  to  me.  I  was  seated  one 
evening  in  the  little  arbor  I  mentioned  with  Donna  Maria. 
There  was  a  little  table  before  us,  covered  with  wines  and  fruits, 
a  dish  of  olives,  some  Castile  oranges,  and  a  fresh  pine.  I 
remember  it  well :  my  eye  roved  over  the  little  dessert,  set  out 
in  old-fashioned  rich  silver  dishes,  then  turned  towards  the  lady 
herself,  with  rings  and  brooches,  earrings,  and  chains  enough 
to  reward  one  for  sacking  a  town  ;  and  I  said  to  myself,  '  Mon- 
soon, Monsoon,  this  is  better  than  long  marches  in  the  Pyrenees, 
with  a  cork-tree  for  a  bed-curtain,  and  wet  grass  for  a  mattress. 
How  pleasantly  one  might  jog  on  in  this  world  with  this  little 
country-house  for  his  abode,  and  Donna  Maria  for  a  compan- 
ion ! ' 

"  I  tasted  the  port — it  was  delicious.  Now,  I  knew  very 
little  Portuguese,  but  I  made  some  effort  to  ask  if  there  was 
much  of  it  in  the  cellar. 

*'  She  smiled,  and  said,  '  Oh  !  yes  ' 

"  '  What  a  luxurious  life  one  might  lead  here  ! '  thought  I ; 
*  and,  after  all,  perhaps  Providence  might  remove  Don 
Emanuel.' 

"  I  finished  the  bottle  as  1  thus  meditated.  The  next  was, 
if  possible,  more  crusty. 

"  '  This  is  a  delicious  retreat,'  said  I,  soliloquizing. 

"  Donna  Maria  seemed  to  know  what  was  passing  in  my 
mind,  for  she  smiled  too. 

"  '  Yes,'  said  I,  in  broken  Portuguese,  *  one  ought  to  be  very 
happy  here.  Donna  Maria.' 

"  She  blushed,  and  I  continued  : — 

"  '  What  can  one  want  for  more  in  this  life  ? — all  the  charms, 
that  rendered  Paradise  what  it  was  ' — I  took  her  hand  here — ■ 
'  and  made  Adam  blessed.' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  329 

"  *  Ah,  General  !*  said  she,  with  a  sigh,  'you  are  such  a 
flatterer.' 

"  '  Who  could  flatter,'  said  I,  with  enthusiasm,  '  when  there 
are  not  words  enough  to  express  what  he  feels  ? '  This  was 
true,  for  my  Portuguese  was  fast  failing  me.  '  But  if  I  ever 
was  happy,  it  is  now.' 

"  I  took  another  pull  at  the  port. 

"  '  If  I  only  thought,'  said  I,  '  that  my  presence  here  was 
not  thought  unwelcome ' 

"  '  Fie,  General,'  said  she, '  how  could  you  say  such  a  thing  ? ' 

"  '  If  I  only  thought  I  was  not  hated,'  said  I,  tremblingly. 

"  '  Oh  ! '  said  she  again. 

"  *  Despised.* 

"  '  Oh  ! ' 

"  '  Loathed. 

"  She  pressed  my  hand — I  kissed  hers ;  she  hurriedly 
snatched  it  from  me,  and  pointed  towards  a  lime-tree  near, 
beneath  which,  in  the  cool  enjoyment  of  his  cigar,  sat  the  spare 
and  detested  figure  of  Don  Emanuel. 

"  '  Yes,'  thought  I, '  there  he  is — the  only  bar  to  my  good 
fortune  ;  were  it  not  for  him,  I  should  not  be  long  before  I 
became  possessor  of  this  excellent  old  chateau,  with  a  most  in- 
discretionary  power  over  the  cellar.  Don  Mauricius  Mon- 
soon would  speedily  assume  his  place  among  the  grandees  of 
Portugal.' 

"  I  know  not  how  long  my  reverie  lasted,  nor,  indeed,  how 
the  evening  passed ;  but  I  remember  well  the  moon  was  up, 
and  a  sky  bright  with  a  thousand  stars  was  shining,  as  I  sat 
beside  the  fair  Donna  Maria,  endeavoring,  with  such  Portu- 
guese as  it  had  pleased  fate  to  bestow  on  me,  to  instruct  her 
touching  my  warlike  services  and  deeds  of  arms.  The  fourth 
bottle  of  port  was  ebbing  beneath  my  eloquence,  as  respon- 
sively  her  heart  beat,  when  I  heard  a  slight  rustle  in  the  branches 
near.  I  looked,  and,  Heavens,  what  a  sight  did  I  behold  ! 
There  was  little  Don  Emanuel  stretched  upon  the  grass,  with 


330  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

his  mouth  wide  open,  his  face  pale  as  death,  his  arms  stretched 
out  at  either  side,  and  his  legs  stiffened  straight  out.  I  ran 
over  and  asked  if  he  were  ill,  but  no  answer  came.  I  lifted  up 
an  arm,  but  it  fell  heavily  upon  the  ground  as  I  let  it  go;  the 
leg  did  likewise.     I  touched  his  nose — it  was  cold. 

" '  Hollo,'  thought  I, '  is  it  so  } '  Thus  comes  of  mixing  water 
with  your  sherry.     I  saw  where  it  would  end.' 

"  Now,  upon  my  life,  I  felt  sorry  for  the  little  fellow  ;  but, 
somehow,  one  gets  so  familiarized  with  this  sort  of  thing  in  a 
campaign,  that  one  only  half  feels  in  a  case  like  this. 

"  'Yes,'  said  I,  '  man  is  but  grass  ;  but  I,  for  one,  must  make 
hay  when  the  sun  shines.  Now  for  the  Donna  Maria,'  for  the 
poor  thing  was  asleep  in  the  arbor  all  this  while. 

"  '  Donna,'  said  I,  shaking  her  by  the  elbow, — '  Donna,  don't 
be  shocked  at  what  I'm  going  to  say.' 

"  '  Ah  !  General,'  said  she,  with  a  sigh,  '  say  no  more  ;  I  must 
not  listen  to  you.* 

"  '  You  don't  know  that,'  said  I,  with  a  knowing  look; — 'you 
don't  know  that.' 

"  '  Why,  what  can  you  mean  ? ' 

"'The  little  fellow  is  done  for;'  for  the  port  was  working 
strong  now,  and  destroyed  all  my  fine  sensibility.  '  Yes,  Donna,' 
said  I,  '  you  are  free,' — here  I  threw  myself  upon  my  knees, — 
free  to  make  me  the  happiest  of  commissaries  and  the  joUiest 
grandee  of  Portugal  that  ever ' 

"  '  But  Don  Emanuel  ? ' 

"  '  Run  out — dry — empty,'  inverting  a  finished  decanter,  to 
typify  my  words  as  I  spoke. 

"  '  He  is  not  dead  ?  '  said  she,  with  a  scream. 

"  '  Even  so,'  said  I,  with  a  hiccup  ;  '  orders  for  service  in  a 
better  world,  where  there  are  neither  inspections  nor  arrears.' 

"  Before  the  words  were  well  out,  she  sprang  from  the  bench, 
and  rushed  over  to  the  spot  where  the  little  Don  lay.  What 
she  said  or  did  I  know  not,  but  the  next  moment  he  sat  bolt 
upright  on  the  grass,  and,  as  he  held  his  jaw  with  one  hand 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  331 

and  supported  himself  on  the  other,  vented  such  a  torrent  of 
abuse  and  insult  at  me,  that,  for  want  of  Portuguese  enough  to 
reply,  I  rejoined  in  English,  in  which  I  swore  pretty  roundly 
for  five  minutes.  Meanwhile,  the  Donna  had  summoned  the 
servants,  who  removed  Don  Emanuel  to  the  house ;  where,  on 
my  return,  I  found  my  luggage  displayed  before  the  door,  with 
a  civil  hint  to  deploy  in  orderly  time,  and  take  ground  elsewhere. 

"  In  a  few  days,  however,  his  anger  cooled  down,  and  I  re- 
ceived a  polite  note  from  Donna  Maria,  that  the  Don  at  length 
began  to  understand  the  joke,  and  begged  that  I  would  return 
to  the  chateau^  and  that  he  would  expect  me  at  dinner  tlie  same 
day." 

"  With  which,  of  course,  you  complied  ?  " 

"  Which  of  course  I  did.  Forgive  your  enemies,  my  dear  boy ; 
it  is  only  Christian-like  ;  and  really,  we  lived  very  happy  ever 
after  ;  the  Donna  was  a  mighty  clever  woman,  and  a  dear  good 
soul  besides." 

It  was  late  when  the  Major  concluded  his  story  ;  so,  after 
wishing  Ferguson  a  good-night,  we  took  our  leave,  and  retired 
for  the  night  to  our  quarters. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIL 

LISBON. 

The  tramp  of  horses'  feet  and  the  sound  of  voices  beneath 
my  window  roused  me  from  a  deep  sleep.  I  sprang  up  and 
drew  aside  the  curtain.  What  a  strange  confusion  beset  me  as 
I  looked  forth  !  liefore  me  lay  a  broad  and  tranquil  river, 
whose  opposite  shore,  deeply  wooded,  and  studded  with  villas 
and  cottages,  rose  abruptly  from  the  water's  edge  ;  vessels  of 
war  lay  tranquilly  in  the  stream,  their  pennants  trailing  in  the 
tide.  The  loud  boom  of  a  morning  gun  rolled  along  the  sur- 
face, awaking  a  hundred  echoes  as  it  passed,  and    the    lazy 


332  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

smoke  rested  for  some  minutes  on  the  glassy  water  as  it  blended 
with  the  thin  air  of  the  morning. 

"  Where  am  I  ?  "  was  my  first  question  to  myself,  as  I  con- 
tinued to  look  from  side  to  side,  unable  to  collect  my  scattered 
senses. 

One  word  sufficed  to  recall  me  to  myself,  as  I  heard  Power's 
voice  from  without,  call  out, — 

"  Charley  !  O'Malley,  I  say  !     Come  down  here  !  " 

I  hurriedly  threw  on  my  clothes,  and  went  to  the  door. 

"  Well,  Charley  !  I've  been  put  in  harness  rather  sooner 
than  I  expected.  Here's  old  Douglas  has  been  sitting  up  all 
night,  writing  despatches  ;  and  I  must  hasten  on  to  head- 
quarters, without  a  moment's  delay.  There's  work  before  us, 
that's  certain  ;  but  when,  where,  and  how,  of  that  I  know  noth- 
ing. You  may  expect  the  route  every  moment  ;  the  French 
are  still  advancing.  Meanwhile,  I  have  a  couple  of  commis- 
sions for  you  to  execute.  First  here's  a  packet  for  Hammersley ; 
you  are  sure  to  meet  him  with  the  regiment,  in  a  day  or  two.  I 
have  some  scruples  about  asking  you  this — but,  confound  it  ! 
— you're  too  sensible  a  fellow  to  care " 

Here  he  hesitated  ;  and,  as  I  colored  to  the  eyes,  for  some 
minutes  he  seemed  uncertain  how  to  proceed.  At  length,  re- 
covering himself,  he  went  on, — 

"  Now  for  the  other.  This  is  a  most  loving  epistle  from  a 
poor  devil  of  a  midshipman,  written  last  night,  by  a  tallow  can- 
dle, in  the  cockpit,  containing  vows  of  eternal  adoration  and  a 
lock  of  hair.  I  promised  faithfully  to  deliver  it  myself  ;  for 
the  Thimderer  sails  for  Gibraltar  next  tide,  and  he  cannot  go 
ashore  for  an  instant.  However,  as  Sir  Arthur's  billet  may  be 
of  more  importance  than  the  reefer's,  I  must  entrust  its  safe 
keeping  to  your  hands.  Now,  then,  don't  look  so  devilish 
sleepy  ;  but  seem  to  understand  what  I  am  saying.  This  is 
the  address  : — '  La  Senhora  Inez  da  Silviero,  Rua  Nuova, 
opposite  the  barber's  ; '  you'll  not  neglect  it.  So  now,  my  dear 
boy,  till  our  next  meeting,  adios  /" 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  333 

"  Stop  !  for  Heaven's  sake,  not  so  fast,  I  pray.  Where's  the 
street  ?  " 

"  The  Rua  Nuova.  Remember  Figaro,  my  boy.  Cinque  per- 
ruche." 

"  But  what  am  I  to  do  ?  " 

"  To  do  !  what  a  question  !  Anything  ;  everything.  Be  a 
good  diplomate  ;  speak  of  the  torturing  agony  of  the  lover,  for 
which  I  can  vouch  (the  boy  is  only  fifteen)  ;  swear  that  he  is 
to  return  in  a  month,  first  lieutenant  of  the  Thunder  Bomb,  with 
intentions  that  even  Madame  Dalrymple  would  approve." 

"  What  nonsense,"  said  I,  blushing  to  the  eyes. 

"  And  if  that  suffice  not,  I  know  of  but  one  resource." 

"  Which  is  ?  " 

"  Make  love  to  her  yourself.  Ay,  even  so.  Don't  look  so 
confoundedly  vinegar  :  the  girl,  I  hear,  is  a  devilish  pretty  one, 
the  house  pleasant,  and  I  sincerely  wish  I  could  exchange 
duties  with  you,  leaving  you  to  make  your  bows  to  his  Excellency 
the  C.  O.  F.,  and  myself  free  to  make  mine  to  La  Senhora. 
And  now,  push  along,  old  red  cap." 

So  saying,  he  made  a  significant  cut  of  his  whip  at  the 
Portuguese  guide,  and  in  another  moment  was  out  of  sight. 

My  first  thought  was  one  of  regret  at  Power's  departure. 
For  some  time  past  we  had  been  inseparable  companions  ; 
and,  notwithstanding  the  reckless  and  wild  gaiety  of  his  con- 
duct, I  had  ever  found  him  ready  to  assist  me  in  every  difficulty, 
and  that  with  an  address  and  dexterity  a  more  calculating 
adviser  might  not  have  possessed.  I  was  now  utterly  alone ; 
for,  though  Monsoon  and  the  Adjutant  were  still  in  Lisbon,  as 
was  also  Sparks,  I  never  could  make  intimates  of  them. 

I  ate  my  breakfast  with  a  heavy  heart ;  my  solitary  position 
again  suggesting  thoughts  of  home  and  kindred.  Just  at  this 
moment  my  eyes  fell  upon  the  packet  destined  for  Hammersley  ; 
I  took  it  up  and  weighed  it  in  my  hand.  "  Alas  !  "  thought  I, 
"how  much  of  my  destiny  may  lie  within  that  envelope  !  how 
fatally  may  my  after-life  be  infiuenced  by  it !  "     It  felt  heavy, 


334  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

as  though  there  was  something  besides  letters.  True,  too 
true ;  there  was  a  picture ;  Lucy's  portrait !  The  cold  drops 
of  perspiration  stood  upon  my  forehead  as  my  fingers  traced 
the  outline  of  a  miniature-case  in  the  parcel.  I  became  deadly 
weak,  and  sank,  half-fainting,  upon  a  chair.  And  such  is  the 
end  of  my  first  dream  of  happiness  !  How  have  I  duped,  how 
have  I  deceived  myself  !  For,  alas  !  though  Lucy  had  never 
responded  to  my  proffered  vows  of  affection,  yet  had  I  ever 
nurtured  in  my  heart  a  secret  hope  that  I  was  not  altogether 
uncared  for.  Every  look  she  had  given  me,  every  word  she 
had  spoken,  the  tone  of  her  voice,  her  step,  her  every  gesture 
were  before  me,  all  confirming  my  delusion — and  yet — I  could 
bear  no  more,  and  burst  into  tears. 

The  loud  call  of  a  cavalry  trumpet  aroused  me. 

How  long  I  had  passed  in  this  state  of  despondency  I  knew 
not ;  but  it  was  long  past  noon  when  I  rallied  myself.  My 
charger  was  already  awaiting  me ;  and  a  second  blast  of  the 
trumpet  told  that  the  inspection  in  the  Plaza  was  about  to 
commence. 

As  I  continued  to  dress,  I  gradually  rallied  from  my  depress- 
ing thoughts  ;  and,  ere  I  belted  my  sabretasche,  the  current  of 
my  ideas  had  turned  from  their  train  of  sadness  to  one  of 
hardihood  and  daring.  Lucy  Dashwood  had  treated  me  like 
a  wilful  schoolboy.  Mayhap,  I  may  prove  myself  as  gallant  a 
soldier  as  even  him  she  has  preferred  before  me. 

A  third  sound  of  the  trumpet  cut  short  my  reflections,  and  I 
sprang  into  the  saddle,  and  hastened  towards  the  Plaza.  As 
I  dashed  along  the  streets,  my  horse,  maddened  with  the 
impulse  that  stirred  my  own  heart,  curvetted  and  plunged 
unceasingly.  As  I  reached  the  Plaza,  the  crowd  became  dense, 
and  I  was  obliged  to  pull  up.  The  sound  of  the  music,  the 
parade,  the  tramp  of  the  infantry,  and  the  neighing  of  the 
horses,  were,  however,  too  much  for  my  mettlesome  steed,  and 
he  became  nearly  unmanageable ;  he  plunged  fearfully,  and 
twice  reared   as  though   he   would  have   fallen   back.     As  I 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  335 

scattered  the  foot  passengers  right  and  left  with  terror,  my  eye 
fell  upon  one  lovely  girl,  who,  tearing  herself  from  her  corn- 
panion,  rushed  wildly  towards  an  open  doorway  for  shelter ; 
suddenly,  however,  changing  her  intention,  she  came  forward 
a  few  paces,  and  then,  as  if  overcome  by  fear,  stood  stock-still, 
her  hands  clasped  upon  her  bosom,  her  eyes  upturned,  her 
features  deadly  pale,  while  her  knees  seemed  bending  beneath 
her.  Never  did  I  behold  a  more  beautiful  object.  Her  dark 
hair  had  fallen  loose  upon  her  shoulder,  and  she  stood  the  very 
ideal  of  the  "  Madonna  Supplicating,"  My  glance  was  short 
as  a  lightning  flash  ;  for,  the  same  instant,  my  horse  swerved, 
and  dashed  forward  right  at  the  place  where  she  was  standing. 
One  terrific  cry  rose  from  the  crowd,  who  saw  her  danger. 
Beside  her  stood  a  muleteer,  who  had  drawn  up  his  mule  and 
cart  close  beside  the  footway  for  safety  ;  she  made  one  effort  to 
reach  it,  but  her  outstretched  arms  alone  moved,  and,  paralyzed 
by  terror,  she  sank  motionless  upon  the  pavement.  There 
was  but  one  course  open  to  me  now ;  so,  collecting  myself  for 
the  effort,  I  threw  my  horse  upon  his  haunches,  and  then, 
dashing  the  spurs  into  his  flanks,  breasted  him  at  the  mule 
cart.  With  one  spring  he  rose,  and  cleared  it  at  a  bound, 
while  the  very  air  rang  with  the  acclamations  of  the  multitude, 
and  a  thousand  bravos  saluted  me  as  I  alighted  upon  the 
opposite  side. 

"  Well  done,  O'Malley !  "  sang  out  the  little  Adjutant,  as  I 
flew  past,  and  pulled  up  in  the  middle  of  the  Plaza. 

"  Something  devilish  like  Galway  in  that  leap,"  said  a  very 
musical  voice  beside  me  ;  and  at  the  same  instant  a  tall,  soldier- 
like man,  in  an  undress  dragoon  frock,  touched  his  cap,  and 
said,  "  A  Fourteenth  man,  I  perceive,  sir.  May  I  introduce 
myself  ? — Major  O'Shaughnessy." 

I  bowed,  and  shook  the  Major's  proffered  hand,  while  he 
continued, — 

"  Old  Monsoon  mentioned  your  name  to  us  this  morning. 
You  came  out  together,  if  1  mistake  not.''" 


336  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  Yes  ;  but,  somehow,  I've  missed  the  Major  since  my 
landing." 

"  Oh,  you'll  see  him  presently  ;  he'll  be  on  parade.  By-the- 
bye,  he  wishes  particularly  to   meet  you.     We  dine    to-day  at 

the  '  Quai  de   Soderi,'  and  if  you're  not  engaged .     Yes, 

this  is  the  person,"  said  he,  turning  at  the  moment  towards  a 
servant,  who,  with  a  card  in  his  hand,  seemed  to  search  for 
some  one  in  the  crowd. 

The  man  approached,  and  handed  it  to  me, 

"  What  can  this  mean  1 "  said  I.  "  Don  Emanuel  de  Blacas 
y  Silviero,  Rua  Nuova." 

"  Why,  that's  the  great  Portuguese  contractor,  the  intendant 
of  half  the  army,  the  richest  fellow  in  Lisbon.  Have  you 
known  him  long .''  " 

"Never  heard  of  him  till  now," 

"  By  Jove,  you're  in  luck  !  No  man  gives  such  dinners  ;  he 
has  such  a  cellar  !  I'll  wager  a  fifty  it  was  his  daughter  you 
took  in  the  flying  leap  a  while  ago.  I  hear  she  is  a  beautiful 
creature." 

"Yes,"  thought  I,  "  that  must  be  it;  and  yet,  strange  enough, 
I  think  the  name  and  address  are  familiar  to  me." 

"  Ten  to  one,  you've  heard  Monsoon  speak  of  him  ;  he's 
most  intimate  there.     But  here  comes  the  Major." 

And,  as  he  spoke,  the  illustrious  Commissary  came  foward, 
holding  a  vast  bundle  of  papers  in  one  hand,  and  his  snuff- 
box in  the  other,  followed  by  a  long  string  of  clerks,  con- 
tractors, assistant-surgeons,  paymasters,  etc.,  all  eagerly  press- 
ing forward  to  be  heard. 

"  It's  quite  impossible  :  I  can't  do  it  to-day.  Victualling 
and  physicking  are  very  good  things,  but  must  be  done  in  sea- 
son. I  have  been  up  all  night  at  the  accounts — haven't  I, 
O'Malley?" — here  he  winked  at  me  most  significantly; — 
"  and  then  I  have  the  forage  and  stoppage  fund  to  look  through 
(We  dine  at  six,  sharp,"  said  he,  sotto  voce),  "  which  will  leave 
me  without  one  minute  unoccupied  for  the  next  twenty-four 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  337 

hours.  Look  to  your  toggery  this  evening  ;  I've  something  in 
my  eye  for  you,  O'Malley." 

".Officers  unattached  to  their  several  corps  will  fall  into  the 
middle  of  the  Plaza,"  said  a  deep  voice  among  the  crowd ; 
and,  in  obedience  to  the  order,  I  rode  forward  and  placed  my- 
self with  a  number  of  others,  apparently  newly  joined,  in  the 
open  square.  A  short,  gray-haired  old  Colonel,  with  a  dark, 
eagle  look,  proceeded  to  inspect  us,  reading  from  a  paper  as 
he  came  along, — 

"Mr.  Hepton,  6th  Foot:  commission  bearing  date  nth 
January  ;  drilled,  proceed  to  Ovar,  and  join  his  regiment. 

"Mr.  Gronow,  Fusilier  Guards,  remains  with  the  depot. 

"Captain  Mortimer,  ist  Dragoons;  appointed  aide-de-camp 
to  the  General  commanding  the  cavalry  brigade. 

"  Mr.  Sparks — where  is  Mr.  Sparks  1  Mr.  Sparks  absent 
from  parade,  make  a  note  of  it. 

"Mr.  O'Malley,  14th  Light  Dragoons.  Mr.  O'Malley— oh, 
I  remember,  I  have  received  a  letter  from  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood  concerning  you.  You  will  hold  yourself  in  readiness  to 
march.  Your  friends  desire  that,  before  you  may  obtain  any 
staff  appointment,  you  should  have  the  opportunity  of  seeing 
some  service.     Am  I  to  understand  such  is  your  wish  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly." 

"  May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  your  company  at  dinner  to- 
day ?  " 

"  I  regret  that  I  have  already  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine 
with  Major  Monsoon." 

"  With  Major  Monsoon  ?  ah,  indeed  !  Perhaps  it  might  be 
as  well  I  should  mention — but  no  matter.  I  wish  you  good- 
morning." 

So  saying,  the  little  Colonel  rode  off,  leaving  me  to  suppose 
that  my  dinner  engagement  had  not  raised  me  in  his  estima- 
tion, though  why,  I  could  not  exactly  determine. 

22 


338  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


THE  RUA    NUOVA. 


Our  dinner  was  a  long  and  uninteresting  one,  and,  as  I 
found  that  the  Major  was  likely  to  prefer  his  seat,  as  chairman 
of  the  party,  to  the  seductions  of  ladies'  society,  I  took  the 
first  opportunity  of  escaping,  and  left  the  room. 

It  was  a  rich  moonlight  night,  as  I  found  myself  in  the 
street.  My  way,  which  led  along  the  banks  of  the  Tagus  was 
almost  as  light  as  in  daytime,  and  crowded  with  walking 
parties,  who  sauntered  carelessly  along,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  cool,  refreshing  night  air.  On  inquiring,  I  discovered 
that  the  Rua  Nuova  was  at  the  extremity  of  the  city  ;  but,  as 
the  road  led  along  by  the  river,  I  did  not  regret  the  distance, 
but  walked  on  with  increasing  pleasure  at  the  charms  of  so 
heavenly  a  climate  and  country. 

After  three-quarters  of  an  hour's  walk,  the  streets  became 
by  degrees  less  and  less  crowded.  A  solitary  party  passed 
me  now  and  then ;  the  buzz  of  distant  voices  succeeded  to  the 
gay  laughter  and  merry  tones  of  the  passing  groups,  and,  at 
length,  my  own  footsteps  alone  awoke  the  echoes  along  the 
deserted  pathway.  I  stopped  every  now  and  then  to  gaze 
upon  the  tranquil  river,  whose  eddies  were  circling  in  the  pale 
silver  of  the  moonlight.  I  listened  with  attentive  ear,  as  the 
night  breeze  wafted  to  me  the  far-off  sounds  of  a  guitar,  and 
the  deep  tones  of  some  lover's  serenade ;  while  again  the  ten- 
der warbling  of  the  nightingale  came  borne  across  the  stream, 
on  a  wind  rich  with  the  odor  of  the  orange-tree. 

As  thus  I  lingered  on  my  way  the  time  stole  on ;  and  it  was 
near  midnight  ere  I  had  roused  myself  from  the  reverie  s»*r 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOM.  ^il'^ 

rounding  objects  had  thrown  about  me.  I  stopped  suddenly, 
and  for  some  minutes  I  struggled  with  myself  to  discover  if  I 
was  really  awake.  As  I  walked  along,  lost  in  my  reflections,  I 
had  entered  a  little  garden  beside  the  river  ;  fragrant  plants  and 
lovely  flowers  bloomed  on  every  side  :  the  orange,  the  camel- 
lia, the  cactus,  and  the  rich  laurel  of  Portugal  were  blending 
their  green  and  golden  hues  around  me,  while  the  very  air 
was  filled  with  delicious  music.  "Was  it  a  dream?  Could 
such  ecstasy  be  real  ? "  I  asked  myself,  as  the  rich  notes 
swelled  upwards  in  their  strength,  and  sank  in  soft  cadence  to 
tones  of  melting  harmony,  now  bursting  forth  in  the  full  force 
of  gladness,  the  voices  blended  together  in  one  stream  of  mel- 
low music,  and,  suddenly  ceasing,  the  soft  but  thrilling  shake 
of  a  female  voice  rose  upon  the  air,  and,  in  its  plaintive  beauty, 
stirred  the  very  heart.  The  proud  tramp  of  martial  music  suc- 
ceeded to  the  low  wailing  cry  of  agony  :  then  came  the  crash 
of  battle,  the  clang  of  steel ; — the  thunder  of  the  fight  rolled 
on  in  all  its  majesty,  increasing  in  its  maddening  excitement 
till  it  ended  in  one  loud  shout  of  victory. 

All  was  still ;  not  a  breath  moved,  not  a  leaf  stirred,  and 
again  was  I  relapsing  into  my  dreamy  scepticism,  when  again 
the  notes  swelled  upwards  in  concert.  But  now  their  accents 
were  changed,  and,  in  low,  subdued  tones,  faintly  and  slowly 
uttered,  the  prayer  of  thanksgiving  rose  to  heaven,  and  spoke 
their  gratefulness.  I  almost  fell  upon  my  knees,  and  already 
the  tears  filled  my  eyes  as  I  drank  in  the  sounds.  My  heart 
was  full  to  bursting,  and  even  now  as  I  write  it,  my  pulse 
throbs  as  I  remember  the  hymn  of  the  Abencerrages. 

When  I  rallied  from  my  trance  of  excited  pleasure,  my  first 
thought  was — where  was  I,  and  how  came  I  there  ?  Before  I 
could  resolve  my  doubts  upon  the  question,  my  attention  was 
turned  in  another  direction,  for  close  beside  me  the  branches 
moved  forwards,  and  a  pair  of  arms  were  thrown  around  my 
neck,  while  a  delicious  voice  cried  out,  in  an  accent  of  childish 
delight,  "  Trovado  /"     At  the  same  instant  a  lovely  head  sank 


340  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

upon  my  shoulder,  covering  it  with  tresses  of  long  brown  hair. 
The  arms  pressed  me  still  more  closely,  till  I  felt  her  very 
heart  beating  against  my  side. 

"  Mio  fradre,'"  said  a  soft,  trembling  voice,  as  her  fingers 
played  in  my  hair  and  patted  my  temples. 

What  a  situation  mine  !  I  well  knew  that  some  mistaken 
identity  had  been  the  cause ;  but,  still,  I  could  not  repress  my 
inclination  to  return  the  embrace,  as  I  pressed  my  lips  upon 
the  fair  forehead  that  leaned  upon  my  bosom  ;  at  the  same 
moment,  she  threw  back  her  head,  as  if  to  look  me  more  fully 
in  the  face.  One  glance  sufficed  ;  blushing  deeply  over  her 
cheeks  and  neck,  she  sprang  from  my  arms,  and,  uttering  a 
faint  cry,  staggered  against  a  tree.  In  an  instant  I  saw  it  was 
the  lovely  girl  I  had  met  in  the  morning ;  and,  without  losing 
a  second,  I  poured  out  apologies  for  my  intrusion  with  all  the 
eloquence  1  was  master  of,  till  she  suddenly  interrupted  me  by 
asking  if  I  spoke  French.  Scarcely  had  I  recommenced  my 
excuses  in  that  language,  when  a  third  party  appeared  upon 
the  stage.  This  was  a  short,  elderly  man,  in  a  green  uniform, 
with  several  decorations  upon  his  breast,  and  a  cocked  hat, 
with  a  most  flowing  plume,  in  his  right  hand. 

"  May  I  beg  to  know  whom  I  have  the  honor  of  receiving  ?  " 
inquired  he,  in  very  excellent  English,  as  he  advanced  with  a 
look  of  very  ceremonious  and  distant  politeness. 

I  immediately  explained  that,  presuming  upon  the  card  which 
his  servant  had  presented  me,  I  had  resolved  on  paying  my 
respects,  when  a  mistake  had  led  me  accidentally  into  his 
garden. 

My  apologies  had  not  come  to  an  end,  when  he  folded  me 
in  his  arms  and  overwhelmed  me  with  thanks,  at  the  same  time 
saying  a  few  words  in  Portuguese  to  his  daughter  ;  she  stooped 
down,  and  taking  my  hand  gently  within  her  own,  touched  it 
with  her  lips. 

This  piece  of  touching  courtesy — which  I  afterwards  found 
meant  little  or  nothing  affected  me  deeply  at  the  time,  and  I 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOjV.  341 

felt  the  blood  rush  to  my  face  and  forehead,  half  in  pride,  half 
in  a  sense  of  shame.  My  confusion  was,  however,  of  short 
duration,  for,  taking  my  arm,  the  old  gentleman  led  me  along 
a  few  paces,  and  turning  round  a  small  clump  of  olives,  entered 
a  little  summer-house.  Here  a  considerable  party  were  assem- 
bled, which  for  their  picturesque  effect  could  scarcely  have 
been  better  managed  on  the  stage. 

Beneath  the  mild  lustre  of  a  large  lamp  of  stained  glass,  half 
aid  in  the  overhanging  boughs,  was  spread  a  table  covered 
vvith  vessels  of  gold  and  silver  plate  of  gorgeous  richness; 
drinking  cups  and  goblets  of  antique  pattern  shone  among  cups 
of  Sevres  china  or  Venetian  glass ;  delicious  fruit,  looking  a 
thousand  times  more  tempting  for  being  contained  in  baskets 
of  silver  foliage,  peeped  from  amid  a  profusion  of  fresh  flowers, 
whose  odor  was  continually  shed  around  by  a  slight y>/  (reau 
that  played  among  the  leaves.  Around,  upon  the  grass,  seated 
upon  cushions  or  reclining  on  Genoa  carpets,  were  several 
beautiful  girls,  in  most  becoming  costumes,  their  dark  locks 
and  darker  eyes  speaking  of  "  the  soft  south,"  while  their  ex- 
pressive gestures  and  animated  looks  betokened  a  race  whose 
temperament  is  glowing  as  their  clime.  There  were  several 
men  also,  the  greater  number  of  whom  appeard  in  uniform — 
bronzed,  soldier-like  fellows,  who  had  the  jaunty  air  and  easy 
carriage  of  their  calling — among  whom  was  one  Englishman, 
or  at  least  so  I  guessed  from  his  wearing  the  uniform  of  a 
heavy  dragoon  regiment. 

"  This  is  my  daughter'sy?/^,"  said  Don  Emanuel,  as  he  ush- 
ered me  into  the  assembly, — "her  birthday;  a  sad  day  it 
might  have  been  for  us  had  it  not  been  for  your  courage  and 
forethought."  So  saying,  he  commenced  a  recital  of  my  ad- 
venture to  the  bystanders,  who  overwhelmed  me  witli  civil 
speeches  and  a  shower  of  soft  looks  that  completed  the  fascina- 
tion of  the  fairy  scene.  Meanwhile,  the  fair  Inez  had  made 
room  for  me  beside  her,  and  I  found  myself  at  once  the  lion 
of  the  party,  each  vieing  with  her  neighbor  who  should  show 


342  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

me  most  attention,  la  Senhora  herself  directing  her  conversa- 
tion exclusively  to  me  ;  a  circumstance  which,  considering  the 
awkwardness  of  our  first  meeting,  I  felt  no  small  surprise  at, 
and  which  led  me,  somewhat  maliciously  I  confess,  to  make  a 
half  allusion  to  it,  feeling  some  interest  in  ascertaining  for 
whom  the  flattering  reception  was  really  intended. 

"  I  thought  you  were  Charles,"  said  she,  blushing,  in  answer 
to  my  question. 

"And  you  are  right,"  said  I,  "  I  am  Charles." 

*'Nay,  but  I  meant  my  Charles." 

There  was  something  of  touching  softness  in  the  tone  of 
these  few  words  that  made  me  half  wish  I  were  her  Charles. 
Whether  my  look  evinced  as  much  or  not,  I  cannot  tell,  but 
she  speedily  added  : — 

"  He  is  my  brother ;  he  is  a  captain  in  the  ca^adores,  and  I 
expected  him  here  this  evening.  Some  one  saw  a  figure  pass  the 
gate  and  conceal  himself  in  the  trees,  and  I  was  sure  it  was  he." 

"  What  a  disappointment !  "  said  I. 

"  Yes  ;  was  it  not  ?  "  said  she,  hurriedly  ;  and  then,  as  if 
remembering  how  ungracious  was  the  speech,  she  blushed 
more  deeply  and  hung  down  her  head. 

Just  at  this  moment,  as  I  looked  up,  I  caught  the  eye  of  the 
English  officer  fixed  steadfastly  upon  me.  He  was  a  tall,  fine- 
looking  fellow,  of  about  two  or  three  and  thirty,  with  marked 
and  handsome  features,  which,  however,  conveyed  an  expres- 
sion of  something  sneering  and  sinister,  that  struck  me  the 
moment  I  saw  him.  His  glass  was  fixed  in  his  eye,  and  I  per- 
ceived that  he  regarded  us  both  with  a  look  of  no  common 
interest.  My  attention  did  not,  however,  dwell  long  upon  the 
circumstance,  for  Don  Emanuel,  coming  behind  my  shoulder, 
asked  me  if  I  would  not  take  out  his  daughter  in  the  bolero 
they  were  just  forming. 

To  my  shame  I  was  obliged  to  confess  that  I  had  not  even 
seen  the  dance ;  and  while  I  continued  to  express  my  resolve 
to  correct  the  errors  of  my  education,  the  Englishman   came 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiX.  343 

up  and  asked  the  Senhora  to  be  his  partner.  This  put  the 
very  keystone  upon  my  annoyance,  and  I  half  turned  angrily 
away  from  the  spot,  when  I  heard  her  decline  his  invitation, 
and  avow  her  determination  not  to  dance. 

There  was  something  which  pleased  me  so  much  at  this  re- 
fusal, that  I  could  not  help  turning  upon  her  a  look  of  most 
grateful  acknowledgement ;  but  as  I  did  so,  I  once  more  en- 
countered the  gaze  of  the  Englishman,  whose  knitted  brows 
and  compressed  lips  were  bent  upon  me  in  a  manner  there  was 
no  mistaking.  This  was  neither  the  fitting  time  nor  place  to 
seek  any  explanation  of  the  circumstance ;  so,  wisely  resolving 
to  wait  a  better  occasion,  I  turned  away  and  resumed  my  atten- 
tions towards  my  fair  companion. 

"Then  you  don't  care  for  the  bolero?"  said  I,  as  she  re- 
seated herself  upon  the  grass. 

"  Oh  !  I  delight  in  it,"  said  she,  enthusiastically. 

"  But  you  refused  to  dance  ?  " 

She  hesitated,  blushed,  tried  to  mutter  something,  and  was 
silent. 

"I  had  determined  to  learn  it,"  said  I,  half  jestingly;  "but 
if  you  will  not  dance  with  me " 

"  Yes  ;  that  I  will — indeed  I  will." 

"  But  you  declined  my  countryman.  Is  it  because  he  is  in- 
expert ? " 

The  Senhora  hesitated ;  looked  confused  for  some  minutes ; 
at  length,  coloring  slightly,  she  said,  "  I  have  already  made  one 
rude  speech  to  you  this  evening  ;  I  fear  lest  I  should  make  a 
second.     Tell  me,  is  Captain  Trevyllian  your  friend  ?  " 

"  If  you  mean  that  gentleman  yonder,  I  never  saw  him  before." 

"  Nor  heard  of  him  ?  " 

"  Nor  that  either.     We  are  total  strangers  to  each  other." 

"  Well,  then,  I  may  confess  it.  I  do  not  like  him.  My 
father  prefers  him  to  any  one  else,  invites  him  daily  here,  and, 
in  fact,  installs  him  as  his  first  favorite.  But  still,  I  cannot  like 
him  ;  and  yet  I  have  done  my  best  to  do  so," 


344  CHARLES  O'MALLEV. 

"  Indeed  ! "  said  I,  pointedly.     "  What  are  his  chief  demerits  ? 

Is  he  not  agreeable  ?  is  he  not  clever  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  on  the  contrary,  most  agreeable  ;  fascinating,  I  should 
say,  in  conversation  ;  has  travelled ;  seen  a  great  deal  of  the 
world  ;  is  very  accomplished,  and  has  distinguished  himself  on 
several  occasions  ;  he  wears,  as  you  see,  a  Portuguese  order." 

"  And  with  all  that " 

"  And,  with  all  that,  I  cannot  bear  him.  He  is  a  duellist,  a 
notorious  duellist.  My  brother,  too,  knows  more  of  him,  and 
avoids  him.  But  let  us  not  speak  further  :  I  see  his  eyes  are 
again  fixed  on  us  ;  and,  somehow,  I  fear  him,  without  well 
knowing  wherefore." 

A  movement  among  the  party ;  shawls  and  mantillas  were 
sought  for  on  all  sides  ;  and  the  preparations  for  leave-taking 
appeared  general.  Before,  however,  I  had  time  to  express  my 
thanks  for  my  hospitable  reception,  the  guests  had  assembled 
in  a  circle  around  the  Senhora,  and,  toasting  her  with  a  part- 
ing bumper,  they  commenced  in  concert  a  little  Portuguese 
song  of  farewell,  each  verse  concluding  with  a  good-night ! 
which,  as  they  separated  and  held  their  way  homewards,  might 
now  and  then  be  heard,  rising  upon  the  breeze,  and  wafting 
their  last  thoughts  back  to  her.  The  concluding  verse,  which 
struck  me  much,  I  have  essayed  to  translate.  It  ran  somehow 
thus : — 

"  The  morning  breezes  chill 

Now  close  our  joyous  scene. 
And  yet  we  linger  still. 

Where  we've  so  happy  been. 
How  blest  were  it  to  live 

With  hearts  like  ours  so  light. 
And  only  part  to  give 
One  long  and  last  Good-night  I 

Good-night ! " 

With  many  an  invitation  to  renew  my  visit,  most  kindly  pre^ 
ferred  by  Don  Emanuel,  and  warmly  seconded  by  his  daughter, 
I,  too,  wished  my  good-night !  and  turned  my  steps  homeward. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  345 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  VILLA. 

The  first  object  which  presented  itself  to  my  eye,  the  next 
morning,  was  the  midshipman's  packet,  entrusted  to  my  care 
by  Power.  I  turned  it  over  to  read  the  address  more  care- 
fully, and  what  was  my  surprise  to  find  that  the  name  was  that 
of  my  fair  friend.  Donna  Inez  ! 

"This  certainly  thickens  the  plot,"  thought  I;  "and  so  I 
have  now  fallen  upon  the  real  Simon  Pure,  and  the  reefer  has 
had  the  good  fortune  to  distance  the  dragoon.  Well,  thus  far, 
I  cannot  say  that  I  regret  it.  Now,  however,  for  the  parade, 
and  then  for  the  villa." 

"  I  say,  O'Malley,"  cried  out  Monsoon,  as  I  appeared  on  the 
Plaza,  "  I  have  accepted  an  invitation  for  you  to-day.  We  dine 
across  the  river.  Be  at  my  quarters  a  little  before  six,  and 
ve'll  go  together." 

I  should  rather  have  declined  the  invitation,  but,  not  well 
knowing  why,  and  having  no  ready  excuse,  acceded,  and 
promised  to  be  punctual. 

"You  were  at  Don  Emanuel's  last  night ;  I  heard  of  you  !  " 

"Yes:  I  spent  a  most  delightful  evening." 

"That's  your  ground,  my  boy  ;  a  million  of  moidores,  and 
juch  a  campagna  in  Valencia  ;  a  better  thing  than  the  Dal- 
rymple  affair.  Don't  blush.  I  know  it  all.  But  stay  ;  here 
they  come." 

As  he  spoke,  the  General  commanding,  with  a  numerous 
staff,  rode  forward.  As  they  passed,  1  recognized  a  face  which 
I  had  certainly  seen  before,  and  in  a  moment  remembered  it 
was  that  of  the   dragoon  of  the  evening  before.     He   passed 


346  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

quite  close,  and,  fixing  his  eyes  steadfastly  on  me,  evinced  no 
sign  of  recognition. 

The  parade  lasted  above  two  hours,  and  it  was  with  a  feel- 
ing of  impatience  I  mounted  a  fresh  horse  to  canter  out  to  the 
villa.  When  I  arrived,  the  servant  informed  me  that  Don 
Emanuel  was  in  the  city,  but  that  the  Senhora  was  in  the 
garden,  offering,  at  the  same  time,  to  escort  me.  Declining 
this  honor,  I  intrusted  my  horse  to  his  keeping,  and  took  my 
way  towards  the  arbor  where  last  I  had  seen  her. 

I  had  not  walked  many  paces,  when  the  sound  of  a  guitar 
struck  on  my  ear.  I  listened.  It  was  the  Senhora's  voice. 
She  was  singing  a  Venetian  canzonetta,  in  a  low,  soft,  warbling 
tone,  as  one  lost  in  a  reverie ;  as  though  the  music  was  a  mere 
accompaniment  to  some  pleasant  thought.  I  peeped  through 
the  dense  leaves,  and  there  she  sat  upon  a  low  garden  seat ; 
an  open  book  on  the  rustic  table  before  her  ;  beside  her,  em- 
broidery, which  seemed  only  lately  abandoned.  As  I  looked, 
she  placed  her  guitar  upon  the  ground,  and  began  to  play 
with  a  small  spaniel,  that  seemed  to  have  waited  with  impatience 
for  some  testimony  of  favor.  A  moment  more,  and  she  grew 
weary  of  this ;  then,  heaving  a  long  but  gentle  sigh,  leaned 
back  upon  her  chair,  and  seemed  lost  in  thought.  I  now  had 
ample  time  to  regard  her,  and,  certainly,  never  beheld  anything 
more  lovely.  There  was  a  character  of  classic  beauty,  and  her 
brow,  though  fair  and  ample,  was  still  strongly  marked  upon 
the  temples ;  the  eyes,  being  deep  and  squarely  set,  imparted 
a  look  of  intensity  to  her  features  which  their  own  softness 
subdued,  while  the  short  upper  lip,  which  trembled  with  every 
passing  thought,  spoke  of  a  nature  tender  and  impressionable, 
and  yet  impassioned.  Her  foot  and  ankle  peeped  from  beneath 
her  dark  robe,  and  certainly  nothing  could  be  more  faultless ; 
while  her  hand,  fair  as  marble,  blue-veined  and  dimpled,  played 
amid  the  long  tresses  of  her  hair,  that,  as  if  in  the  wantonness 
of  beauty,  fell  carelessly  upon  her  shoulders. 

It  was  some  time  before  I  could  tear  myself  away  from  the 


The  IRISH  DRAGOON.  347 

fascination  of  so  much  beauty,  and  it  needed  no  common  effort 
to  leave  the  spot.  As  I  made  a  short  aetour  in  the  garden 
before  approaching  the  arbor,  she  saw  me  as  I  came  forward, 
and,  kissing  her  hand  gaily,  made  room  for  me  beside  her. 

"  I  have  been  fortunate  in  finding  you  alone,  Senhora,"  said 
I,  as  I  seated  myself  by  her  side,  "  for  I  am  the  bearer  of  a 
letter  to  you.  How  far  it  may  interest  you  I  know  not,  but  to 
the  writer's  feelings  I  am  bound  to  testify." 

"  A  letter  to  me  ?  you  jest,  surely .'' ' 

"  That  I  am  in  earnest,  this  will  show,"  said  I,  producing 
the  packet. 

She  took  it  from  my  hands,  turned  it  about  and  about,  ex- 
amined the  seal,  while,  half  doubtingly,  she  said  : — 

"The  name  is  mine  ;  but  still " 

"  You  fear  to  open  it :  is  it  not  so  ?  But,  after  all,  you  need 
not  be  surprised  if  it's  from  Howard  ;  that's  his  name,  I  think." 

"  Howard  !  from  little  Howard  !  "  exclaimed  she,  enthusiasti- 
cally ;  and,  tearing  open  the  letter,  she  pressed  it  to  her  lips, 
her  eyes  sparkling  with  pleasure,  and  her  cheek  glowing  as  she 
read.  I  watched  her  as  she  ran  rapidly  over  the  lines  ;  and  I 
confess  that,  more  than  once,  a  pang  of  discontent  shot  through 
my  heart  that  the  midshipman's  letter  could  call  up  such  in- 
terest ;  not  that  I  was  in  love  with  her  myself,  but  yet,  I  know 
now  how  it  was,  I  had  fancied  her  affections  unengaged,  and, 
without  asking  myself  wherefore,  I  wished  as  much. 

"  Poor,  dear  boy ! "  said  she,  as  she  came  to  the  end. 

How  these  few  and  simple  words  sank  into  my  heart  as  I 
remembered  how  they  had  once  been  uttered  to  myself,  and  in 
perhaps  no  very  dissimilar  circumstances. 

"  But  where  is  the  souvenir  he  speaks  of?"  said  she. 

"The  souvenir.     I'm  not  aware " 

"  Oh,  I  hope  you  have  not  lost  the  lock  of  hair  he  sent  me !  " 

I  was  quite  dumbfounded  at  this,  and  could  not  remember 
whether  I  had  received  it  from  Power  or  not ;  so  answered,  at 
random, — 


348  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

**  Yes ;  I  must  have  left  it  on  my  table." 

"  Promise  me,  then,  to  bring  it  to-morrow  with  you?" 

"  Certainly,"  said  I,  with  something  of  pique  in  my  manner. 
"  If  I  find  such  a  means  of  making  my  visit  an  agreeable  one, 
I  shall  certainly  not  omit  it." 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  said  she,  either  not  noticing,  or  not 
caring  for  the  tone  of  my  reply  ;  "  you  will,  indeed,  be  a  welcome 
messenger.     Do  you  know  he  was  one  of  my  lovers  ? " 

"  One  of  them  !  Indeed  !  Then  pray  how  many  do  you 
number  at  this  moment  ,-*  " 

"  What  a  question !  as  if  I  could  possibly  count  them. 
Besides  there  are  so  many  absent ;  some  on  leave,  some  de- 
serters, perhaps,  that  I  might  be  reckoning  among  my  troops, 
but  who,  possibly,  form  part  of  the  forces  of  the  enemy.  Do 
you  know  little  Howard  .''  " 

*'  I  cannot  say  that  we  are  personally  acquainted,  but  I  am 
enabled,  through  the  medium  of  a  friend,  to  say  that  his  sen- 
timents are  not  strange  to  me.  Besides,  I  have  really  pledged 
myself  to  support  the  prayer  of  his  petition." 

"  How  very  good  of  you  !  For  which  reason  you've  forgotten, 
if  not  lost,  the  lock  of  hair." 

"  That  you  shall  have  to-morrow,"  said  I,  pressing  my  hand 
solemnly  to  my  heart. 

"  Well,  then,  don't  forget  it.  But  hush  ;  here  comes  Captain 
Trevyllian.  So  you  say  Lisbon  really  pleases  you  .''  "  said  she, 
in  a  tone  of  voice  totally  changed,  as  the  dragoon  of  the 
preceding  evening  approached. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  Captain  Trevyllian. 

We  bowed  stiffly  and  haughtily  to  each  other,  as  two  men 
salute  who  are  unavoidably  obliged  to  bow  with  every  wish  on 
either  side  to  avoid  acquaintance.  So,  at  least  I  construed  his 
bow ;  so  I  certainly  intended  my  own. 

It  requires  no  common  tact  to  give  conversation  the  ap- 
pearance of  unconstraint  and  ease  when  it  is  evident  that  each 
person  opposite  is  laboring  under  excited  feelings  ;  so  that, 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  349 

notwithstanding  the  Senhora's  efforts  to  engage  our  attention 
by  the  common-places  of  the  day,  we  remained  almost  silent, 
and  after  a  few  observations  of  no  interest,  took  our  several 
leaves.  Here  again  a  new  source  of  awkwardness  arose  ;  for,  as 
we  walked  together  towards  the  house,  where  our  horses  stood, 
neither  party  seemed  disposed  to  speak. 

"  You  are  probably  returning  to  Lisbon  ? "  said  he,  coldly. 

I  assented  by  a  bow  ;  upon  which,  drawing  his  bridle  within 
his  arm,  he  bowed  once  more,  and  turned  away  in  an  opposite 
direction  :  while  I,  glad  to  be  relieved  of  an  unsought-for  com- 
panionship, returned  alone  to  the  town. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


THE  DINNER. 


It  was  with  no  peculiar  pleasure  that  I  dressed  for  our  din- 
ner party.  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  our  host,  was  one  of  that 
class  of  my  countrymen  I  cared  least  for, — a  riotous,  good- 
natured,  noisy,  loud-swearing,  punch-drinking  western ;  full  of 
stories  of  impossible  fox  hunts,  and  unimaginable  duels,  which 
all  were  acted  either  by  himself  or  some  member  of  his  family. 
The  company  consisted  of  the  Adjutant,  Monsoon,  Ferguson, 
Trevyllian,  and  some  eight  or  ten  oiTicers  with  whom  I  was  ac- 
quainted. As  is  usual  on  such  occasions,  the  wine  circulated 
freely,  and,  amid  the  din  and  clamor  of  excited  conversation, 
the  fumes  of  Burgundy,  and  the  vapor  of  cigar  smoke,  we  most 
of  us  became  speedily  mystified.  As  for  me,  my  evil  destiny 
would  have  it  that  I  was  placed  exactly  opposite  Trevyllian, 
with  whom,  upon  more  than  one  occasion,  I  happened  to 
differ  in  opinion,  and  the  question  was  in  itself  some  trivial  and 
unimportant  one  ;  yet  the  tone  which  he  assumed,  and  of 
which  I,  too,  could  not  divest  myself  in  reply,  boded  anything 


350  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

rather  than  an  amicable  feeling  between  us.  The  noise  and 
turmoil  about  prevented  the  others  remarking  the  circum- 
stance ;  but  I  could  perceive  in  his  manner  what  I  deemed  a 
studied  determination  to  promote  a  quarrel,  while  I  felt  within 
myself  a  most  unchristian-like  desire  to  indulge  his  fancy. 

"  Worse  fellows  at  passing  the  bottle  than  Trevyllian  and 
O'Malley,  there,  I  have  rarely  sojourned  with,"  cried  the 
Major;  "look  if  they  haven't  got  eight  decanters  between 
them,  and  here  we  are  in  a  state  of  African  thirst." 

"  How  can  you  expect  him  to  think  of  thirst  when  such  per- 
fumed billets  as  that  come  showering  upon  him  ? "  said  the 
Adjutant,  alluding  to  a  rose-colored  epistle  a  servant  had  placed 
within  my  hands. 

"  Eight  miles  of  a  stone-wall  country  in  fifteen  minutes  ! — 
devil  a  lie  in  it !  "  said  O'Shaughnessy,  striking  the  table  with 
his  clenched  fist ;  "  show  me  the  man  would  deny  it !  " 

"  Why,  my  dear  fellow " 

"  Don't  be  dearing  me.     Is  it  no  you'll  be  saying  to  me  ?  " 

"  Listen,  now ;  there's  O'Reilly,  there " 

"Where  is  he?" 

"  He's  under  the  table  !  " 

"  Well,  it's  the  same  thing.  His  mother  had  a  fox — bad 
luck  to  you,  don't  scald  me  with  the  jug  ! — his  mother  had  a 
fox-cover  in  Shinrohan." 

When  O'Shaughnessy  had  got  thus  far  in  his  narrative,  I 
had  the  opportunity  of  opening  my  note,  which  merely  con- 
tained the  following  words  :  "  Come  to  the  ball  at  the  Casino, 
and  bring  the  cadeau  you  promised." 

I  had  scarcely  read  this  over  once,  when  a  roar  of  laughter 
at  something  said  attracted  my  attention.  I  looked  up,  and 
perceived  Trevyllian's  eyes  bent  upon  me  with  the  fierceness 
of  a  tiger :  the  veins  in  his  forehead  were  swollen  and  distort- 
ed, and  the  whole  expression  of  his  face  betokened  rage  and 
passion.  Resolved  no  longer  to  submit  to  such  evident  deter- 
mination to  insult,  I  was  rising  from  my  place  at  table,  when, 


THE  IRISH  DRAG 00 A'.  35 1 

as  if  anticipating  my  intention,  he  pushed  back  his  chair  and 
left  the  room.  Fearful  of  attracting  attention,  by  immediately 
following  him,  I  affected  to  join  in  the  conversation  around 
me,  while  my  temples  throbbed,  and  my  hands  tingled  with 
impatience  to  get  away. 

"  Poor  M'Manus  !  "  said  O'Shaughnessy,  "  rest  his  soul ! 
he'd  have  puzzled  the  bench  of  bishops  for  hard  words.  Upon 
my  conscience,  I  believe  he  spent  his  mornings  looking  for 
them  in  the  Old  Testament.  Sure  ye  might  have  heard  what 
happened  to  him  at  Banagher,  when  he  commanded  the  Kil- 
kennys, — ye  never  heard  the  story  ?  well,  then,  ye  shall.  Push 
the  sherry  along  first,  though — old  Monsoon,  there,  always 
keeps  it  lingering  beside  his  left  arm  ! 

"  Well,  when  Peter  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Kilkennys 
— who,  I  may  remark,  en  passant,  as  the  French  say,  were  the 
seediest-looking  devils  in  the  whole  service — he  never  let  them 
alone  from  morning  till  night,  drilling  and  pipe-claying,  and 
polishing  them  up.  '  Nothing  will  make  soldiers  of  you,'  said 
Peter;  'but,  by  the  rock  of  Cashel,  Fll  keep  you  as  clean  as 
a  new  musket ! "  Now,  poor  Peter  himself  was  not  a  very 
warlike  figure ;  he  measured  five  feet  one  in  his  tallest  boots ; 
but  certainly,  if  Nature  denied  him  length  of  stature,  she  com- 
pensated for  it  in  another  way,  by  giving  him  a  taste  of  the 
longest  words  in  the  language.  An  extra  syllable  or  so  in  a. 
word  was  always  a  strong  recommendation  ;  and,  whenever  he 
could  not  find  one  to  his  mind,  he'd  take  some  quaint  outland- 
ish one,  that  more  than  once  led  to  very  awkward  results. 
Well,  the  regiment  was  one  day  drawn  up  for  parade  in  the 
town  of  Banagher,  and,  as  M'Manus  came  down  the  lines,  he 
stopped  opposite  one  of  the  men,  whose  face,  hands,  and  ac- 
coutrements exhibited  a  most  woeful  contempt  of  his  orders. 
The  fellow  looked  more  like  a  turf  stack  than  a  light-company 
man  ! 

" '  Stand  out,  sir  !  '  cried  M'Manus,  in  a  boiling  passion. 
*  Sers;eant  O'Toole,  inspect   this   individual/     Now,  the   Sep 


352  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

geant  was  rather  a  favorite  with  Mac;  for  he  always  pretended 
to  understand  his  phraseology,  and,  in  consequence,  was  pro- 
nounced by  the  Colonel  a  very  superior  man  for  his  station  in 
life.  '  Sergeant,'  said  he,  'we  shall  make  an  exemplary  illus- 
tration of  our  system  here  !  ' 

"  '  Yes,  sir,'  said  the  Sergeant,  sorely  puzzled  at  the  mean- 
ing of  w^hat  he  spoke. 

"  '  Bear  him  to  the  Shannon,  and  lave  him  there  ! '  This 
he  said  in  a  kind  of  Coriolanus  tone,  with  a  toss  up  of  his 
head,  and  a  wave  of  his  right  arm,  signs,  whenever  he  made 
them,  incontestibly  showing  that  further  parley  was  out  of  the 
question,  and  that  he  had  summed  up,  and  charged  the  jury 
for  good  and  all. 

"  '  Z^z^^  him  in  the  river  ?' said  O'Toole,  his  eyes  starting 
from  the  sockets,  and  his  whole  face  working  in  strong  anxiety 'j 
'  is  it  lave  him  in  the  river,  yer  honor  means  ? ' 

"  '  I  have  spoken  ! '  said  the  little  man,  bending  an  ominous 
frown  upon  the  Sergeant,  which,  whatever  construction  he  may 
have  put  upon  his  words,  there  was  no  mistaking. 

"  Well,  well,  av  it's  God's  will  he's  drowned,  it  will  not  be 
on  my  head,'  says  O'Toole,  as  he  marched  the  fellow  away, 
between  two  rank  and  file. 

"  The  parade  was  nearly  over,  when  Mac  happened  to  see 
the  Sergeant  coming  up,  all  splashed  with  water,  and  looking 
quite  tired. 

"  '  Have  you  obeyed  my  orders  ? '  said  he. 

" '  Yes,  yer  honor ;  and  tough  work  we  had  of  it,  for  he  strug- 
gled hard  I  * 

"  '  And  where  is  he  now  ?  * 

"  *  Oh,  troth,  he's  there  safe  !     Divil  a  fear  he'll  get  out  1  * 

" '  Where  ? '  said  Mac. 

"  '  In  the  river,  yer  honor.' 

"  '  What  have  you  done,  you  scoundrel  ? ' 

"  '  Didn't  I  do  as  you  bid  me  ? '  says  he  ;  '  didn't  I  throw  him 
in,  and  lave  [leave]  him  there  } ' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


353 


"  And  faith  so  they  did ;  and  if  he  wasn't  a  good  swimmer, 
and  got  over  to  Moystown,  there's  little  doubt  but  he'd  have 
been  drowned,  and  all  because  Peter  M'Manus  could  not  ex- 
press himself  like  a  Christian." 

In  the  laughter  which  followed  O'Shaughnessy's  story,  I 
took  the  opportunity  of  making  my  escape  from  the  party,  and 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  street  unobserved.  Though  the  note 
I  had  just  read  was  not  signed,  I  had  no  doubt  from  whom  it 
came ;  so  I  hastened  at  once  to  my  quarters,  to  make  search 
for  the  lock  of  Ned  Howard's  hair,  to  which  the  Senhora 
alluded.  What  was  my  mortification,  however,  to  discover 
that  no  such  thing  could  be  found  anywhere  !  I  searched  all  my 
drawers  ;  I  tossed  about  my  papers  and  letters  ;  I  hunted  every 
likely,  every  unlikely  spot  I  could  think  of,  but  in  vain  ;  now  curs- 
ing my  carelessness  for  having  lost  it ;  now  swearing  most  sol- 
emnly to  myself  that  I  never  could  have  received  it.  What  was 
to  be  done .''  It  was  already  late;  my  only  thought  was  how  to 
replace  it.  If  I  only  knew  the  color,  any  other  lock  of  hair 
would,  doubtless,  do  just  as  well.  The  chances  were,  as  Howard 
was  young,  and  an  Englishman,  that  his  hair  was  light ;  light 
brown,  probably,  something  like  my  own.  Of  course  it  was  ! 
why  didn't  that  thought  occur  to  me  before  ?  how  stupid  I  was. 
So  saying,  I  seized  a  pair  of  scissors,  and  cut  a  long  lock  beside 
my  temple  ;  this,  in  a  calm  moment,  I  might  have  hesitated 
about.  "Yes,"  thought  I,  "she'll  never  discover  the  cheat; 
and,  besides,  I  do  feel — I  know  not  exactly  why — rather  gratified 
to  think  that  I  shall  have  left  this  souvenir  behind  me,  even 
though  it  call  up  other  recollections  than  of  me."  So  thinking, 
I  wrapped  my  cloak  about  me,  and  hastened  towards  the 
Casino. 
23 


354  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  ROUTE. 

I  HAD  scarcely  gone  a  hundred  yards  from  my  quarters,  when 
a  great  tramp  of  horses'  feet  attracted  my  attention.  I  stopped 
to  listen,  and  soon  heard  the  jingle  of  dragoon  accoutrements, 
as  the  noise  came  near.  The  night  was  dark,  but  perfectly 
still ;  and  before  I  stood  many  minutes  I  heard  the  tones  of  a 
voice  which  I  well  knew  could  belong  to  but  one,  and  that, 
Fred  Power. 

"  Fred  Power  ! "  said  I,  shouting,  at  the  same  time  at  the 
top  of  my  voice — "  Power !  " 

"  Ah,  Charley,  is  that  you  ?  come  along  to  the  Adjutant- 
General's  quarters.  I'm  charged  with  some  important  de- 
spatches, and  can't  stop  till  I've  delivered  them.  Come  along, 
I've  glorious  news  for  you  !  "  So  saying,  he  dashed  spurs  to  his 
horse,  and,  followed  by  two  mounted  dragoons,  galloped  past. 
Power's  few  and  hurried  words  had  so  excited  my  curiosity, 
that  I  turned  at  once  to  follow  him,  questioning  myself,  as  I 
walked  along,  to  what  he  could  possibly  allude.  He  knew  of 
my  attachment  to  Lucy  Dashwood — could  he  mean  anything 
of  her  }  But  what  could  I  expect  there  ?  by  what  flattery  could 
I  picture  to  myself  any  chance  of  success  in  that  quarter  1  and 
yet,  what  other  news  could  I  care  for  or  value,  than  what  bore 
upon  her  fate  upon  whom  my  own  depended  ?  Thus  ruminat- 
ing, I  reached  the  door  of  the  spacious  building  in  which  the 
Adjutant-General  had  taken  up  his  abode,  and  soon  found  my- 
self among  a  crowd  of  persons  whom  the  rumor  of  some  im- 
portant event  had  assembled  there,  though  no  one  could  tell 
what  had  occurred.     Before  many  minutes  the  door  opened, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  355 

and  Power  came  out ;  bowing  hurriedly  to  a  few,  and  whisper- 
ing a  word  or  two  as  he  passed  down  the  steps,  he  seized  me 
by  the  arm  and  led  me  across  the  street.  "  Charley,"  said  he, 
"  the  curtain's  rising;  the  piece  is  about  to  begin  ;  a  new  com- 
mander-in-chief is  sent  out ;  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley,  my  boy,  the 
finest  fellow  in  England,  is  to  head  us  on,  and  we  march  to- 
morrow. There's  news  for  you  !  "  A  raw  boy,  unread,  unin- 
formed as  I  was,  I  knew  but  little  of  his  career  whose  name  had 
even  then  shed  such  lustre  upon  our  army ;  but  the  buoyant 
tone  of  Power  as  he  spoke,  the  kindling  energy  of  his  voice 
roused  me,  and  I  felt  every  inch  a  soldier.  As  I  grasped  his 
hand,  in  delightful  enthusiasm,  I  lost  all  memory  of  my  disap- 
pointment, and,  in  the  beating  throb  that  shook  my  head,  I  felt 
how  deeply  slept  the  ardor  of  military  glory  that  first  led  me 
from  my  home  to  see  a  battle-field. 

"  There  goes  the  news  ! "  said  Frederick,  pointing,  as  he 
spoke,  to  a  rocket  that  shot  up  into  the  sky,  and,  as  it  broke  into 
ten  thousand  stars,  illuminated  the  broad  stream  -where  the  ships 
of  war  lay  darkly  resting.  In  another  moment  the  whole  air 
shone  with  similar  fires,  while  the  deep  roll  of  the  drum  sounded 
along  the  silent  streets,  and  the  city,  so  lately  sunk  in  sleep, 
became,  as  if  by  magic,  thronged  with  crowds  of  people ;  the 
sharp  clang  of  the  cavalry  trumpet  blended  with  the  gay  carol 
of  the  light-infantry  bugle,  and  the  heavy  tramp  of  the  march 
was  heard  in  the  distance.  All  was  excitement,  all  bustle  ;  but, 
in  the  joyous  tone  of  every  voice,  was  spoken  the  longing 
anxiety  to  meet  the  enemy  ;  the  gay,  reckless  tone  of  an  Irish 
song  would  occasionally  reach  us,  as  some  Connaught  Ranger, 
or  some  Seventy-eight  man  passed,  his  knapsack  on  his  back  ; 
or  the  low  monotonous  pibroch  of  the  Highlander,  swelling 
into  a  war-cry,  as  some  kilted  corps  drew  up  their  ranks  to- 
gether. We  turned  to  regain  our  quarters,  when,  at  the  corner 
of  a  street,  we  came  suddenly  upon  a  merry  party,  seated  around 
a  table  before  a  little  inn  ;  a  large  street  lamp,  unhung  for  the 
occasion,  had  been  placed  in  the   midst  of  them,  and  showed 


356  CHARLES    O'M ALLEY, 

us  the  figures  of  several  soldiers  in  undress  ;  at  the  end,  and 
raised  a  little  above  his  compeers,  sat  one  whom,  by  the  unfair 
proportion  he  assumed  of  the  conversation,  not  less  than  by  the 
musical  intonation  of  his  voice,  I  soon  recognized  as  my  man, 
Mickey  Free. 

"I'll  be  hanged  if  that's  not  your  fellow  there,  Charley," 
said  Power,  as  he  came  to  a  dead  stop  a  few  yards  off.  "  What 
an  impertinent  varlet  he  is  ;  only  to  think  of  him  there,  presid- 
ing among  a  set  of  fellows  that  have  fought  all  the  battles  in 
the  Peninsular  war.  At  this  moment,  I'll  be  hanged  if  he  is 
not  going  to  sing." 

Here  a  tremendous  thumping  upon  the  table  announced  the 
fact,  and  after  a  few  preliminary  observations  from  Mike,  illus- 
trative of  his  respect  to  the  service  in  which  he  had  so  often  dis- 
tinguished himself,  he  began,  to  the  air  of  the  "  Young  May 
Moon,"  a  ditty  of  which  I  only  recollect  the  following 
verses : — 

"  The  pickets  are  fast  retreating,  boys, 
The  last  tattoo  is  beating,  boys ; 

So  let  every  man 

Finish  his  can, 
And  drink  to  our  next  merry  meeting,  boys! 

"  The  colonel  so  gaily  prancing,  boys, 
Has  a  wonderful  trick  of  advancing,  boys ; 

When  he  sings  out  so  large, 

'  Fix  bayonets  and  charge,' 
He  sets  all  the  Frenchman  a-dancing,  boys ! 

"  Let  Mounseer  look  ever  so  big,  my  boys. 
Who  cares  for  fighting  a  fig,  my  boys  ? 
When  we  play  Garryowen, 
He'd  rather  go  home  ; 
For  somehow,  he's  no  taste  for  a  jig,  my  boys  !  " 

This  admirable  lyric  seemed  to  have  perfect  success,  if  one 
were  only  to  judge  from  the  thundering  of  voices,  hands,  and 
drinking  vessels  which  followed  ;  while  a  venerable,  gray-haired 
sergeant  rose  to  propose  Mr.  Free's  health,  and  speedy  pro- 
motion to  him. 

We  stood  for  several   minutes   in  admiration  of  the  party 


THE  IKJSII  DKA  G  00 N.  357 

when  the  loud  roll  of  the  drums  beating  to  arms  awakened  us 
to  the  thought  that  our  moments  were  numbered. 

"  Good-night,  Charley  !  "  said  Power,  as  he  shook  my  hand 
warmly,  "  good-night !  It  will  be  your  last  night  under  a 
curtain  for  some  months  to  come ;  make  the  most  of  it. 
Adieu ! " 

So  saying,  we  parted ;  he  to  his  quarters,  and  I  to  all  the 
confusion  of  my  baggage,  which  lay  in  most  admired  disorder 
about  my  room. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE   FAREWELL. 

The  preparations  for  the  march  occupied  me  till  near  morn- 
ing; and,  indeed,  had  I  been  disposed  to  sleep,  the  din  and 
clamor  of  the  world  without  would  have  totally  prevented  it. 
Before  daybreak  the  advanced  guard  was  already  in  motion, 
and  some  squadrons  of  heavy  cavalry  had  begun  their 
march. 

I  looked  around  my  now  dismantled  room  as  one  does 
usually  for  the  last  time,  ere  leaving,  and  bethought  me  if  I 
had  not  forgotten  anything.  Apparently  all  was  remembered  ; 
but  stay — what  is  this  ?  To  be  sure,  how  forgetful  I  had 
become  !  It  was  the  packet  I  destined  for  Donna  Inez,  and 
which,  in  the  confusion  of  the  night  before,  I  had  omitted  to 
bring  to  the  Casino. 

I  immediately  despatched  Mike  to  the  commissary,  with  my 
luggage,  and  orders  to  ascertain  when  we  were  expected  to 
march.  lie  soon  returned,  with  the  intelligence  that  our  corps 
was  not  to  move  before  noon  ;  so  that  I  had  yet  some  hours  to 
spare,  and  make  my  adieux  to  the  Senhora. 

I    cannot  exactly  explain  the   reason,  but  I   certainly  did 


358  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

bestow  a  more  than  common  attention  upon  my  toilette  that 
morning.  The  Senhora  was  nothing  to  me.  It  is  true,  she  had, 
as  she  lately  most  candidly  informed  me,  a  score  of  admirers, 
among  whom  I  was  not  even  reckoned ;  she  was  evidently  a 
coquette,  whose  greatest  pleasure  was  to  sport  and  amuse  her- 
self with  the  passions  she  excited  in  others.  And,  even  if  she 
were  not, — if  her  heart  were  to  be  won  to-morrow,  what  claim 
— what  right  had  I  to  seek  it?  My  affections  were  already 
pledged  ;  promised,  it  is  true,  to  one  who  gave  nothing  in  return, 
and  who,  perhaps,  even  loved  another.  Ah  !  there  was  the  rub ; 
that  one  confounded  suspicion,  lurking  in  the  rear,  chilled  my 
courage  and  wounded  my  spirit. 

If  there  be  anything  more  disheartening  to  an  Irishman,  in 
his  little  affaires  de  cceur,  than  another,  it  is  the  sense  of  rivalry. 
The  obstinacy  of  fathers,  the  ill-will  of  mothers,  the  coldness, 
the  indifference  of  the  lovely  object  herself, — obstacles  though 
they  be, — he  has  tact,  spirit,  and  perseverance  to  overcome 
them ;  but  when  a  more  successful  candidate  for  the  fair  presents 
himself ;  when  the  eye  that  remains  downcast  at  his  suit,  lights 
up  with  animation  at  a?iother^s  coming ;  when  the  features, 
whose  cold  and  chilling  apathy  to  him  have  blended  in  one 
smile  of  welcome  to  another, — it  is  all  up  with  him ;  he  sees 
the  game  lost,  and  throws  his  cards  upon  the  table.  And  yet, 
why  is  this  ?  why  is  it  that  he,  whose  birthright  it  would  seem  to 
be  sanguine  when  others  despond, — to  be  confident  when  all 
else   are  hopeless, — should  find  his  courage   fail  him  here .'' 

The  reason  is,  simply But,  in  good  sooth,  I  am  ashamed 

to  confess  it ! 

Having  jogged  on  so  far  with  my  reader,  in  all  the  sober 
seriousness  which  the  matter-of-fact  material  of  these  memoirs 
demands,  I  fear  lest  a  seeming  paradox  may  cause  me  to  lose 
my  good  name  for  veracity  ;  and  that,  while  merely  maintaining 
a  national  trait  of  my  country,  I  may  appear  to  be  asserting 
some  unheard-of  and  absurd  proposition  ;  so  far  have  mere 
vulgar  prejudices  gone  to  sap  our  character  as  a  people. 


THE  IRlSlf  DRAGOON. 


359 


The  reason,  then,  is  this — for  I  have  gone  too  far  to  retreat 
— the  Irishman  is  essentially  bashful.  Well,  laugh  if  you 
wish  ;  for  I  conclude  that,  by  this  time,  you  have  given  way 
to  a  most  immoderate  excess  of  risibility ;  but  still,  when  you 
have  perfectly  recovered  your  composure,  I  beg  to  repeat, — 
the  Irishman  is  essentially  a  bashful  man  ! 

Do  not,  for  a  moment,  fancy  that  I  would  by  this  imply  that, 
in  any  new  or  unexpected  situation — -that  from  any  unforeseen 
conjuncture  of  events — the  Irishman  would  feel  confused  or 
abashed,  more  than  any  other ;  far  from  it.  The  cold  and 
habitual  reserve  of  the  Englishman,  the  studied  caution  of 
the  North  Tweeder  himself,  would  exhibit  far  stronger  evi- 
dences of  awkwardness  in  such  circumstances  as  these.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  when  measuring  his  capacity,  his  means  of 
success,  his  probabilities  of  being  preferred,  with  those  of  the 
natives  of  any  other  country,  I  back  the  Irishman  against  the 
world  for  distrust  of  his  own  powers,  for  an  under-estimate  of 
his  real  merits  ;  in  one  word,  for  his  bashfulness.  But  let  us 
return  to  Donna  Inez. 

As  I  rode  up  to  the  villa,  I  found  the  family  assembled  at 
breakfast.  Several  officers  were  also  present,  among  whom  I 
was  not  sorry  to  recognize  my  friend  Monsoon. 

"  Ah,  Charley  !  "  cried  he,  as  I  seated  myself  beside  him, 
"  what  a  pity  all  our  fun  is  so  soon  to  have  an  end  !  Here's  this 
confounded  Soult  won't  be  quiet  and  peaceable  !  but  he  must 
march  upon  Oporto,  and  Heaven  knows  where  besides,  just  as 
we  were  really  beginning  to  enjoy  life.  I  had  got  such  a  con- 
tract for  blankets  !  and  now  they've  ordered  me  to  join  Beres- 
ford's  corps  in  the  mountains;  and  you," — here  he  dropped 
his  voice,  "and  you  were  getting  on  so  devilish  well  in  this 
quarter ;  upon  my  life,  I  think  you'd  have  carried  the  day ; 
old  Don  Emanuel — you  know  he's  a  friend  of  mine — likes 
you  very  much.     And  then,  there's  Sparks " 

"Ay,  Major,  what  of  him  t  I  have  not  seen  him  for  some 
days." 


360  VHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Why,  they've  been  frightening  the  poor  devil  out  of  his 
life,  O'Shaughnessy  and  a  set  of  them.  They  tried  him  by 
court-martial  yesterday,  and  sentenced  him  to  mount  guard 
with  a  wooden  sword  and  a  shooting  jacket,  which  he  did. 
Old  Colbourne,  it  seems,  saw  him  ;  and  faith,  there  would  be 
be  the  devil  to  pay  if  the  route  had  not  come.  Some  of  them 
would  certainly  have  got  a  long  leave  to  see  their  friends." 

"  Why  is  not  the  Senhora  here.  Major  ?  I  don't  see  her  at 
table." 

"  A  cold  ;  a  sore  throat ;  a  wet-feet  affair  of  last  night,  I  be- 
lieve. Pass  that  cold  pie  down  here.  Sherry,  if  you  please. 
You  didn't  see  Power  to-day  ?  " 

"  No :  we  parted  late  last  night ;  I  have  not  been  to 
bed." 

"  Very  bad  preparation  for  a  march  :  take  some  burnt  brandy 
in  your  coffee." 

"Then  you  don't  think  the  Senhora  will  appear?" 

"  Very  unlikely.  But  stay,  you  know  her  room — the  small 
drawing-room  that  looks  out  upon  the  flower-garden  ;  she  usu- 
ally passes  the  morning  there.  Leap  the  little  wooden  paling 
round  the  corner,  and  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  you  find 
her." 

I  saw  from  the  occupied  air  of  Don  Antonio  that  there  was 
little  fear  of  interruption  on  his  part ;  so,  taking  an  early  mo- 
ment to  escape  unobserved,  I  rose  and  left  the  room.  When 
I  sprang  over  the  oak  fence,  I  found  myself  in  a  delicious  little 
garden,  where  roses,  grown  to  a  height  never  seen  in  our  colder 
climate,  formed  a  deep  bower  of  rich  blossom. 

The  Major  was  right.  The  Senhora  was  in  the  room,  and 
in  one  moment  I  was  beside  her. 

"  Nothing  but  my  fears  of  not  bidding  you  farewell  could  pal- 
liate my  thus  intruding,  Donna  Inez ;  but  as  we  are  ordered 
away " 

"  When  ?  not  so  soon,  surely  ?  " 

*'  Even  so  ;  to-day,  this  very  hour.     But  you  see  that,  even 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  361 

in  the  hurry  of  departure,  I  have  not  forgotten  my  trust ;  this 
is  the  packet  I  promised  you." 

So  saying,  I  placed  the  paper  with  the  lock  of  hair  within 
her  hand,  and,  bending  downwards,  pressed  my  lips  upon  her 
taper  fingers.  She  hurriedly  snatched  her  hand  away,  and, 
tearing  open  the  enclosure,  took  out  the  lock.  She  looked 
steadily  for  a  moment  at  it,  then  at  me,  and  again  at  it,  and,  at 
length,  bursting  into  a  fit  of  laughing,  threw  herself  upon  a 
chair  in  a  very  ecstasy  of  mirth. 

"  Why,  you  don't  mean  to  impose  this  auburn  ringlet  upon 
me  for  one  of  poor  Howard's  jetty  curls  ?  What  downright 
folly  to  think  of  it  !  and  then,  with  how  little  taste  the  decep- 
tion was  practised — upon  your  very  temples,  too  !  One  com- 
fort is,  you  are  utterly  spoiled  by  it." 

Here  she  again  relapsed  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  leaving  me 
perfectly  puzzled  what  to  think  of  her  as  she  resumed  : — 

"  Well,  tell  me  now,  am  I  to  reckon  this  as  a  pledge  of  your 
own  allegiance,  or  am  I  still  to  believe  it  to  be  Edward  How- 
ard's ?     Speak,  and  truly." 

"  Of  my  own,  most  certainly,"  said  I,  "  if  it  will  be  ac- 
cepted." 

"  Why,  after  such  treachery,  perhaps  it  ought  not ;  but,  still, 
as  you  have  already  done  yourself  such  injury,  and  look  so 
very  silly  withal " 

'•  That  you  are  even  resolved  to  give  me  cause  to  look  more 
so,"  added  I. 

"  Exactly,"  said  she  :  "  for  here,  now,  I  reinstate  you  among 
my  true  and  faithful  admirers.  Kneel  down,  Sir  Knight !  in 
token  of  which  you  will  wear  this  scarf " 

A  sudden  start  which  the  donna  gave  at  these  words  brought 
me  to  my  feet.     She  was  pale  as  death  and  trembling. 

"  What  means  this  .^"  said  T.     "  What  has  happened  ?  " 

She  pointed  with  her  finger  towards  the  garden  ;  but,  though 
her  lips  moved,  no  voice  came  forth.  I  sprang  through  the 
open  window.     T   rushed  into  the  copse,  the    only  one  which 


362  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

might  afford  concealment  for  a  figure,  but  no  one  was  there. 
After  a  few  minutes'  vain  endeavor  to  discover  any  trace  of  an 
intruder,  I  returned  to  the  chamber.  The  donna  was  there 
still ;  but  how  changed ;  her  gaiety  and  animation  were  gone, 
her  pale  cheek  and  trembling  lip  bespoke  fear  and  suffering, 
and  her  cold  hand  lay  heavily  beside  her. 

"  I  thought — perhaps  it  was  merely  fancy — but  I  thought  I 
saw  Trevyllian  beside  the  window." 

"  Impossible  !  "  said  I.  "  I  have  searched  every  walk  and 
alley.  It  was  nothing  but  imagination — believe  me,  no  more. 
There,  be  assured  ;  think  no  more  of  it." 

While  I  endeavored  thus  to  reassure  her,  I  was  very  far  from 
feeling  perfectly  at  ease  myself  ;  the  whole  bearing  and  conduct 
of  this  man  had  inspired  me  with  a  growing  dislike  of  him,  and 
I  felt  already  half-convinced  that  he  had  established  himself  as 
a  spy  upon  my  actions. 

"  Then  you  really  believe  I  was  mistaken  ?  "  said  the  donna, 
as  she  placed  her  hand  within  mine. 

"  Of  course  I  do ;  but  speak  no  more  of  it.  You  must  not 
forget  how  few  my  moments  are  here.  Already  I  have  heard 
the  tramp  of  horses  without ;  ah  !  there  they  are  :  in  a  moment 

more  I  shall  be  missed  ;  so,  once  more  fairest  Inez Nay, 

I  beg  pardon  if  I  have  dared  to  call  you  thus :  but  think,  if  it 
be  the  first  it  may  also  be  the  last  time  I  shall  ever  speak  it." 

Her  head  gently  drooped  as  I  said  these  words,  till  it  sank 
upon  my  shoulder,  her  long  and  heavy  hair  falling  upon  my 
neck  and  across  my  bosom.  I  felt  her  heart  almost  beat  against 
my  side  ;  I  muttered  some  words,  I  knew  not  what ;  I  felt  them 
like  a  prayer ;  I  pressed  her  cold  forehead  to  my  lips  ;  rushed 
from  the  room  ;  cleared  the  fence  at  a  spring,  and  was  far  upon 
the  road  to  Lisbon  ere  I  could  sufiiciently  collect  my  senses  to 
know  whither  I  was  going.  Of  little  else  was  I  conscious  :  my 
mind  was  full  to  bursting,  and,  in  the  confusion  of  my  excited 
brain,  fiction  and  reality  were  so  inextricably  mingled  as  to 
defy  every  endeavor  at  discrimination.     But  little  time  had  I 


THE  IRISH  DRA GOON.  ^^-^ 

for  reflection ;  as  I  reached  the  city,  the  brigade  to  which  I 
was  attached  was  already  under  arms,  and  Mike  impatiently 
waiting  my  arrival  with  the  horses. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 


THE  MARCH. 


What  a  strange  spectacle  did  the  road  to  Oliveira  present 
upon  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  May  !  A  hurried  or  incautious 
observer  might,  at  first  sight,  have  pronounced  the  long  line 
of  troops  which  wended  their  way  through  the  valley,  as  the 
remains  of  a  broken  and  routed  army,  had  not  the  ardent  ex- 
pression and  bright  eye  that  beamed  on  every  side  assured  him 
that  men  who  looked  thus  could  not  be  beaten  ones.  Horse, 
foot,  baggage,  artillery,  dismounted  dragoons,  even  the  pale 
and  scarcely  recovered  inhabitants  of  the  hospital,  might  have 
been  seen  hurrying  on  ;  for  the  order,  "  Forward  !  "  had  been 
given  at  Lisbon,  and  those  whose  wounds  did  not  permit  their 
joining,  were  more  pitied  for  their  loss  than  its  cause.  More 
than  one  officer  was  seen  at  the  head  of  his  troop  with  an  arm 
in  a  sling,  or  a  bandaged  forehead ;  while  among  the  men^ 
similar  evidences  of  devotion  were  not  unfrequent.  As  for  me, 
long  years  and  many  reverses  have  not  obliterated — scarcely 
blunted — the  impression  that  sight  made  on  me.  The  splendid 
spectacle  of  a  review  had  often  excited  and  delighted  me  ;  but 
here  there  was  the  glorious  reality  of  war  ;  the  bronzed  faces,  the 
worn  uniforms,  the  well-tattered  flags,  the  roll  of  the  heavy  guns 
mingling  with  the  wild  pibroch  of  the  Highlander,  or  scarcely 
less  wild  recklessness  of  the  Irish  quick-step  ;  while  the  long 
line  of  cavalry,  their  helmets  and  accoutrements  shining  in 
the   morning  sun,  brought  back  one's  boyish   dreams  of  joust 


364  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

and  tournament,  and  made  the  heart  beat  high  with  chivalrous 
enthusiasm. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  half  aloud,  "this  is  indeed  a  realization  of 
what  I  longed  and  thirsted  for,"  the  clang  of  the  music  and  the 
tramp  of  the  cavalry  responding  to  my  throbbing  pulses  as  we 
moved  along. 

"  Close  up,  there  ;  trot  !  "  cried  out  a  deep  and  manly  voice  ; 
and  immediately  a  general  officer  rode  by,  followed  by  an  aide- 
de-camp, 

"There  goes  Cotton,"  said  Power;  you  may  feel  easy  in 
your  mind  now,  Charley ;  there's  some  work  before  us." 

"  You  have  not  heard  our  destination  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Nothing  is  known  for  certain,  yet.  The  report  goes,  that 
Soult  is  advancing  upon  Oporto ;  and  the  chances  are.  Sir 
Arthur  intends  to  hasten  on  to  its  relief.  Our  fellows  are  at 
Ovar,  with  General  Murray." 

"  I  say,  Charley,  old  Monsoon  is  in  a  devil  of  a  flurry.  He 
expected  to  have  been  peaceably  settled  down  in  Lisbon  for 
the  next  six  months,  and  he  has  received  orders  to  set  out  for 
Beresford's  head-quarters  immediately  ;  and,  from  what  I  hear, 
they  have  no  idle  time." 

"  Well,  Sparks,  how  goes  it  man  ?  Better  fun  this  than  the 
cook's  galley,  eh  ?  " 

"Why,  do  you  know,  these  hurried  movements  put  me  out 
confoundedly.  I  found  Lisbon  very  interesting,  the  little  I 
could  see  of  it  last  night." 

"  Ah  !  my  dear  fellow,  think  of  the  lovely  Andalusian  lasses 
with  their  brown  transparent  skins  and  liquid  eyes ;  why,  you'd 
have  been  over  head  and  ears  in  love  in  twenty-four  hours  more, 
had  we  stayed." 

"  Are  they  really  so  pretty  ?  " 

"  Pretty ! — downright  lovely,  man.  Why,  they  have  a  way 
of  looking  at  you,  over  their  fans — just  one  glance,  short  and 

fleeting,  but  so  melting,  by  Jove Then  their  walk — if  it 

be  not  profane  to  call  that  springing,  elastic  gesture  by  such  a 


ftame— why  it's  regular  witchcraft.  Sparks,  my  man,  I  tremble 
for  you.  Do  you  know,  by-the-bye,  that  same  pace  of  theirs 
is  a  devilish  hard  thing  to  learn.  I  never  could  come  it ;  and 
yet,  somehow,  I  was  formerly  rather  a  crack  fellow  at  a  ballet. 
Old  Alberto  used  to  select  me  for  ?i  pas  di  zep/iyr  dimong  a  host; 
but  there's  a  kind  of  a  hop,  and  a  slide,  and  a  spring — in  fact 
you  must  have  been  wearing  petticoats  for  eighteen  years,  and 
have  an  Andalusion  instep,  and  an  india-rubber  sole  to  your 
foot,  or  it's  no  use  trying  it.  How  I  used  to  make  them  laugh 
at  the  old  San  Josef  convent,  formerly,  by  my  efforts  in  the 
cause  ! " 

"  Why,  how  did  it  ever  occur  to  you  to  practise  it  ?  " 

"  Many  a  man's  legs  have  saved  his  head,  Charley,  and  I  put 
it  to  mine  to  do  a  similar  office  for  me." 

*'  True  ;  but  I  never  heard  of  a  man  that  performed  2ipas  seul 
before  the  enemy." 

"  Not  exactly ;  but  still  you're  not  very  wide  of  the  mark. 
If  you'll  only  wait  till  we  reach  Pontalegue,  I'll  tell  you  the 
story  ;  not  that  it  is  worth  the  delay,  but  talking  at  this  brisk 
pace  I  don't  admire." 

"  You  leave  a  detachment  here,  Captain  Power,"  said  an  aide- 
de-camp,  riding  hastily  up  ;  '•■  and  General  Cotton  requests 
you  will  send  a  subaltern  and  two  sergeants  forward  toward 
Berar,  to  reconnoitre  the  pass.  Franchesca's  cavalry  are 
reported  in  that  quarter."  So  speaking,  he  dashed  spurs  to 
his  horse,  and  was  out  of  sight  in  an  instant. 

Power,  at  the  same  moment,  wheeled  to  the  rear,  from  which 
he  returned  in  an  instant,  accompanied  by  three  well-mounted 
light  dragoons.  "  Sparks,"  said  he,  "  now  for  an  occasion  of 
distinguishing  yourself.  You  heard  the  order — lose  no  time  ; 
and,  as  your  horse  is  an  able  one,  and  fresh,  lose  not  a  second, 
but  forward." 

No  sooner  was  Sparks  despatched  on,  what  it  was  evident 
he  felt  to  be  anything  but  a  pleasant  duty,  than  I  turned 
towards  Power,  and   said,  with  some    tinge  of  disappointment 


^6^  .CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

initiietone,  "  Well,  if  you  really  felt  there  was  anything  worth 
doing  there — I  flattered  myself — that " 

"  Speak  out,  man.  That  I  should  have  sent  you,  eh — is  it 
not  so  ? " 

"Yes,  you've  hit  it." 

"  Well,  Charley,  my  peace  is  easily  made  on  this  head.  W^hy, 
I  selected  Sparks  simply  to  spare  you  one  of  the  most  un- 
pleasant duties  that  can  be  imposed  upon  a  man  ;  a  duty  which, 
let  him  discharge  it  to  the  uttermost,  will  never  be  acknowl- 
edged, and  the  slightest  failure  in  which  will  be  remembered  for 
many  a  day  against  him  ;  besides  the  pleasant  and  very  prob- 
able prospect  of  being  selected  as  a  bull's-eye  for  a  French 
rifle,  or  carried  off  a  prisoner  ;  eh,  Charley  ?  there's  no  glory 
in  that,  devil  a  ray  of  it !  Come,  come,  old  fellow,  Fred 
Power's  not  the  man  to  keep  his  friend  out  of  the  melee,  if 
only  anything  can  be  made  by  being  in  it.  Poor  Sparks,  I'd 
swear,  is  as  little  satisfied  with  the  arrangement  as  yourself,  if 
one  knew  but  all." 

:  "I  say.  Power,"  said  a  tall,  dashing-looking  man  of  about 
five-and-forty,  with  a  Portuguese  order  on  his  breast — "  I  say, 
Power,  dine  with  us  at  the  hall." 

"With  pleasure,  if  I  may  bring  my  young  friend  here." 

"Of  course  ;  pray  introduce  us." 
.   "Major  Hixley,  Mr.  O'Malley, — 14th  man,  Hixley." 

"  Delighted  to  make  your  acquaintance,  Mr.  O'Malley. 
Knew  a  famous  fellow  in  Ireland  of  your  name,  a  certain  God- 
frey O'Malley,  member  for  some  county  or  other." 

"  My  uncle,"  said  I,  blushing  deeply,  with  a  pleasurable 
feeling,  at  even  this  slight  praise  of  my  oldest  friend. 

"  Your  uncle  !  give  me  your  hand.  By  Jove,  his  nephew  has 
^.  right  to  good  treatment  at  my  hands  ;  he  saved  my  life  in  the 
year  '98  ;  and  how  is  old  Godfrey  ?  " 

:.  "Quite  well,  when  I  left  him  some  months  ago  ;  a  little  gout, 
now  and  then." 
■    "To  be  sure  he  has  ;  no  man  deserves  it  better  ;  but  it's  a 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  567 

gentlemanlike  gout,  that  merely  jogs  his  memory  in  the  morning 
of  the  good  wine  he  has  drank  over  night.  By-the-bye,  what 
became  of  a  friend  of  his,  a  devilish  eccentric  fellow,  who  held 
a  command  in  the  Austrian  service  ?  " 

"Oh,  Considine— the  Count?" 

•'  The  same." 

"  As  eccentric  as  ever  ;  I  left  him  on  a  visit  with  my  uncle. 
And  Boyle — did  you  know  Sir  Harry  Boyle  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  I  did  ;  shall  I  ever  forget  him,  and  his  capital 
blunders,  that  kept  me  laughing  the  whole  time  I  spent  in 
Ireland  ?  I  was  in  the  house  when  he  concluded  a  panegyric 
upon  a  friend,  by  calling  him  'the  father  to  the  poor,  and  uncle 
to  Lord  Donoughmore.'  " 

"  He  was  the  only  man  who  could  render  by  a  bull  what 
it  was  impossible  to  convey  more  correctly,"  said  Power. 
''You've  heard  of  his  duel  with  Dick  Toler  ?  " 

"  Never  ;  let's  hear  it." 

"  It  was  a  bull  from  beginning  to  end.  Boyle  took  it  into 
his  head  that  Dick  was  a  person  with  whom  he  had  a  serious 
row  in  Cork.  Dick,  on  the  other  hand,  mistook  Boyle  for  old 
Caples,  whom  he  had  been  pursuing  with  horse-whipping  in- 
tentions for  some  months  ;  they  met  in  Kildare  Street  Club,  and 
very  little  colloquy  satisfied  them  that  they  were  right  in  their 
conjectures,  each  party  being  so  eagerly  ready  to  meet  the  views 
of  the  other.  It  never  was  a  difiicult  matter  to  find  a  friend 
in  Dublin  ;  and  to  do  them  justice,  Irish  seconds,  generally 
speaking,  are  perfectly  free  from  any  imputation  upon  the 
score  of  mere  delay.  No  men  have  less  impertinent  curiosit) 
as  to  the  cause  of  the  quarrel ;  wisely  supposing  that  the 
principals  know  their  own  affairs  best,  they  cautiously  abstain 
from  indulging  any  prying  spirit,  but  proceed  to  discharge 
their  functions  as  best  they  may.  Accordingl}',  Sir  Harry  and 
Dick  were  '  set  up,'  as  the  phrase  is,  at  twelve  paces,  and  to 
use  Boyle's  own  words,  for  I  have  heard  him  relate  the 
story — 


308  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  We  blazed  away,  sir,  for  three  rounds.  I  put  two  in  his 
hat,  and  one  in  his  neckcloth  ;  his  shots  went  all  through  the 
skirt  of  my  coat. 

"  *  We'll  spend  the  day  here,'  says  Considine,  '  at  this  rate. 
Couldn't  you  put  them  closer?' 

" '  And  give  us  a  little  more  time  in  the  word,'  says  I. 

"'Exactly,'  said  Dick. 

"  Well,  they  moved  us  forward  two  paces,  and  set  to  loading 
the  pistols  again. 

"  By  this  time  we  were  so  near,  that  we  had  full  opportunity 
to  scan  each  other's  faces  ;  well,  sir,  I  stared  at  him,  and  he 
at  me. 

"  '  What ! '  said  I. 

" '  Eh  ! '  said  he. 

" '  How's  this  ? '  said  I. 

"  *  You're  not  Billy  Caples  ? '  said  he. 

" '  Devil  a  bit,'  said  I,  '  nor  I  don't  think  you're  Archy 
Devine  ; '  and,  faith,  sir,  so  it  appeared,  we  were  fighting  away 
all  the  morning  for  nothing :  for,  somehow,  it  turned  out  it 
was  7ieither  of  us  I " 

What  amused  me  most  in  this  anecdote  was  the  hearing  it 
at  such  a  time  and  place.  That  poor  Sir  Harry's  eccentrici- 
ties should  turn  up  for  discussion  on  a  march  in  Portugal  was 
singular  enough  ;  but,  after  all,  life  is  full  of  such  incongruous 
accidents.  I  remember  once  supping  with  King  Calzoo  on 
the  Blue  Mountains,  in  Jamaica.  By  way  of  entertaining  his 
guests,  some  English  officers,  he  ordered  one  of  his  suite  to 
sing.  We  were  of  course  pleased  at  the  opportunity  of  hearing 
an  Indian  war-chant,  with  a  skull  and  thigh-bone  accompani- 
ment ;  but  what  was  our  astonishment  to  hear  the  Indian — a 
ferocious-looking  dog,  with  an  awful  scalp-lock,  and  two  streaks 
of  red  paint  across  his  chest — clear  his  voice  well  for  a  few 
seconds,  and  then  begin,  without  discomposing  a  muscle  of  his 
gravity,  "  The  Laird  of  Cockpen  !  "  I  need  not  say  that  the 
"  Great  Racoon  "  was  a  Dumfries  man,  who  had  quitted  Scot- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  369 

land  forty  years  before,  and,  with  characteristic  prosperity,  had 
attained  his  present  rank  in  a  foreign  service. 

"  Halt,  halt !  "  cried  a  deep-toned,  manly  voice  in  the  lead- 
ing column,  and  the  word  was  repeated  from  mouth  to  mouth 
to  the  rear. 

We  dismounted,  and  picketing  our  horses  beneath  the 
broad-leaved  foliage  of  the  cork-trees,  stretched  ourselves  out 
at  full  length  upon  the  grass,  while  our  messmen  prepared  the 
dinner.  Our  party  at  first  consisted  of  Hixley,  Power,  the 
Adjutant,  and  myself;  but  our  number  was  soon  increased 
by  three  officers  of  the  6th  Foot,  about  to  join  their  regiment. 
"  Barring  the  ladies,  God  bless  them  !  "  said  Power,  "  there's 
no  such  picnics  as  campaigning  presents  ;  the  charms  of  scenery 
are  greatly  enhanced  by  their  coming  unexpectedly  on  you. 
Your  chance  good  fortune  in  the  prog  has  an  interest  that 
no  ham-and-cold-chicken  aiTair,  prepared  by  your  servants 
beforehand,  and  got  ready  with  a  degree  of  fuss  and  worry 
that  converts  the  whole  party  into  an  assembly  of  cooks,  can 
ever  afford ;  and,  lastly,  the  excitement  that  this  same  life  of 

ours  is  never  without,  gives  a  zest " 

"  There  you've  hit  it,"  cried  Hixley;  "  it's  that  same  feeling 
of  uncertainty  that  those  who  meet  now  may  ever  do  so  again, 
full  as  it  is  of  sorrowful  reflection,  that  still  teaches  us,  as  we 
become  inured  to  war,  to  economize  our  pleasures,  and  be 
happy  when  we  may.  Your  health,  O'Malley,  and  your  Uncle 
Godfrey's  too." 

"  A  little  more  of  the  pastry." 
"  What  a  capital  guinea  fowl  this  is  !  " 
"  That's  some  of  old  Monsoon's  particular  port." 
"  Pass  it  round  here  ;  really  this  is  pleasant." 
"  My  blessing  on  the  man  who  left  that  vista  yonder  ;  see 
what  a  glorious  valley  stretches  out  there,  undulating  in  its 
richness  ;  and  look  at  those  dark  trees,  where  just  one  streak 
of  soft  sunlight  is  kissing  their  tops,  giving  them  one  chaste 

good-night " 

24 


37 o  CilARLE:^  O'M ALLEY, 

*•  Well  done,  Power !  " 

"  Confound  you,  you've  pulled  me  short,  and  I  was  about 
becoming  downright  pastoral.  A  propos  of  kissing,  I  under- 
stand Sir  Arthur  won't  allow  the  convents  to  be  occupied 
by  troops." 

"  And  a  propos  of  convents,"  said  I,  "  let's  hear  your  story ; 
you  promised  it  a  while  ago." 

"  My  dear  Charley,  it's  far  too  early  in  the  evening  for  a 
story  ;  I  should  rather  indulge  my  poetic  fancies  here,  under  the 
shade  of  melancholy  boughs.  And,  besides,  I  am  not  half 
screwed  up  yet !  " 

"  Come,  Adjutant,  let's  have  a  song." 

"I'll  sing  you  a  Portuguese  serenade  when  the  next  bottle 
comes  in.     What  capital  port !     Have  you  much  of  it  \  " 

"  Only  three  dozen.  We  got  it  late  last  night ;  forged  an 
order  from  the  commanding  officer,  and  sent  it  up  to  old 
Monsoon — '  for  hospital  use.'  He  gave  it  with  a  tear  in  his 
eye,  saying,  as  the  sergeant  marched  away,  '  Only  think  of 
such  wine  for  fellows  that  may  be  in  the  next  world  before 
morning.     It's  a  downright  sin  ! '  " 

"I  say,  Power,  there's  something  going  on  there." 

At  this  instant  the  trumpet  sounded  "boot  and  saddle," and, 
like  one  man,  the  whole  mass  rose  up,  when  the  scene,  late  so 
tranquil,  became  one  of  excited  bustle  and  confusion.  An 
aide-de-camp  galloped  past  towards  the  river,  followed  by  two 
orderly  sergeants  ;  and  the  next  moment  Sparks  rode  up,  his 
whole  equipment  giving  evidence  of  a  hurried  ride,  while  his 
cheek  was  deadly  pale  and  haggard. 

Power  presented  to  him  a  goblet  of  sherry,  which,  having 
emptied  at  a  draught,  he  drew  a  long   breath,  and  said, — 

"They  are  coming — coming  in  force." 

"Who  are  coming.? "  said  Power;  "take  time,  man,  and 
collect  yourself." 

"  The  French !  I  saw  them  a  devilish  deal  closer  than  I 
liked  ;  they  wounded  one  of  the  orderlies,  and  took  the  other 
prisoner." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  371. 

"  Forward  !  "  cried  out  a  hoarse  voice  in  the  front.  "  March 
—trot ! " 

And  before  we  could  obtain  any  further  information  from 
Sparks,  whose  faculties  seemed  to  have  received  a  terrific 
shock,  we  were  once  more  in  the  saddle,  and  moving  at  a 
brisk  pace  onward. 

Sparks  had  barely  time  to  tell  us  that  a  large  body  of  French 
cavalry  occupied  the  pass  of  Berar,  when  he  was  sent  for  by 
General  Cotton  to  finish  his  report. 

"  How  frightened  the  fellow  is  !  "  said  Hixley. 

"  I  don't  think  the  worse  of  poor  Sparks  for  all  that,"  said 
Power ;  "  he  saw  those  fellows  for  the  first  time,  and  no  bird's- 
eye  view  of  them  either." 

"  Then  we  are  in  for  a  skirmish,  at  least,"  said  I. 

"  It  would  appear  not,  from  that,"  said  Hixley,  pointing  to 
the  head  of  the  column,  which,  leaving  the  high  road  upon  the 
left,  entered  the  forest  by  a  deep  cleft  that  opened  upon  a 
valley  traversed  by  a  broad  river. 

"That  looks  very  like  taking  up  a  position,  though,"  said 
Power. 

"  Look — look  down  yonder  !  "  cried  Hixley,  pointing  to  a 
dip  in  the  plain  beside  the  river ;  "  is  there  not  a  cavalry 
picket  there  ? " 

"  Right,  by  Jove  !  I  say,  Fitzroy,"  said  Power  to  an  aide- 
de-camp  as  he  passed,  "  what's  going  on  ?" 

"  Soult  has  carried  Oporto,"  cried  he,  "  and  Franchesca's 
cavalry  have  escaped." 

"  And  who  are  these  fellows  in  the  valley  ? " 

"Our  own  people  coming  up." 

In  less  than  half-an-hour's  brisk  trotting  we  reached  the 
stream,  the  banks  of  which  were  occupied  by  two  cavalry 
regiments  advancing  to  the  main  army ;  and  what  was  my 
delight  to  find  that  one  of  them  was  our  own  corps,  the  14th 
Light  Dragoons. 

"Hurra!"    cried    Power,    wavhig  his  cap   as  he  came   up. 


^•J2  CHARLES  O'AIALLEY, 

"  How  are  you,  Sedgewick  ?  Baker,  my  hearty,  how  goes  it  ? 
How  is  Hampton  and  the  Colonel  ?  " 

In  an  instant  we  were  surrounded  by  our  brother  officers, 
who  all  shook  me  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  welcomed  me  to 
the  regiment  with  most  gratifying  warmth. 

"  One  of  us,"  said  Power,  with  a  knowing  look,  as  he  intro- 
duced me  ;  and  the  freemasonry  of  these  few  words  secured 
me  a  hearty  greeting. 

"  Halt,  halt !  Dismount !  "  sounded  again  from  front  to 
rear;  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  once  more  stretched 
upon  the  grass,  beneath  the  deep  and  mellow  moonlight,  while 
the  bright  stream  ran  placidly  beside  us,  reflecting  on  its  calm 
surface  the  varied  groups  as  they  lounged  or  sat  around  the 
blazing  fires  of  the  bivouac. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE  BIVOUAC. 

When  I  contrasted  the  gay  and  lively  tone  of  the  conversa- 
tion which  ran  on  around  our  bivouac  fire,  with  the  dry  monot- 
ony and  prosaic  tediousness  of  my  first  military  dinner  at 
Cork,  I  felt  how  much  the  spirit  and  adventure  of  a  soldier's 
life  can  impart  of  chivalrous  enthusiasm  to  even  the  dullest  and 
least  susceptible.  I  saw  even  many  who,  under  common  cir- 
cumstances, would  have  possessed  no  interest,  nor  excited  any 
curiosity,  but  now,  connected  as  they  were  with  the  great  events 
occurring  around  them,  absolutely  became  heroes  ;  and  it  was 
with  a  strange,  wild  throbbing  of  excitement,  I  listened  to  the 
details  of  movements  and  marches,  whose  objects  I  knew  not, 
but  in  which  the  magical  words,  Corunna,  Vimeira,  were  mixed 
up,  and  gave  to  the  circumstances  an   interest  of  the    highest 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  373 

character.  How  proud,  too,  I  felt,  to  be  the  companion  in 
arms  of  such  fellows  !  here  they  sat,  the  tried  and  proved 
soldiers  of  a  hundred  fights,  treating  me  as  their  brother  and 
their  equal.  \\'ho  need  wonder  if  [  felt  a  sense  of  excited 
pleasure  ?  Had  I  needed  such  a  stimulant,  that  night  beneath 
the  cork-trees  had  been  enough  to  arouse  a  passion  for  the 
army  in  my  heart,  and  an  irrepressible  determination  to  seek 
for  a  soldier's  glory. 

"  Fourteenth  !  "  called  out  a  voice  from  the  wood  behind  ; 
and,  in  a  moment  after,  the  aide-de-camp  appeared  with  a 
mounted  orderly. 

"  Colonel  Merivale  ?  "  said  he,  touching  his  cap  to  the  stal- 
wart, soldier-like  figure  before  him. 

The  Colonel  bowed. 

"  Sir  Stapleton  Cotton  desires  me  to  request  that  at  an 
early  hour  to-morrow  you  will  occupy  the  pass,  and  cover  the 
march  of  the  troops.  It  is  his  wish  that  all  the  reinforcements 
should  arrive  at  Oporto  by  noon.  I  need  scarcely  add,  that 
we  expect  to  be  engaged  with  the  enemy." 

These  few  words  were  spoken  hurriedly,  and,  again  salut- 
ing our  party,  he  turned  his  horse's  head  and  continued  his 
way  towards  the  rear. 

"There's  news  for  you,  Charley,"  said  Power,  slapping  me 
on  the  shoulder.     "  Lucy  Dashwood  or  Westminster  Abbey  !  " 

"  The  regiment  was  never  in  finer  condition,  that's  certain," 
said  the  Colonel,  "  and  most  eager  for  a  brush  with  the  enemy." 

"  How  your  old  friend,  the  Count,  would  have  liked  this 
work,"  said  Hixley  ;  "gallant  fellow  he  was." 

"  Come,"  cried  Power,  "  here's  a  fresh  bowl  coming.  Let's 
drink  the  ladies,  wherever  they  be  :  we  most  of  us  have  some 
soft  spot  on  that  score." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Adjutant,  singing  : — 

"  Here's  to  the  maiden  of  blushing  fifteen. 
Here's  to  the  damsel  that's  merry, 
Here's  to  the  flaunting  extravagant  queen^— " 


374  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  And,"  sang  Power,  interrupting,— 

"  Here's  to  the  '  Widow  of  Derry.' " 

"  Come,  come,  Fred,  no  more  quizzing  on  that  score.  It's 
the  only  tiling  ever  gives  me  a  distaste  to  the  service,  the  sou- 
venir of  that  adventure.  When  I  reflect  what  I  might  have 
been,  and  think  what  I  am  ;  when  I  contrast  a  Brussels  carpet 
with  wet  grass,  silk  hangings  with  a  canvas  tent,  Sneyd's  claret 
with  ration  brandy,  and  Sir  Arthur  for  a  Commander-in-Chief 
vice  Boggs,  a  widow " 

"  Stop  there,"  cried  Hixley  ;  "  without  disparaging  the  fair 
widow,  there's  nothing  beats  campaigning  after  all :  eh,  Fred  ?  " 

"  And  to  prove  it,"  said  the  Colonel,  "  Power  will  sing  us  a 
song." 

Power  took  his  pencil  from  his  pocket,  and  placing  the  back 
of  a  letter  across  his  shako,  commenced  inditing  his  lyric  ; 
saying,  as  he  did  so, — 

'.'  I'm  your  man  in  five  minutes  :  just  fill  my  glass  in  the 
meantime." 

"  That  fellow  beats  Dibdin  hollow,"  whispered  the  Adjutant. 
"  I'll  be  hanged  if  he"ll  not  knock  you  off  a  song  like  lightning." 

"  I  understand,"  said  Hixley,  "  they  have  some  intention  at 
the  Horse  Guards  of  having  all  the  general  orders  set  to  popular 
tunes,' and  sung  at  every  mess  in  the  service.  You've  heard 
that,  I  suppose.  Sparks  .''  " 

"  I  confess  I  had  not  before." 

"  It  will  certainly  come  very  hard  upon  the  subalterns,"  con- 
tinued Hixley,  with  much  gravity  ;  "  they'll  have  to  brush  up 
their  sol  mi  fas ;  all  the  solos  are  to  be  their  part." 

"  What  rhymes  with  slaughter  ?  "  said  Power. 

"  Brandy-and-water  !  "  said  the  Adjutant. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Power,  "  are  you  all  ready  ?  " 

"  Ready  !  " 

"  You  must  chorus,  mind  ;  and,  mark  me,  take  care  you  give 
the  hip,  hip,  hurra  !  well,  as  that's  the  whole  force  of  the  chant. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  375 

Take  the  time  from  me.     Now  for  it.     Air,  '  Garryowen,'  with 
spirit,  but  not  too  quick. 

"  Now  that  we've  pledged  each  eye  of  blue, 
And  every  maiden  fair  and  true, 
And  our  green  island  home — to  you 

The  ocean's  wave  adoniing, 
Let's  give  one  hip,  hip,  hip,  hurra! 
And  drink  e'en  to  the  coming  day, 
When,  squadron  square, 
We'll  all  be  there, 
To  meet  the  French  in  the  morning. 

"  May  his  bright  laurels  never  fade. 
Who  leads  our  fighting  fifth  brigade, 
Those  lads  so  true  in  heart  and  blade, 

And  famed  for  danger  scorning : 
So  join  me  in  one  hip,  hurra! 
And  drink  e'en  to  the  coming  day, 
When,  squadron  square, 
We'll  all  be  there, 
To  meet  the  French  in  the  morning. 

"  And,  when  with  years  and  honors  crowned, 
You  sit  some  homeward  hearth  around. 
And  hear  no  more  the  stirring  sound 

That  spoke  the  trumpet's  warning,— 
You'll  fill  and  drink,  one  hip,  hurra! 
And  pledge  tlie  memory  of  the  day, 
When,  squadron  square, 
They  all  were  there. 
To  meet  the  French  in  the  morning." 

"Gloriously  done,  Fred!"  cried  Hixley.  "If  I  ever  get 
my  deserts  in  this  world,  I'll  make  you  Laureate  to  the  Forces, 
with  a  hogsli£ad  of  your  own  native  whisky  for  every  victory 
of  the  army." 

"  A  devilish  good  chant,"  said  Merivale,  "  but  the  air  sur- 
passes anything  I  ever  heard  :  thoroughly  Irish,  I  take  it." 

"  Irish !  upon  my  conscience,  I  believe  you  ! "  shouted 
O'Shaughnessy,  with  an  energy  of  voice  and  manner  that  created 
a  hearty  laugh  on  all  sides.  "  It's  few  people  ever  mistook 
it  for  a  Venetian  melody.  Hand  over  the  punch — the  sheriy, 
I  mean.  When  I  was  in  the  Clare  militia,  we  always  went  in 
to  dinner  to  'Tatter  Jack  Walsh,'  a  sweet  air,  and  had  'Garrv- 


376  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

owen'  for  a  quick-step,  Ould  M'ATanus,  when  he  got  the  regi- 
ment, wanted  to  change  ;  he  said  they  were  damned  vulgar 
tunes,  and  wanted  to  have  '  Rule  Britannia,'  or  the  '  Hundredth 
Psalm  ; '  but  we  would  not  stand  it,  there  would  have  been  a 
mutiny  in  the  corps." 

"  The  same  fellow,  wasn't  he,  that  you  told  the  story  of,  the 
other  evening,  in  Lisbon  ?  "  said  I. 

"  The  same.  Well,  what  a  character  he  was  !  As  pompous 
and  conceited  a  little  fellow  as  ever  you  met  with  ;  and  then, 
he  was  so  bullied  by  his  wife,  he  always  came  down  to  revenge 
it  on  the  regiment.  She  was  a  fine,  showy,  vulgar  woman, 
with  a  most  cherishing  affection  for  all  the  good  things  in  this 
life,  except  her  husband,  whom  she  certainly  held  in  due  con- 
tempt. '  Ye  little  crayture,'  she'd  say  to  him  with  a  sneer,  *  it 
ill  becomes  you  to  drink  and  sing,  and  be  making  a  man  of 
yourself.     If  you  were  like  O'Shaughnessy  there,  six  foot  three 

in  his   stockings '     Well,   well,  it  looks  like  boasting ;  but 

no  matter  :  here's  her  health,  anyway." 

"  I  knew  you  were  tender  in  that  quarter,"  said  Power.  "  I 
heard  it  when  quartered  in  Limerick." 

"  Maybe  you  heard,  too,  how  I  paid  off  Mac,  when  he  came 
down  on  a  visit  to  that  country  ?  " 

"  Never  :  let's  hear  it  now." 

"Ay,  O'Shaughnessy,  now's  your  time;  the  fire's  a  good 
one,  the  night  fine,  and  liquor  plenty." 

"  I'm  convaJticnt,'"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  as  depositing  his 
enormous  legs  on  each  side  of  the  burning  fagots,  and  placing 
a  bottle  between  his  knees,  he  began  his  story : — 

"  It  was  a  cold  rainy  night  in  January,  in  the  year  '98, 1  took 
my  place  in  the  Limerick  mail,  to  go  down  for  a  few  days  to 
the  west  country.  As  the  waiter  of  the  Hibernian  came  to  the 
door  with  a  lantern,  I  just  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  other  in- 
sides ;  none  of  whom  were  known  to  me,  except  Colonel 
M'Manus,  that  I  met  once  in  a  boarding-house  in  Molesworth 
Street.     I  did  not,  at  the   time,  think  him  a  very  agreeable 


'I  HE  IKl^H  DKA  G  O  UiV.  377 

companion  ;  but,  when  morning  broke,  and  we  began  to  pay 
our  respects  to  each  other  in  the  coach,  I  leaned  over,  and 
said,  '  I  hope  you're  well,  Colonel  M'Manus,  just  by  way  of 
civility  like.  He  didn't  hear  me  at  first ;  so  that  I  said  it 
again,  a  little  louder. 

"  I  wish  you  saw  the  look  he  gave  me  ;  he  drew  himself  up 
to  the  height  of  his  cotton  umbrella,  put  his  chin  inside  his 
cravat,  pursed  up  his  dry,  shrivelled  lips,  and,  with  a  voice  he 
meant  to  be  awful,  replied  : — 

"  '  You  appear  to  have  the  advantage  of  me.' 

"  '  Upon  my  conscience,  you're  right,'  said  I,  looking  down 
at  myself,  and  then  over  at  him,  at  which  the  other  travellers 
burst  out  a  laughing — '  I  think  there's  few  will  dispute  that 
point.  When  the  laugh  was  over,  I  resumed — for  I  was  deter- 
mined not  to  let  him  off  so  easily.  '  Sure  I  met  you  at  Mrs. 
Cayle's,'  said  I ;  '  and,  by  the  same  token — it  was  a  Friday,  I  re- 
member it  well,— maybe  you  didn't  pitch  into  the  salt  cod  ?  I 
hope  it  didn't  disagree  with  you  ? ' 

" '  I  beg  to  repeat,  sir,  that  you  are  under  a  mistake,' 
•>aid  he. 

"  '  Maybe  so,  indeed,'  said  I.  '  Maybe  you're  not  Colonel 
iVl'Manus  at  all ;  maybe  you  wasn't  in  a  passion  for  losing 
seven-and-sixpence  at  loo  with  Mrs.  Moriarty ;  maybe  you 
didn't  break  the  lamp  in  the  hall  with  your  umbrella,  pretend- 
ing you  touched  it  with  your  head,  and  wasn't  within  three  foot 
of  it ;  maybe  Counsellor  Brady  wasn't  going  to  put  you  in  the 
box  of  the  Foundling  Hospital,  if  you  wouldn't  behave  quietly 
in  the  streets ' 

"  Well,  with  this  .the  others  laughed  so  heartily,  that  I  could 
not  go  on  ;  and  the  next  stage  the  bold  Colonel  got  outside 
with  the  guard,  and  never  came  in  till  we  reached  Limerick, 
ril  never  forget  his  face,  as  he  got  down  at  Swinburne's  Hotel, 
*(}ood-bye.  Colonel,' said  I;  but  he  wouldn't  take  the  least 
notice  of  my  politeness,  but,  with  a  frown  of  utter  defiance,  he 
turned  on  his  heel  and  walked  away. 


378  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

" '  I  haven't  done  with  you  yet,'  says  I ;  and,  faith,  I  kept 
my  word. 

"  I  hadn't  gone  ten  yards  down  the  street,  when  I  met  my 
old  friend  Darby  O'Grady." 

" '  Shaugh,  my  boy,'  says  he, — he  called  me  that  way  for 
shortness, — '  dine  with  me  to-day  at  Mosey's :  a  green  goose 
and  gooseberries  ;  six  to  a  minute.' 

"  '  Who  have  you  ? '  says  I. 

"  '  Tom  Keane  and  the  Wallers,  a  counsellor  or  two,  and 
one  M'Manus,  from  Dublin.' 

"  '  The  Colonel  ? ' 

"  *  The  same,'  said  he. 

"  '  I'm  there.  Darby  ! '  said  I ;  '  but  mind,  you  never  saw  me 
before.' 

"  '  What ! '  said  he. 

" '  You  never  set  eyes  on  me  before  ;  mind  that.' 

" '  I  understand,'  said  Darby,  with  a  wink  \  and  we  parted. 

"  I  certainly  was  never  very  particular  about  dressing  for 
dinner,  but  on  this  day  I  spent  a  considerable  time  at  my  toilet ; 
and  when  I  looked  in  my  glass  at  its  completion,  was  well  satis- 
fied that  I  had  done  myself  justice.  A  waistcoat  of  brown  rabbit- 
skin  with  flaps,  a  red  worsted  comforter  round  my  neck,  an 
old  gray  shooting-jacket,  with  a  brown  patch  on  the  arm,  cor- 
duroys and  leather  gaiters,  with  a  tremendous  oak  cudgel  in  my 
hand,  made  me  a  most  presentable  figure  for  a  dinner  party. 

"  '  Will  I  do.  Darby  ? '  says  I,  as  he  came  into  my  room  before 
dinner. 

" '  If  it's  for  robbing  the  mail  you  are,'  says  he,  *  nothing 
could  be  better.     Your  father  wouldn't  know  you  ! ' 

" '  Would  I  be  the  better  of  a  wig  ? ' 

"  '  Leave  your  hair  alone,'  said  he.  *  It's  painting  the  lily  to 
alter  it.' 

"  '  Well,  God's  will  be  done,'  say  I, '  so  come  now.' 

"Well,  just  as  the  clock  struck  six  I  saw  the  Colonel  com- 
ing out  of  his  room,  in  a  suit  of  most  accurate  sable,  stockings, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  379 

and  pumps.  Downstairs  he  went,  and  I  heard  the  waiter  an- 
nounce him. 

" '  Now's  my  time,'  thought  I,  as  I  followed  slowly  after. 

"  When  I  reached  the  door  I  heard  several  voices  within, 
among  which  I  recognized  some  ladies'.  Darby  had  not  told 
me  about  them  ;  '  But  no  matter,'  said  I ;  '  it's  all  as  well ; '  so 
I  gave  a  gentle  tap  at  the  door  with  my  knuckles. 

"  '  Come  in,'  said  Darby. 

"  I  opened  the  door  slowly,  and,  putting  in  only  my  head 
and  shoulders,  took  a  cautious  look  round  the  room. 

"  '  I  beg  pardon,  gentlemen,'  said  I,  '  but  I  was  Only  looking 
for  one  Colonel  M'Manus,  and,  as  he  is  not  here ' 

" '  Pray  walk  in,  sir,'  said  O'Grady,  with  a  polite  bow. 
'  Colonel  M'Manus  is  here.  There's  no  intrusion  whatever.  I 
say.  Colonel,'  said  he,  turning  round,  '  a  gentleman  here  de- 
sires to ' 

"'  Never  mind  it  now,'  said  I,  as  I  stepped  cautiously  into 
the  room  ;  '  he's  going  to  dinner ;  another  time  will  do  just  as 
well.' 

"  '  Pray  come  in  ! ' 

** '  I  could  not  think  of  intruding ' 

"'I  must  protest,'  said  M'Manus,  coloring  up,  'that  I  can- 
not understand  this  gentleman's  visit.' 

" '  It  is  a  little  affair  I  have  to  settle  with  him,'  said  I,  with 
a  fierce  look,  that  I  saw  produced  its  effect. 

"  '  Then  perhaps  you  would  do  me  the  very  great  favor  to 
join  him  at  dinner,'  said  O'Grady.  '  Any  friend  of  Colonel 
M'Manus ' 

" '  You  are  really  too  good,'  said  I ;  '  but  as  an  utter 
stranger ' 

"  '  Never  think  of  that  for  a  moment.  My  friend's  friend, 
as  the  adage  says.' 

"  '  Upon  my  conscience,  a  good  saying,'  said  I,  *  but  you  see 
there's  another  difficulty.  I've  ordered  a  chop  and  potatoes 
up  in  No.  5.' 


380  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  *  Let  that  be  no  obstacle,'  said  O 'Grady.  *  The  waiter  shall 
put  it  in  my  bill ;  if  you  will  only  do  me  the  pleasure.' 

"  '  You're  a  trump,'  said  I.     *  What's  your  name  ? ' 

"'O'Grady,  at  your  service.' 

"  '  Any  relation  of  the  counsellor  ? '  said  I.  *  They're  all 
one  family,  the  O'Gradys.  I'm  Mr.  O'Shaughnessy,  from 
Ennis  ;  won't  you  introduce  me  to  the  ladies  ? ' 

"  While  the  ceremony  of  presentation  was  going  on  I  caught 
one  glance  at  M'Manus,  and  had  hard  work  not  to  roar  out 
laughing.  Such  an  expression  of  surprise,  amazement,  indig- 
nation, rage,  and  misery  never  was  mixed  up  in  one  face  be- 
fore. Speak  he  could  not ;  and  I  saw  that,  except  for  myself, 
he  had  neither  eyes,  ears,  nor  senses  for  anything  around  him. 
Just  at  this  moment  dinner  was  announced,  and  in  we  went. 
I  never  was  in  such  spirits  in  my  life  ;  the  trick  upon  M'Manus 
had  succeeded  perfectly ;  he  believed  in  his  heart  that  I  had 
never  met  O'Grady  in  my  life  before,  and  that  upon  the  faith 
of  our  friendship,  I  had  received  my  invitation.  As  for  me,  I 
spared  him  but  little.  I  kept  up  a  running  fire  of  droll  stories  I 
had  the  ladies  in  fits  of  laughing,  made  everlasting  allusions 
to  the  Colonel ;  and,  in  a  word,  ere  the  soup  had  disappeared, 
except  himself,  the  company  were  entirely  with  me. 

" '  O'Grady,'  said  I,  '  forgive  the  freedom,  but  I  feel  as  if  we 
were  old  acquaintances.' 

"  '  As  Colonel  M'Manus's  friend,'  said  he,  *  you  can  take  no 
liberty  here  to  which  you  are  not  perfectly  welcome.' 

"'Just  what  I  expected,'  said  I.  '  Mac  and  I,' — I  wish  you 
saw  his  face  when  I  called  him  Mac — '  Mac  and  I  were  school- 
fellows five-and-thirty  years  ago  ;  though  he  forgets  me,  I  don't 
forget  him  ;  to  be  sure  it  would  be  hard  for  me.  I'm  just 
thinking  of  the  day  Bishop  Oulahan  came  over  to  visit  the 
college.  Mac  was  coming  in  at  the  door  of  the  refectory  as 
the  Bishop  was  going  out.  "  Take  off  your  caubeen,  you  young 
scoundrel,  and  kneel  down  for  his  reverence  to  bless  you,"  said 
one  of  the  masters,  giving  his  hat  a  blow  at  the  same  moment 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  381 

that  sent  it  flying  to  the  other  end  of  the  room,  and,  with  it, 
about  twenty  ripe  pears  tliat  Mac  had  just  stolen  in  the  orchard 
and  had  in  his  hat.  I  wish  you  only  saw  the  Bishop  ;  and 
Mac  himself,  he  was  a  picture.  Well,  well,  you  forget  it  all 
now,  but  I  remember  it  as  if  it  was  only  yesterday.  Any 
champagne,  Mr.  O'Grady  ?     I'm  mighty  dry.' 

"  '  Of  course,'  said  Darby.     '  Waiter,  some  champagne  here.' 

"'Ah,  it's  himself  was  the  boy  for  every  kind  of  fun  and 
devilment,  quiet  and  demure  as  he  looks  over  there.  Mac, 
your  health.    It's  not  every  day  of  the  week  we  get  champagne.' 

"  He  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork  as  I  said  this  ;  his  face 
and  temples  grew  deep  purple,  his  eyes  started  as  if  they  would 
spring  from  his  head,  and  he  put  both  his  hands  to  his  forehead 
as  if  trying  to  assure  himself  that  it  was  not  some  horrid 
dream. 

'"A  little  slice  more  of  the  turkey,'  said  I,  'and  then, 
O'Grady,  I'll  try  your  hock.  It's  a  wine  I'm  mighty  fond  of, 
and  so  is  Mac  there.  Oh  !  it's  seldom,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  it 
troubles  us.  There,  fill  up  the  glass  ;  that's  it.  Here  now, 
Uarby — that's  your  name,  I  think — you'll  not  think  I'm  taking 
a  liberty  in  giving  a  toast  here,  then,  I'll  give  IVI'Manus's 
health,  with  all  the  honors ;  though  it's  early  yet,  to  be  sure, 
but  we'll  do  it  again,  by-and-by,  when  the  whisky  comes. 
Here's  M'Manus's  good  health  ;  and  though  his  wife,  they  say, 
does  not  treat  him  well,  and  keeps  him  down ' 

"  The  roar  of  laughing  that  interrupted  me  here,  was  pro- 
duced hy  the  expression  of  poor  Mac's  face.  He  had  started 
up  from  the  table,  and,  leaning  with  both  his  hands  upon  it, 
stared  round  upon  the  company  like  a  maniac — his  mouth  and 
eyes  wide  open,  and  his  hair  actually  bristling  with  amaze- 
ment. Thus  he  remained  for  a  full  minute,  gasping  like  a  fish 
in  a  landing-net.  It  seemed  a  hard  struggle  for  him  to  believe 
he  was  not  deranged.  At  last  his  eyes  fell  upon  me  ;  he  uttered 
a  deep  groan,  and,  with  a  voice  tremulous  with  rage,  thundered 
out : — 


382  CHARLES  O'MALLEVy 

"  *  The  scoundrel !  I  never  saw  him  before.* 

"  He  rushed  from  the  room,  and  gained  the  street.  Before 
our  roar  of  laughter  was  over  he  had  secured  post-horses,  and 
was  galloping  towards  Ennis  at  the  top  speed  of  his  cattle. 

"  He  exchanged  at  once  into  the  line ;  but  they  say  that  he 
caught  a  glimpse  of  my  name  in  the  army  list,  and  sold  out  the 
next  morning ;  be  that  as  it  may,  we  never  met  since." 

I  have  related  O'Shaughnessy's  story  here,  rather  from  the 
memory  I  have  of  how  we  all  laughed  at  it  at  the  time,  than 
from  any  feeling  as  to  its  real  desert ;  but,  when  I  think  of  the 
voice,  look,  accent,  and  gesture  of  the  narrator,  I  can  scarcely 
keep  myself  from  again  giving  way  to  laughter. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

THE  DOURO. 

Never  did  the  morning  break  more  beautifully  than  on  the 
12th  of  May,  1809.  Huge  masses  of  fog-like  vapor  had  suc- 
ceeded to  the  starry,  cloudless  night,  but,  one  by  one,  they 
moved  onwards  towards  the  sea,  disclosing,  as  they  passed, 
long  tracts  of  lovely  country,  bathed  in  a  rich  golden  glow. 
The  broad  Douro,  with  its  transparent  current,  shone  out  like 
a  bright  colored  ribbon,  meandering  through  the  deep  garment 
of  fairest  green  ;  the  darkly  shadowed  mountains,  which  closed 
the  background,  loomed  even  larger  than  they  were  ;  while 
their  summits  were  tipped  with  the  yellow  glory  of  the  morn- 
ing. The  air  was  calm  and  still,  and  the  very  smoke  that  arose 
from  the  peasant's  cot,  labored  as  it  ascended  through  the 
perfumed  air,  and,  save  the  ripple  of  the  stream,  all  was  silent 
as  the  grave. 

The  squadron  of  the  14th,  with  which  I  was,  had  diverged 
from  the  road  beside  the  river,   and,  to  obtain  a  shorter  path, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiY.  383 

had  entered  the  skirts  of  a  dark  pine  wood :  our  pace  was  a 
sharp  one  ;  an  orderly  had  been  already  despatched  to  hasten 
our  arrival,  and  we  pressed  on  at  a  brisk  trot.  In  less  than  an 
hour  we  reached  the  verge  of  the  wood,  and,  as  we  rode  out 
upon  the  plain,  what  a  spectacle  met  our  eyes  !  Before  us,  in 
a  narrow  valley,  separated  from  the  river  by  a  low  ridge,  were 
picketed  three  cavalry  regiments  ;  their  noiseless  gestures  and 
perfect  stillness  bespeaking,  at  once,  that  they  were  intended 
for  a  surprise  party.  Farther  down  the  stream,  and  upon  the 
opposite  side,  rose  the  massive  towers  and  tall  spires  of  Oporto, 
displaying  from  their  summits  the  broad  ensign  of  France  ; 
while,  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  broad  dark  masses  of 
troops  might  be  seen ;  the  intervals  between  their  columns 
glittering  with  the  bright  equipments  of  their  cavalry,  whose 
steel  caps  and  lances  were  sparking  in  the  sunbeams.  The  biv- 
ouac fires  were  still  smouldering,  and  marking  where  some 
part  of  the  army  had  passed  the  night ;  for,  early  as  it  was,  it 
was  evident  that  their  position  had  been  changed  ;  and,  even 
now,  the  heavy  masses  of  dark  infantry  might  be  seen  moving 
from  place  to  place,  while  the  long  line  of  the  road  to  Vallonga 
was  marked  with  a  vast  cloud  of  dust.  The  French  drum  and 
the  light  infantry  bugle  told,  from  time  to  time,  that  orders 
were  passing  among  the  troops  ;  while  the  glittering  uniform  of 
a  staff  officer,  as  he  galloped  from  the  town,  bespoke  the  note 
of  preparation. 

"  Dismount.  Steady :  quietly,  my  lads,"  said  the  Colonel, 
as  he  alighted  upon  the  grass.  "  Let  the  men  have  their 
breakfast." 

The  little  amphitheatre  we  occupied  hid  us  entirely  from  all 
observation  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  but  equally  so  excluded  us 
from  perceiving  their  movements.  It  may  readily  be  supposed 
then,  with  what  impatience  we  waited  here,  while  the  din  and 
clangor  of  the  French  force,  as  they  marched  and  counter- 
marched so  near  us,  were  clearly  audible.  The  orders  were, 
however,  strict  that  none  should  approach  the  bank  of  the  river, 


3S4.  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

and  we  lay  anxiously  awaiting  the  moment  when  this  inactivity 
should  cease.  More  than  one  orderly  had  arrived  among  us, 
bearing  despatches  from  head-quarters ;  but  where  our  main 
body  was,  or  what  the  nature  of  the  orders,  no  one  could  guess. 
As  for  me,  my  excitement  was  at  its  height,  and  I  could  not 
speak  for  the  very  tension  of  my  nerves.  The  officers  stood 
in  little  groups  of  two  and  three,  whispering  anxiously  together  ; 
but  all  I  could  collect  was,  that  Soult  had  already  began  his 
retreat  upon  Amarante,  and  that,  with  the  broad  stream  of  the 
Douro  between  us,  he  defied  our  pursuit. 

"  Well,  Charley,"  said  Power,  laying  his  arm  upon  my 
shoulder,  "  the  French  have  given  us  the  slip  this  time  :  they 
are  already  in  march,  and,  even  if  we  dared  force  a  passage, 
in  the  face  of  such  an  enemy,  it  seems  there  is  not  a  boat  to  be 
found.     I  have  just  seen  Hammersley." 

"  Indeed  !     Where  is  he  ?  "  said  I. 

"  He's  gone  back  to  Villa  de  Conde  ;  he  asked  after  you 
most  particularly;  don't  blush,  man;  I'd  rather  back  your 
chance  than  his,  notwithstanding  the  long  letter  that  Lucy 
sends  him.  Poor  fellow ;  he  has  been  badly  wounded,  but,  it 
seems,  declines  going  back  to  England." 

"  Captain  Power,"  said  an  orderly,  touching  his  cap,  "  Gen- 
eral Murray  desires  to  see  you." 

Power  hastened  away,  but  returned  in  a  few  moments. 

"  I  say,  Charley,  there's  something  in  the  wind  here.  I  have 
just  been  ordered  to  try  where  the  stream  is  fordable.  I've 
mentioned  your  name  to  the  General,  and  I  think  you'll  be  sent 
for  soon.     Good-bye." 

I  buckled  on  my  sword,  and  looking  to  my  girths,  stood 
watching  the  groups  around  me  ;  when,  suddenly,  a  dragoon 
pulled  his  horse  short  up,  and  asked  a  man  near  me  if  Mr. 
O'Malley  was  there  ? 

"Yes;  I  am  he." 

"  Orders  from  General  Murray,  sir,"  said  the  m^n,  and  rode 
off  at  a  canter. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  385 

I  opened  and  saw  that  the  despatch  was  addressed  to  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley,  with  the  mere  words,  "  With  haste  ! "  on  the 
envelope. 

Now  which  way  to  turn  I  knew  not :  so  springing  into  the 
saddle,  I  galloped  to  where  Colonel  Merivale  was  standing 
talking  to  the  Colonel  of  a  heavy  dragoon  regiment. 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,  by  which  road  I  am  to  proceed  with  this 
despatch  ?  " 

"  Along  the  river,  sir,"  said  the  heavy — a  large  dark-browed 
man  with  a  most  forbidding  look.  "  You'll  soon  see  the 
troops  ;  you'd  better  stir  yourself,  sir,  or  Sir  Arthur  is  not  very 
likely  to  be  pleased  with  you." 

Without  venturing  a  reply  to  what  I  felt  a  somewhat  unnec- 
essary taunt,  I  dashed  spurs  into  my  horse,  and  turned 
towards  the  river.  I  had  not  gained  the  bank  above  a  minute, 
when  the  loud  ringing  of  a  rifle  struck  upon  my  ear  :  bang  went 
another,  and  another.  I  hurried  on,  however,  at  the  top  of  my 
speed,  thinking  only  of  my  mission  and  its  pressing  haste,  ks, 
I  turned  an  angle  of  the  stream,  the  vast  column  of  the  British 
came  in  sight,  and  scarcely  had  my  eyes  rested  upon  them  when 
my  horse  staggered  forwards,  plunged  twice  with  his  head 
nearly  to  the  earth,  and  then,  rearing  madly  up,  fell  backwards 
upon  the  ground.  Crushed  and  bruised  as  I  felt  by  my  fall,  I 
was  soon  aroused  to  the  necessity  of  exertion  ;  for,  as  I  disen- 
gaged myself  from  the  poor  beast,  I  discovered  he  had  been 
killed  by  a  bullet  in  the  counter  ;  and  scarcely  had  I  recovered 
my  legs  when  a  shot  struck  my  shako  and  grazed  my 
temple.  I  quickly  threw  myself  to  the  ground,  and,  creeping 
on  for  some  yards,  reached  at  last  some  rising  ground,  from 
which  I  rolled  gently  downwards,  into  a  little  declivity, 
sheltered  by  the  bank  from  the  French  fire. 

When  I  arrived  at   head-quarters,  I  was  dreadfully  fatigued 
and  heated  ;  but  resolving  not  to  rest  till  I  had  delivered  my 
despatches,  I  hastened  towards  tlie  convent  of  La  Sierra,  where 
I  was  told  the  Commander-in-Chief  was, 
25 


386  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

As  I  came  into  the  court  of  the  convent,  filled  with  general 
officers  and  people  of  the  staff,  I  was  turning  to  ask  how  I 
should  proceed,  when  Hixley  caught  ray  eye. 

"  Well,  O'Malley,  what  brings  you  here?" 

"  Despatches  from  General  Murray." 

"  Indeed  ;  oh,  follow  me." 

He  hurried  me  rapidly  through  the  buzzing  crowd,  and 
ascending  a  large  gloomy  stair,  introduced  me  into  a  room,  where 
about  a  dozen  persons  in  uniform  were  writing  at  a  long  deal 
table. 

"  Captain  Gordon,"  said  he,  addressing  one  of  them,  "  de- 
spatches requiring  immediate  attention  have  just  been  brought 
by  this  officer." 

Before  the  sentence  was  finished  the  door  opened,  and  a 
short,  slight  man,  in  a  gray  undress  coat,  with  a  white  cravat 
and  a  cocked  hat,  entered.  The  dead  silence  that  ensued  was 
not  necessary  to  assure  me  that  he  was  one  in  authority :  the 
look  of  command  his  bold  stern  features  presented  ;  the  sharp 
piercing  eye,  the  compressed  lip,  the  impressive  expression  of 
the  whole  face,  told  plainly  that  he  was  one  who  held  equally 
himself  and  others  in  mastery. 

"  Send  General  Sherbroke  here,"  said  he  to  an  aide-de-camp. 
"  Let  the  light  brigade  march  into  position  ; "  and  then  turning 
suddenly  to  me,  "  Whose  despatches  are  these  ? " 

*'  General  Murray's,  sir." 

I  needed  no  more  than  that  look  to  assure  me  that  this  was 
he  of  whom  I  had  heard  so  much,  and  of  whom  the  world  was 
still  to  hear  so  much  more. 

He  opened  them  quickly,  and,  glancing  his  eye  across  the 
contents,  crushed  the  paper  in  his  hand.  Just  as  he  did  so,  a 
spot  of  blood  upon  the  envelope  attracted  his  attention. 

"  How's  this — are  you  wounded  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  my  horse  was  killed " 

"  Very  well,  sir ;  join  your  brigade.  But  stay,  I  shall  have 
orders  for  you.     Well,  Waters,  what  news  ?" 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  387 

This  question  was  addressed  to  an  officer  in  a  staff  uniform, 
who  entered  at  the  moment,  followed  by  the  short  and  bulky 
figure  of  a  monk,  his  shaven  crown  and  large  cassock  strongly 
contrasting  with  the  gorgeous  glitter  of  the  costumes  around 
him. 

"  I  say,  who  have  we  here  ?  " 

"  The  Prior  of  Amarante,  sir,"  replied  Waters,  "  who  has 
just  come  over.  We  have  already,  by  his  aid,  secured  three 
large  barges " 

"  Let  the  artillery  take  up  position  in  the  convent  at  once," 
said  Sir  Arthur,  interrupting.  "  The  boats  will  be  brought 
round  to  the  small  creek  beneath  the  orchard.  You,  sir," 
turning  to  me, "  will  convey  to  General  Murray — but  you  appear 
weak You,  Gordon,  will  desire  Murray  to  effect  a  cross- 
ing at  Avintas  with  the  Germans  and  the  14th,  Sherbroke's 
division  will  occupy  the  Villa  Nuova.  What  number  of  men 
can  that  seminary  take  ? " 

"'  From  three  to  four  hundred,  sir.  The  padre  mentions  that 
all  the  vigilance  of  the  enemy  is  limited  to  the  river  below  the 
town." 

"  I  perceive  it,"  was  the  short  reply  of  Sir  Arthur,  as,  placing 
his  hands  carelessly  behind  his  back,  he  walked  towards  the 
window,  and  looked  out  upon  the  river. 

All  was  still  as  death  in  the  chamber ;  not  a  lip  murmured. 
The  feeling  of  respect  for  him  in  whose  presence  we  were 
standing,  checked  every  thought  of  utterance,  while  the 
stupendous  gravity  of  the  events  before  us  engrossed  every 
mind  and  occupied  every  heart.  I  was  standing  near  the 
window  ;  the  effect  of  my  fall  had  stunned  me  for  a  time,  but 
I  was  gradually  recovering,  and  watched  with  a  thrilling  heart 
the  scene  before  me.  Great  and  absorbing  as  was  my  interest 
in  what  was  passing  without,  it  was  nothing  compared  with 
what  I  felt  as  I  looked  at  him  upon  whom  our  destiny  was  then 
hanging.  I  had  ample  time  to  scan  his  features  and  canvass 
their  every  lineament.     Never  before  did    I  look  upon   such 


3SS  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

perfect  impassibility ;  the  cold  determined  expression  was-^^ 
crossed  by  no  show  of  passion  or  impatience.  All  was  rigid  and: 
motionless,  and  whatever  might  have  been  the  workings  of  the: 
spirit  within,  certainly  no  external  sign  betrayed  them  ;  and  yet 
what  a  moment  for  him  must  that  have  been!  Before  him, 
separated  by  a  deep  and  rapid  rive._  lay  the  conquering  legions. 
of  France,  led  on  by  one  second  alone  to  him  whose  very  name 
had  been  the  prestige  of  victory.  Unprovided  with  every 
regular  means  of  transport,  in  the  broad  glare  of  day,  in  open 
defiance  of  their  serried  ranks  and  thundering  artillery,  he 
dared  the  deed.  What  must  have  been  his  confidence  in  the 
soldiers  he  con;manded  !  what  must  have  been  his  reliance 
upon  his  own  genius  !  As  such  thoughts  rushed  through  my 
mind,  the  door  opened,  and  an  officer  entered  hastily,  and, 
whispering  a  few  words  to  Colonel  Waters,  left  the  room. 

"  One  boat  is  already  brought  up  to  the  crossing-place,  and 
entirely  concealed  by  the  wall  of  the  orchard." 

"  Let  the  men  cross,"  was  the  brief  reply. 

No  other  word  was  spoken  as,  turning  from  the  window,  he 
closed  his  telescope,  and,  followed  by  all  the  others,  descended 
to  the  court-yard. 

This  simple  order  was  enough  ;  an  officer,  with  a  company  of 
the  Buffs,  embarked,  and  thus  began  the  passage  of  the  Douro. 

So  engrossed  was  I  in  my  vigilant  observation  of  our  leader, 
that  I  would  gladly  have  remained  at  the  convent,  when  I 
received  an  order  to  join  my  brigade,  to  which  a  detachment 
of  artillery  was  already  proceeding. 

As  I  reached  Avintas  all  was  in  motion.  The  cavalry  was 
in  readiness  beside  the  river ;  but  as  yet  no  boats  had  been 
discovered,  and,  such  was  the  impatience  of  the  men  to  cross, 
it  was  with  difficulty  they  were  prevented  trying  the  passage  by 
swimming,  when  suddenly  Power  appeared,  followed  by  several 
fishermen.  Three  or  four  small  skiffs  had  been  found,  half 
sunk  in  mud,  amohg  the  rushes,  and  with  such  frail  assistance 
we  commenced  to  cross. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  389 

"  There  v/ill  be  something  to  write  home  to  Galway  soon, 
Charley,  or  I'm  terribly  mistaken,"  said  Fred,  as  he  sprang 
into  the  boat  beside  me,  "  Was  I  not  a  true  prophet  when  I 
told  you  '  We'd  meet  the  French  in  the  morning  ? '  " 

"  They're  at  it  already,"  said  Hixley,  as  a  wreath  of  blue 
smoke  floated  across  the  stream  below  us,  and  the  loud  boom 
of  a  large  gun  resounded  through  the  air. 

Then  came  a  deafening  shout,  followed  by  a  rattling  volley 
of  small  arms,  gradually  swelling  into  a  hot  sustained  fire, 
through  which  the  cannon  pealed  at  intervals.  Several  large 
meadows  lay  along  the  river  side,  where  our  brigade  was  drawn 
up  as  the  detachments  landed  from  the  boats ;  and  here,  al- 
though nearly  a  league  distant  from  the  town,  we  now  heard 
the  din  and  crash  of  battle,  which  increased  every  moment. 
The  cannonade  from  the  Sierra  convent,  which  at  first  was 
merely  the  fire  of  single  guns,  now  thundered  away  in  one  long 
roll,  amid  which  the  sounds  of  falling  walls  and  crashing  roofs 
were  mingled.  It  was  evident  to  us,  from  the  continual  fire 
kept  up,  that  the  landing  had  been  effected,  while  the  swelling 
tide  of  musketry  told  that  fresh  troops  were  momentarily  coming 
up. 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes  our  brigade  was  formed,  and  we 
now  only  waited  for  two  light  four-pounders  to  be  landed,  when 
an  officer  galloped  up  in  haste,  and  called  out : — 

"  The  French  are  in  retreat !  "  and,  pointing  at  the  same 
moment  to  the  Vallonga  road,  we  saw  a  long  line  of  smoke  and 
dust  leading  from  the  town,  through  which,  as  we  gazed,  the 
colors  of  the  enemy  might  be  seen  as  they  defiled,  while  the 
unbroken  lines  of  the  wagons  and  heavy  baggage  proved  that 
it  was  no  partial  movement,  but  the  army  itself  retreating. 

"  Fourteenth,  threes  about,  close  up,  trot,"  called  out  the 
loud  and  manly  voice  of  our  leader,  and  the  heavy  tramp  of  our 
squadrons  shook  the  very  ground,  as  we  advanced  towards  the 
road  to  Vallonga. 

As  we  came  on,  the  scene   became   one    of  overwhelming 


390  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

excitement ;  the  masses  of  the  enemy  that  poured  unceasingly 
from  the  town  could  now  be  distinguished  more  clearly  ;  and, 
amid  all  the  crash  of  gun-carriages  and  caissons,  the  voices  of 
the  staff  officers  rose  high  as  they  hurried  along  the  retreating 
battalions.  A  troop  of  flying  artillery  galloped  forth  at  top 
speed,  and,  wheeling  their  guns  into  position  with  the  speed 
of  lightning,  prepared,  by  a  flanking  fire,  to  cover  the  retiring 
column.  The  gunners  sprang  from  their  seats,  the  guns  were 
already  unlimbered,  when  Sir  George  Murray,  riding  up  at  our 
left,  called  out, — 

"  Forward — close  up — charge  !  " 

The  word  was  scarcely  spoken,  when  a  loud  cheer  answered 
the  welcome  sound,  and  the  same  instant  the  long  line  of  shin- 
ing helmets  passed  with  the  speed  of  a  whirlwind ;  the  pace 
increased  at  every  stride,  the  ranks  grew  closer,  and  like  the 
dread  force  of  some  mighty  engine,  we  fell  upon  the  foe.  I 
have  felt  all  the  glorious  enthusiasm  of  a  fox-hunt,  when  the 
loud  cry  of  the  hounds,  answered  by  the  cheer  of  the  joyous 
huntsman,  stirred  the  very  heart  within,  but  never  till  now  did 
I  know  how  far  higher  the  excitement  reaches,  when,  man 
to  man,  sabre  to  sabre,  arm  to  arm,  we  ride  forward  to  the 
battle-field.  On  we  went,  the  loud  shout  of  "  Forward  !  "  still 
ringing  in  our  ears.  One  broken,  irregular  discharge  from  the 
French  guns  shook  the  head  of  our  advancing  column,  but 
stayed  us  not  as  we  galloped  madly  on. 

I  remember  no  more.  The  din,  the  smoke,  the  crash — the 
cry  for  quarter,  mingled  with  the  shout  of  victory — the  flying 
enemy — the  agonizing  shrieks  of  the  wounded — all  are  com- 
mingled in  my  mind,  but  leave  no  trace  of  clearness  or  con- 
nection between  them  ;  and  it  was  only  when  the  column  wheeled 
to  re-form,  behind  the  advancing  squadrons,  that  I  awoke  from 
my  trance  of  maddening  excitement,  and  perceived  that  we  had 
carried  the  position,  and  cut  off  the  guns  of  the  enemy. 

"Well  done,  14th  !"  said  an  old  gray-headed  colonel,  as  he 
rode    along   our   line — "gallantly   done,    lads!"     The   blood 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  391 

trickled  from  a  sabre  cut  on  his  temple,  along  his  cheek,  as  he 
spoke  ;  but  he  either  knew  it  not,  or  heeded  it  not. 

"There  go  the  Germans!"  said  Power,  pointing  to  the 
remainder  of  our  brigade,  as  they  charged  furiously  upon  the 
French  infantry,  and  rode  them  down  in  masses. 

Our  guns  came  up  at  this  time,  and  a  plunging  fire  was 
opened  upon  the  thick  and  retreating  ranks  of  the  enemy.  The 
carnage  must  have  been  terrific,  for  the  long  breaches  in  their 
lines  showed  where  the  squadrons  of  the  cavalry  had  passed, 
or  the  most  destructive  tide  of  the  artillery  had  swept  through 
them.  The  speed  of  the  flying  columns  grew  momentarily 
more ;  the  road  became  blocked  up,  too,  by  broken  carriages 
and  wounded ;  and,  to  add  to  their  discomfiture,  a  damaging 
fire  now  opened  from  the  town  upon  the  retreating  column, 
while  the  brigade  of  Guards  and  the  29th  pressed  hotly  on  their 
rear. 

The  scene  was  now  beyond  anything  maddening  in  its  interest. 
From  the  walls  of  Oporto  the  English  infantry  poured  forth  in 
pursuit ;  while  the  whole  river  was  covered  with  boats,  as  they 
still  continued  to  cross  over.  The  artillery  thundered  from  the 
Sierra,  to  protect  the  landing,  for  it  was  even  still  contested  in 
places ;  and  the  cavalry,  charging  in  flank,  swept  the  broken 
ranks,  and  bore  down  upon  the  squares. 

It  was  now,  when  the  full  tide  of  victory  ran  highest  in  our 
favor,  that  we  were  ordered  to  retire  from  the  road.  Column 
after  column  passed  before  us,  unmolested  and  unassailed  ;  and 
not  even  a  cannon-shot  arrested  their  steps. 

Some  unaccountable  timidity  of  our  leader  directed  this 
movement ;  and,  while  before  our  very  eyes  the  gallant  infantry 
were  charging  the  retiring  columns,  we  remained  still  and  in- 
active. 

How  little  did  the  sense  of  praise  we  had  already  won  repay 
us  for  the  shame  and  indignation  we  experienced  at  this  moment, 
as,  with  burning  cheek  and  compressed  lip,  we  watched  the 
retreating  files.     "  What  can  he  mean  ?  "     "  Is  there  not  some 


3y:i  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY. 

mistake?"  "Are  we  never  to  charge? "were  the  muttered 
questions  around,  as  a  staff  officer  galloped  up  with  the  order 
to  take  ground  still  further  back,  and  nearer  to  the  river. 

The  word  was  scarcely  spoken,  when  a  young  officer,  in  the 
uniform  of  a  general,  dashed  impetuously  up ;  he  held  his 
plumed  cap  high  above  his  head,  as  he  called  out,  "  14th, 
follow  me  !     Left  face — wheel — charge  !  " 

So,  with  the  word,  we  were  upon  them.  The  French  rear- 
guard was  at  this  moment  at  the  narrowest  part  of  the  road 
which  opened  by  a  bridge  upon  a  large  open  space  ;  so  that, 
forming  with  a  narrow  front,  and  favored  by  a  declivity  in  the 
ground,  we  actually  rode  them  down.  Twice  the  French  formed, 
and  twice  were  they  broken.  Meanwhile,  the  carnage  was 
dreadful  on  both  sides;  our  fellows  dashing  madly  forward 
where  the  ranks  were  thickest, — the  enemy  resisting  with  the 
stubborn  courage  of  men  fighting  for  their  last  spot  of  ground. 
So  impetuous  was  the  charge  of  our  squadrons,  that  we  stopped 
not  till,  piercing  the  dense  column  of  the  retreating  mass,  we 
reached  the  open  ground  beyond.  Here  we  wheeled,  and  pre- 
pared once  more  to  meet  them  ;  when  suddenly  some  squadrons 
of  cuirassiers  debouched  from  the  road,  and,  supported  by  a 
field-piece,  showed  front  against  us.  This  was  the  moment 
that  the  remainder  of  our  brigade  should  have  come  to  our  aid  ; 
but  not  a  man  appeared.  However,  there  was  not  an  instant 
to  be  lost :  already  the  plunging  fire  of  the  four-pounder  had 
swept  through  our  files,  and  every  moment  increased  our 
danger. 

"  Once  more,  my  lads,  forward ! "  cried  out  our  gallant 
leader.  Sir  Charles  Stewart,  as,  waving  his  sabre,  he  dashed 
into  the  thickest  of  the  fray. 

So  sudden  was  our  charge,  that  we  were  upon  them  before 
they  were  prepared.  And  here  ensued  a  terrific  struggle  ;  for, 
as  the  cavalry  of  the  enemy  gave  way  before  us,  we  came  upon 
the  close  ranks  of  the  infantry,  at  half-pistol  distance,  who 
poured  a   withering  volley  into   us  as  we  approached.     But 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  393 

what  could  arrest  the  sweeping  torrent  of  our  brave  fellows, 
though  every  moment  falling  in  numbers  ? 

Harvey,  our  major,  lost  his  arm  near  the  shoulder.  Scarcely 
an  officer  was  not  wounded.  Power  received  a  deep  sabre-cut 
in  the  cheek,  from  an  aide-de-camp  of  General  Foy,  in  return 
for  a  wound  he  gave  the  General ;  while  I,  in  my  endeavor  to 
save  General  Laborde,  when  unhorsed,  was  cut  down  through 
the  helmet,  and  so  stunned  that  I  remembered  no  more  around 
me.  I  kept  my  saddle,  it  is  true,  but  I  lost  every  sense  of 
consciousness  ;  my  first  glimmering  of  reason  coming  to  my  aid 
as  I  lay  upon  the  river  bank,  and  felt  my  faithful  follower  Mike 
bathing  my  temples  with  water,  as  he  kept  up  a  running  fire 
of  lamentations  for  my  being  ;;i«r///(?;ri'/ so  young. 

"Are  you  better,  Mister  Charles?  Spake  to  me,  alanah  ; 
say  that  you're  not  kilt,  darling ;  do  now\  Oh,  wirra  !  what'U 
I  ever  say  to  the  master  ?  and  you  doing  so  beautiful ! 
Wouldn't  he  give  the  best  baste  in  his  stable  to  be  looking  at 
you  to-day  ?  There,  take  a  sup  ;  it's  only  water.  Bad  luck  to 
them,  but  it's  hard  workbeatin'  them.  They're  only  gone  now. 
That's  right ;  now  you're  coming  to." 

"  Where  am  I,  Mike  ?  " 

"  It's  here  you  are,  darling,  resting  yourself." 

"Well,  Charley,  my  poor  fellow,  you've  got  sore  bones  too," 
cried  Power,  as,  his  face  swathed  in  bandages  and  covered  with 
blood,  he  lay  down  on  the  grass  beside  me.  "  It  was  a  gallant 
thing  while  it  lasted,  but  has  cost  us  dearly.    Poor  Hixley " 

"  What  of  him  ?  "  said  I,  anxiously. 

"  Poor  fellow  !  he  has  seen  his  last  battle-field.  He  fell 
across  me  as  we  came  out  upon  the  road.  I  lifted  him  up  in 
my  arms,  and  bore  him  along  above  fifty  yards  ;  but  he  was 
stone  dead.  Not  a  sigh,  not  a  word  escaped  him ;  shot 
through  the  forehead."  As  he  spoke,  his  lips  trembled,  and 
his  voice  sank  to  a  mere  whisper  at  the  last  words, — "  You 
remember  what  he  said  last  night. — Poor  fellow  I  he  was  every 
inch  a  soldier." 


394  CHARLES  OWI ALLEY, 

Such  was  his  epitaph, 

I  turned  my  head  towards  the  scene  of  our  late  encounter. 
Some  dismounted  guns  and  l)roken  wagons  alone  marked  the 
spot ;  while,  far  in  the  distance,  the  dust  of  the  retreating 
columns  showed  the  beaten  enemy,  as  they  hurried  towards 
the  frontiers  of  Spain. 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 

THE    MORNING. 

There  are  few  sadder  things  in  life  than  the  day  after 
a  battle.  The  high-beating  hope,  the  bounding  spirits,  have 
passed  away  ;  and  in  their  stead  comes  the  depressing  reaction 
by  which  every  overwrought  excitement  is  followed.  With  far 
different  eyes  do  we  look  upon  the  compact  ranks  and  glisten- 
ing files, — 

With  helm  arrayed, 
And  lance  and  blade, 
And  plume  in  the  gay  wind  dancing  ! 

and  upon  the  cold  and  barren  heath,  whose  only  memory  of 
the  past  is  the  blood-stained  turf,  a  mangled  corpse,  the  broken 
gun,  the  shattered  wall,  the  well-trodden  earth  where  columns 
stood,  the  cut-up  ground  where  cavalry  had  charged — these 
are  the  sad  relics  of  all  the  chivalry  of  yesterday. 


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The  morning  which  followed  the  battle  of  the  Douro  was  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  I  ever  remember.  There  was  that  kind 
of  freshness  and  elasticity  in  the  air  which  certain  days 
possess,  and  communicate  by  some  magic  their  properties  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  395 

ourselves.  The  thrush  was  singing  gaily  out  from  every  grove 
and  wooded  dell  ;  the  very  river  had  a  sound  of  gladness,  as 
it  rippled  on  against  its  sedgy  banks  ;  the  foliage,  too,  sparkled 
in  the  fresh  dew,  as  in  its  robes  of  holiday,  and  all  looked 
bright  and  happy. 

We  were  picketed  near  the  river,  upon  a  gently  rising  ground, 
from  which  the  view  extended  for  miles  in  every  direction. 
Above  us,  the  stream  came  winding  down  amid  broad  and 
fertile  fields  of  tall  grass  and  waving  corn,  backed  by  deep  and 
mellow  woods,  which  were  lost  to  the  view  upon  the  distant 
hills  ;  below,  the  river,  widening  as  it  went,  pursued  a  straighter 
course,  or  turned  with  bolder  curves,  till,  passing  beneath  the 
town,  it  spread  into  a  large  sheet  of  glassy  water,  as  it  opened 
to  the  sea.  The  sun  was  just  rising  as  I  looked  upon  this 
glorious  scene ;  and  already  the  tall  spires  of  Oporto  were 
tipped  with  a  bright  rosy  hue,  while  the  massive  towers  and 
dark  walls  threw  their  lengthened  shadows  far  across  the  plain. 

The  fires  of  the  bivouac  still  burned,  but  all  slept  around 
them.  Not  a  sound  was  heard,  save  the  tramp  of  a  patrol,  or 
the  short,  quick  cry  of  the  sentry.  I  sat  lost  in  meditation,  or 
rather  in  that  state  of  dreamy  thoughtfulness  in  which  the  past 
and  present  are  combined,  and  the  absent  are  alike  before  us 
as  are  the  things  we  look  upon. 

One  moment  I  felt  as  though  I  were  describing  to  my  uncle 
the  battle  of  the  day  before,  pointing  out  where  we  stood,  and 
how  we  charged  ;  then  again  I  was  at  home,  beside  the  broad, 
bleak  Shannon,  and  the  brown  hills  of  Scariff.  T  watched  with 
beating  heart  the  tall  Sierra,  where  our  path  lay  for  the  future  ; 
and  then  turned  my  thoughts  to  him  whose  name  was  so  soon 
to  be  received  in  England  with  a  nation's  pride  and  gratitude, 
and  panted  for  a  soldier's  glory. 

As  thus  I  followed  every  rising  fancy,  I  heard  a  step  approach  ; 
it  was  a  figure  muflled  in  a  cavalry  cloak,  which  I  soon  perceived 
to  be  Power. 

"Charley!"  said  he,  in   a  half-whisper,  "get  up  and  come 


396  CHARLES    O'M ALLEY, 

with  me.  You  are  aware  of  the  general  order,  that,  while  in 
pursuit  of  an  enemy,  all  military  honors  to  the  dead  are  for- 
bidden, but  we  wish  to  place  our  poor  comrade  in  the  earth 
before  we  leave." 

I  followed  down  a  little  path,  through  a  grove  of  tall  beech- 
trees,  that  opened  upon  a  little  grassy  terrace  beside  the  river. 
A  stunted  olive  tree  stood  by  itself  in  the  midst,  and  there  I 
found  five  of  our  brother  officers  standing,  wrapped  in  their 
wide  cloaks.  As  we  pressed  each  other's  hands,  not  a  word 
was  spoken.  Each  heart  was  full ;  and  hard  features  that  never 
quailed  before  the  foe  were  now  shaken  with  the  convulsive 
spasm  of  agony,  or  compressed  with  stern  determination  to 
seem  calm. 

A  cavalry  helmet  and  a  large  blue  cloak  lay  upon  the  grass. 
The  narrow  grave  was  already  dug  beside  it ;  and,  in  the  death- 
like stillness  around,  the  service  for  the  dead  was  read.  The 
last  words  were  over.  We  stooped  and  placed  the  corpse, 
wrapped  up  in  the  broad  mantle,  in  the  earth  ;  we  replaced  the 
mould,  and  stood  silently  around  the  spot.  The  trumpet  of 
our  regiment  at  this  moment  sounded  the  call ;  its  clear  notes 
rang  sharply  through  the  thin  air  ;  it  was  the  soldier's  requiem  ! 
and  we  turned  away  without  speaking,  and  returned  to  our 
quarters. 

I  had  never  known  poor  Hixley  till  a  day  or  two  before ;  but, 
somehow,  my  grief  for  him  was  deep  and  heartfelt.  It  was  not 
that  his  frank  and  manly  bearing,  his  bold  and  military  air,  had 
gained  upon  me.  No  ;  these  were  indeed  qualities  to  attract 
and  delight  me,  but  he  had  obtained  a  stronger  and  faster 
hold  upon  my  affections — he  spoke  to  me  of  home. 

Of  all  the  ties  that  bind  us  to  the  chance  acquaintance  we 
meet  with  in  life,  what  can  equal  this  one  ?  What  a  claim  upon 
your  love  has  he  who  can,  by  some  passing  word,  some  fast- 
flitting  thought,  bring  back  the  days  of  your  youth  !  What 
interest  can  he  not  excite,  by  some  anecdote  of  your  boyish 
days,  some  well-remembered  trait  of  youthful  daring,  or  early 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  397 

enterprise  !  Many  a  year  of  sunshine  and  of  storm  have  passed 
above  my  head ;  I  have  not  been  without  my  moments  of 
gratified  pride  and  rewarded  ambition  ;  but  my  heart  has  never 
responded  so  fully,  so  thankfully,  so  proudly  to  these,  such  as 
they  were,  as  to  the  simple,  touching  words  of  one  who  knew  my 
early  home,  and  loved  its  inmates. 

"  Well,  Fitzroy,  what  news  ? "  inquired  I,  roused  from  my 
musing,  as  an  aide-de-camp  galloped  up  at  full  speed, 

"  Tell  Merivale  to  get  the  regiment  under  arms  at  once.  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley  will  be  here  in  less  than  half-an-hour.  You 
may  look  for  the  route  immediately.  Where  are  the  Germans 
quartered  ?  " 

"  Lower  down  ;  beside  that  grove  of  beech-trees,  next  the 
river." 

Scarcely  was  my  reply  spoken,  when  he  dashed  spurs  into 
his  horse,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight.  Meanwhile,  the  plain 
beneath  me  presented  an  animated  and  splendid  spectacle. 
The  different  corps  were  falling  into  position  to  the  enlivening 
sounds  of  their  quick-step,  the  trumpets  of  the  cavalry  rang 
loudly  through  the  valley,  and  the  clatter  of  sabres  and  sabre- 
tasches,  joined  with  the  hollow  tramp  of  the  horses,  as  the 
squadron  came  up. 

I  had  not  a  moment  to  lose  ;  so,  hastening  back  to  my 
quarters,  I  found  ]\Iike  waiting  with  my  horse. 

"  Captain  Power's  before  you,  sir,"  said  he,  "  and  you'll 
have  to  make  haste.     The  regiments  are  under  arms  already." 

From  the  little  mound  where  I  stood,  I  could  see  the  long 
line  of  cavalry  as  they  deployed  into  the  plain,  followed  by  the 
horse  artillery,  which  brought  up  the  rear. 

"This  looks  like  a  march,"  thought  I,  as  I  pressed  forward 
to  join  my  companions. 

I  had  not  advanced  above  a  hundred  yards  through  a  narrow 
ravine  when  the  measured  tread  of  infantry  fell  upon  my  ears. 
I  pulled  up  to  slacken  my  pace,  just  as  the  head  of  a  column 
turned  round  the  angle  of  the   road,  and  came  in    view.     The 


398  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

tall  caps  of  a  grenadier  company  was  the  first  thing  I  beheld, 
as  they  came  on  without  roll  of  drum  and  sound  of  fife.  I 
watched  with  a  soldier's  pride  the  manly  bearing  and  gallant 
step  of  the  dense  mass  as  they  defiled  before  me.  I  was  struck 
no  less  by  them  than  by  a  certain  look  of  a  steady  but  sombre 
cast  which  each  man  wore. 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?  "  thought  I. 

My  first  impression  was,  that  a  military  execution  was  about 
to  take  place,  the  next  moment  solved  my  doubt ;  for,  as  the 
last  files  of  the  grenadiers  wheeled  round,  a  dense  mass  behind 
came  in  sight,  whose  unarmed  hands,  and  downcast  air,  at 
once  bespoke  them  prisoners  of  war. 

What  a  sad  sight  it  was  !  There  was  the  old  and  weather- 
beaten  grenadier,  erect  in  frame  and  firm  in  step,  his  gray 
moustache  scarcely  concealing  the  scowl  that  curled  his  lip, 
side  by  side  with  the  young  and  daring  conscript,  even  yet  a 
mere  boy ;  their  march  was  regular,  their  gaze  steadfast ;  no 
look  of  flinching  courage  there.  On  they  came,  a  long  unbroken 
line.  They  looked  not  less  proudly  than  their  captors  around 
them.  As  I  looked  with  heavy  heart  upon  them,  my  attention 
was  attracted  to  one  who  marched  alone  behind  the  rest.  He 
was  a  middle-sized  but  handsome  youth  of  some  eighteen  years 
at  most ;  his  light  helmet  and  waving  plume  bespoke  him  a 
chasseur  a  ckeval,  and  I  could  plainly  perceive,  in  his  careless, 
half-saucy  air,  how  indignantly  he  felt  the  position  to  which  the 
fate  of  war  had  reduced  him.  He  caught  my  eyes  fixed  upon 
him,  and,  for  an  instant,  turned  upon  me  a  gaze  of  open  and 
palpable  defiance,  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  and 
crossing  his  arms  upon  his  breast ;  but,  probably,  perceiving 
in  my  look  more  of  interest  than  of  triumph,  his  countenance 
suddenly  changed,  a  deep  blush  suffused  his  cheek,  his  eye 
beamed  with  a  softened  and  kindly  expression,  and,  carrying 
his  hand  to  his  helmet,  he  saluted  me,  saying  in  a  voice  of 
singular  sweetness, — 

"y^'  vous  souhaite  im  vieillcur  sort,  aimarade." 


THE  iKlSH  DRAGOON. 


399 


I  bowed,  and,  muttering  something  in  return,  was  about  to 
make  some  inquiry  concerning  him,  when  the  loud  call  of  the 
trumpet  rang  through  the  valley,  and  apprised  me  that,  in  my 
interest  for  the  prisoners,  I  had  forgotten  all  else,  and  was 
probably  incurring  censure  for  my  absence. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 


THE    REVIEW. 


When  I  joined  the  group  of  my  brother  officers,  who  stood 
gaily  chatting  and  laughing  together  before  our  lines,  I  was 
much  surprised — nay,  almost  shocked — to  find  how  little  seem- 
ing impression  had  been  made  upon  them  by  the  sad  duty  we 
had  performed  that  morning. 

When  last  we  met,  each  eye  was  downcast,  each  heart  was 
full :  sorrow  for  him  we  had  lost  from  amongst  us  forever, 
mingling  with  the  awful  sense  of  our  own  uncertain  tenure 
here,  had  laid  its  impress  on  each  brow ;  but  now,  scarcely  an 
hour  elapsed,  and  all  were  cheerful  and  elated.  The  last 
shovelful  of  earth  upon  the  grave  seemed  to  have  buried 
both  the  dead  and  the  mourning.  And  such  is  war  !  and  such 
the  temperament  it  forms  !  Events  so  strikingly  opposite  in 
their  character  and  influences  succeed  so  rapidly  one  upon 
another,  that  the  mind  is  kept  in  one  whirl  of  excitement,  and 
at  length  accustoms  itself  to  change  with  every  phase  of  cir- 
cumstances; and,  between  joy  and  grief,  hope  and  despon- 
dency, enthusiasm  and  depression,  there  is  neither  breadth 
nor  interval;  they  follow  each  other  as  naturally  as  morning 
succeeds  to  night. 

I  had  not  much  time  for  such  reflections :  scarcely  had  T 
saluted  the  officers  about  me,  when  llie  loud  prolonged   roll  of 


400  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  drums  along  the  line  of  infantry  in  the  valley,  followed  by 
the  sharp  clatter  of  muskets  as  they  were  raised  to  the  shoulder, 
announced  the  troops  were  under  arms,  and  the  review 
begun, 

"  Have  you  seen  the  general  order  this  morning,  Power  ? " 
inquired  an  old  officer  beside  me. 

"  No  ;  they  say,  however,  that  ours  are  mentioned." 

"  Harvey  is  going  on  favorably,"  cried  a  young  cornet,  as 
he  galloped  up  to  our  party. 

"  Take  ground  to  the  left !  "  sung  out  the  clear  voice  of  the 
colonel,  as  he  rode  along  in  front.  "  Fourteenth  !  I  am  happy 
to  inform  you  that  your  conduct  has  met  approval  in  the  highest 
quarter.  I  have  just  received  the  general  orders,  in  which 
this  occurs  : — 

" '  The  timely  passage  of  the  Douro,  and  subsequent 

MOVEMENTS    UPON    THE    ENEMY'S  FLANK,  BY    LiEUTENANT-GeN- 

eral  Sherbroke,  with  the  Guards  and  29TH   Regiment, 

AND  THE  bravery  OF  THE  TWO  SQUADRONS  OF  THE  I4TH  LiGHT 

Dragoons,  under  the  coimmand  of  Major  Harvey,  and  led 
BY  THE  Honorable  Brigadier-General  Charles  Stewart, 
obtained  the  Victory' — Mark  that,  my  lads  ! —  obtained  the 
victory — 'which  has  contributed  so  much  to  the  honor 
of  the  troops  on  this  day.'  " 

The  words  were  hardly  spoken,  when  a  tremendous  cheer 
burst  from  the  whole  line  at  once. 

"  Steady,  Fourteenth  !  steady,  lads  !  "  said  the  gallant  old 
colonel,  as  he  raised  his  hand  gently ;  "  the  staff  is  approach- 
ing." 

At  the  same  moment,  the  white  plumes  appeared  rising  above 
the  brow  of  the  hill.  On  they  came,  glittering  in  all  the 
splendor  of  aiguillettes  and  orders ;  all,  save  one.  He  rode 
foremost,  upon  a  small  compact  black  horse  ;  his  dress,  a  plain 
gray  frock,  fastened  at  the  waist  by  a  red  sash  :  his  cocked-hat 
alone  bespoke,  in  its  plume,  the  general  officer.  He  galloped 
rapidly  on  till  he  came  to  the  centre  of  the  line  ;  then,  turning 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  40 r 

short  round,  he  scanned  the  ranks  from  end  to  end  with  an 
eagle  glance. 

"  Colonel  Merivale,  you  have  made  known  to  your  regiment 
my  opinion  of  them,  as  expressed  in  general  orders  ?  " 

The  Colonel  bowed  low  in  acquiescence. 

"  Fitzroy,  you  have  got  the  memorandum,  I  hope  ?  " 

The  aide-de-camp  here  presented  to  Sir  Arthur  a  slip  of 
paper,  which  he  continued  to  regard  attentively  for  some 
minutes. 

"  Captain  Powel — Power,  I  mean.     Captain  Power  !" 

Power  rode  out  from  the  line. 

"  Your  very  distinguished  conduct  yesterday  has  been  re- 
ported to  me.  I  shall  have  sincere  pleasure  in  forwarding 
your  name  for  the  vacant  majority. 

"  You  have  forgotten.  Colonel  Merivale,  to  send  in  the  name 
of  the  officer  who  saved  General  Laborde's  life." 

"  I  believe  I  have  mentioned  it,  Sir  Arthur.     Mr.  O'Malley." 

"True,  I  beg  pardon  ;  so  you  have — Mr.  O'Malley;  a  very 
young  officer  indeed — ha,  an  Irishman  !  the  south  of  Ireland, 
eh  ? " 

"  No,  sir,  the  west." 

"  Oh  !  yes.  Well,  Mr.  O'Malley,  you  are  promoted.  You 
have  the  lieutenancy  in  your  own  regiment.  By-the-bye, 
Merivale," — here  his  voice  changed  into  a  half-laughing  tone, 
— "  ere  I  forget  it,  pray  let  me  beg  of  you  to  look  into  this 
honest  fellow's  claim ;  he  has  given  me  no  peace  the  entire 
morning." 

As  he  spoke,  I  turned  my  eyes  in  the  direction  he  pointed, 
and,  to  my  utter  consternation,  beheld  my  man  Mickey  Free 
standing  among  the  staff,  the  position  he  occupied,  and  the 
presence  he  stood  in,  having  no  more  percepdble  effect  upon 
his  nerves  than  if  he  were  assisting  at  an  Irish  wake  ;  but  so 
completely  was  I  overwhelmed  with  shame  at  the  moment,  that 
the  staff  were  already  far  down  the  lines  ere  I  recovered  my 
self-possession,  to  which,  certainly,  I  was  in  some  degree 
26 


4.02  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

recalled  by  Master  Mike's  addressing  me  in  a  somewhat 
imploring  voice  : — 

"  Arrah,  spake  for  me,  Master  Charles,  alanah  ;  sure  they 
might  do  something  for  me  now,  av  it  was  only  to  make  me  a 
ganger." 

Mickey's  ideas  of  promotion,  thus  insinuatingly  put  forward, 
threw  the  whole  party  around  into  one  burst  of  laughter. 

"  I  have  him  down  there,"  said  he,  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to 
a  thick  grove  of  cork-trees  at  a  little  distance. 

"  U'ho  have  you  got  there,  Mike  ? "  inquired  Power. 

"  Devil  a  one  o'  me  knows  his  name,"  replied  he  ;  "  maybe 
it's  Bony  himself." 

"  And  how  do  you  know  he's  there  still  .'* " 

"  How  do  I  know,  is  it?     Didn't  I  tie  him  last  night?  " 

Curiosity  to  find  out  what  Mickey  could  possibly  allude  to, 
induced  Power  and  myself  to  follow  him  down  the  slope  to  the 
clump  of  trees  I  have  mentioned.  As  we  came  near,  the  very 
distinct  denunciations  that  issued  from  the  thicket,  proved 
pretty  clearly  the  nature  of  the  affair.  It  was  nothing  less  than 
a  French  officer  of  cavalry,  that  Mike  had  unhorsed  in  the  niUee, 
and  wishing,  probably,  to  preserve  some  testimony  of  his 
prowess,  had  made  prisoner,  and  tied  fast  to  a  cork-tree,  the 
preceding  evening. 

"  Sacrebku  /"  said  the  poor  Frenchman,  as  we  approached, 
"  ce  sont  des  sawvagcs  /" 

"  Av  it's  making  your  sowl,  ye  are,"  said  Mike,  "you're 
right ;  for,  maybe,  they  won't  let  me  keep  you  alive." 

Mike's  idea  of  a  tame  prisoner  threw  me  into  a  fit  of  laughing, 
while  Power  asked, — 

"  And  what  do  you  want  to  do  with  him,  Mickey?" 

"  The  sorra  one  o'  me  knows,  for  he  spakes  no  dacent  tongue. 
Thighum  thu,"  said  he,  addressing  the  prisoner,  with  a  poke 
in  the  ribs  at  the  same  moment;  "but  sure.  Master  Charles, 
he  might  tache  me  French." 

There  was  something  so  irresistibly  ludicrous  in  his  tone  and 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  403 

look  as  he  said  these  words,  that  both  Power  and  myself  abso- 
lutely roared  with  laughter.  We  began,  however,  to  feel  not  a 
little  ashamed  of  our  position  in  the  business,  and  explained 
to  the  Frenchman,  that  our  worthy  countryman  had  but  little 
experience  in  the  usages  of  war,  while  we  proceeded  to  unbind 
him,  and  liberate  him  from  his  miserable  bondage. 

"  It's  letting  him  loose,  you  are.  Captain  ?  Master  Charles, 
take  care  ;  be-gorra,  av  you  had  as  much  trouble  in  catching 
him  as  I  had,  you'd  think  twice  about  letting  him  out.  Listen 
to  me,  now," — here  he  placed  his  closed  fist  within  an  inch  of 
the  poor  prisoner's  nose, — "  hsten  to  me  ;  av  you  say  peas,  by 
the  morteal,  I'll  not  lave  a  whole  bone  in  your  skin." 

With  some  difficulty  we  persuaded  Mike  that  his  conduct,  so 
far  from  leading  to  his  promotion,  might,  if  known  in  another 
quarter,  procure  him  an  acquaintance  with  the  Provost 
Marshal, — a  fact  which,  it  was  plain  to  perceive,  gave  him  but 
a  very  poor  impression  of  military  gratitude. 

"  Oh,  then,  if  they  were  in  swarms  foment  me,  devil  receave 
the  prisoner  I'll  take  again." 

So  saying,  he  slowly  returned  to  the  regiment,  while  Power 
and  I,  having  conducted  the  Frenchman  to  the  rear,  cantered 
towards  the  town  to  learn  the  news  of  the  day. 

The  city  on  that  day  presented  a  most  singular  aspect — the 
streets,  filled  with  the  town's  people  and  the  soldiery,  were  dec- 
orated with  flags  and  garlands — the  cafe's  were  crowded  with 
merry  groups,  and  the  sounds  of  music  and  laughter  resounded 
on  all  sides.  The  houses  seemed  to  be  quite  inadequate  to 
afford  accommodation  to  the  numerous  guests,  and,  in  conse- 
quence, bullock  cars  and  forage  wagons  were  converted  into 
temporary  hotels,  and  many  a  jovial  party  were  collected  in 
l)oth.  Military  music,  church  bells,  drinking  choruses,  were  all 
commingled  in  the  din  and  turmoil  ;  processions  in  honor  of 
"  Our  Lady  of  Succor  "  were  jammed  up  among  bacchanalian 
orgies,  and  their  very  chaunt  half  drowned  in  the  cries  of  the 
wounded,  as  they  passed  oij  to  the  hospitals.     Willi  difficulty 


404  CHARLES  aM ALLEY, 

we  pushed  our  way  through  the  dense  mob,  as  we  turned  ouf 
steps  towards  the  seminary.  We  both  felt  naturally  curious  to 
see  the  place  where  our  first  detachment  landed,  and  to  exam- 
ine the  opportunities  of  defence  it  presented.  The  building 
itself  was  a  large  and  irregular  one,  of  an  oblong  form,  sur- 
rounded by  a  high  wall  of  solid  masonry,  the  only  entrance 
being  by  a  heavy  iron  gate. 

At  this  spot  the  battle  appeared  to  have  raged  with  violence  ; 
one  side  of  the  massive  gate  was  torn  from  its  hinges,  and  lay 
flat  upon  the  ground;  the  walls  were  breached  in  many  places; 
and  pieces  of  torn  uniforms,  broken  bayonets,  and  bruised 
shakos  attested  that  the  conflict  was  a  close  one.  The  seminary 
itself  was  in  a  falling  state  ;  the  roof,  from  which  Paget  had  given 
his  orders,  and  where  he  was  wounded,  had  fallen  in.  The 
French  cannon  had  fissured  the  buildiiig  from  top  to  bottom, 
and  it  seemed  only  awaiting  the  slightest  impulse  to  crumble 
into  ruin.  When  we  regarded  the  spot,  and  examined  the 
narrow  doorway  which,  opening  upon  a  flight  of  a  few  steps  to 
the  river,  admitted  our  first  party,  we  could  not  help  feeling 
struck  anew  with  the  gallantry  of  that  mere  handful  of  brave 
fellows,  who  thus  threw  themselves  amid  the  overwhelming 
legions  of  the  enemy,  and  at  once,  without  waiting  for  a  single 
reinforcement,  opened  a  fire  upon  their  ranks.  Bold  as  the  enter- 
prise unquestionably  was,  we  still  felt  with  what  consummate 
judgment  it  had  been  planned  ; — a  bend  of  the  river  concealed 
entirely  the  passage  of  the  troops,  the  guns  of  the  Sierra 
covered  their  landing,  and  completely  swept  one  approach  to 
the  seminary.  The  French,  being  thus  obliged  to  attack  by 
the  gate,  were  compelled  to  make  a  considerable  detour  before 
they  reached  it,  all  of  which  gave  time  for  our  divisions  to  cross ; 
while  the  brigade  of  Guards,  under  General  Sherbroke,  profit- 
ing by  the  confusion,  passed  the  river  below  the  town,  and  took 
the  enemy  unexpectedly  in  the  rear. 

Brief  as  was  the  struggle  within  the  town,  it  must  have  been 
a  terrific  one  :  the  artillery  were  firing  at  musket  range ;  cav- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  405 

airy  and  infantry  were  fighting  hand  to  hand  in  narrow  streets, 
a  destructive  musketry  pouring  all  the  while  from  windows  and 
house-tops. 

At  the  Aniarante  gate,  where  the  French  defiled,  the  carnage 
was  also  great ;  their  light  artillery  unlimbered  some  guns  here, 
to  cover  the  columns  as  they  deployed  ;  but  Murray's  cavalry 
having  carried  these,  the  flank  of  the  infantry  became  entirely 
exposed  to  the  galling  fire  of  small-arms  from  the  seminary, 
and  the  far  more  destructive  shower  of  grape  that  poured  un- 
ceasingly from  the  Sierra. 

Our  brigade  did  the  rest ;  and,  in  less  than  one  hour  from 
the  landing  of  the  first  man,  the  French  were  in  full  retreat 
upon  Vallonga. 

*'  A  glorious  thing,  Charley,"  said  Power,  after  a  pause,  "  and 
a  proud  souvenir  for  hereafter." 

A  truth  I  felt  deeply  at  the  time,  and  one  my  heart  responds 
to  not  less  fully  as  I  am  writing. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

THE  QUARREL. 

On  the  evening  of  the  12th,  orders  were  received  for  the 
German  brigade,  and  three  squadrons  of  our  regiment,  to  pur- 
sue the  French  upon  the  Terracinthe  road,  by  daybreak  on  the 
following  morning. 

I  was  busily  occupied  in  my  preparations  for  a  hurried 
march,  when  Mike  came  up  to  say  that  an  officer  desired  to 
speak  with  me  ;  and  the  moment  after  Captain  Hammersley 
appeared.  A  sudden  flush  colored  his  pale  and  sickly  features, 
as  he  held  out  his  hand,  and  said  : — 

"  I've  come  to  wish  you  joy,  O'Malley.     I  just  this  instant 


4o6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

heard  of  your  promotion.  I  am  sincerely  glad  of  it ;  pray  tell 
me  the  whole  affair," 

"  That  is  the  very  thing  I  am  unable  to  do.  I  have  some 
very  vague,  indistinct  remembrance  of  warding  off  a  sabre-cut 
from  the  head  of  a  wounded  and  unhorsed  officer  in  the  melee  of 
yesterday  ;  but  more  I  know  not.  In  fact,  it  was  my  first  duty 
under  fire ;  I've  a  tolerably  clear  recollection  of  all  the  events 
of  the  morning,  but  the  word  '  Charge  ! '  once  given,  I  remem- 
ber very  little  more.  But  you,  where  have  you  been  ?  How 
have  we  not  met  before  ? " 

"  I've  exchanged  into  a  heavy  dragoon  regiment,  and  am 
now  employed  upon  the  staff." 

"  You  are  aware  that  I  have  letters  for  you  ?  " 

"  Power  hinted,  I  think,  something  of  the  kind.  I  saw  him 
very  hurriedly." 

These  words  were  spoken  with  an  effort  at  nonchalance  that 
evidently  cost  him  much. 

As  for  me,  my  agitation  was  scarcely  less,  as,  fumbling  for 
some  seconds  in  my  portmanteau,  I  drew  forth  the  long  des- 
tined packet.  As  I  placed  it  in  his  hands  he  grew  deadly  pale, 
and  a  slight  spasmodic  twitch  in  his  upper  lip  bespoke  some 
unnatural  struggle.  He  broke  the  seal  suddenly,  and,  as  he  did 
so,  the  morocco  case  of  a  miniature  fell  upon  the  ground  ;  his 
eyes  ran  rapidly  across  the  letter  ;  the  livid  color  of  his  lips,  as 
the  blood  forced  itself  to  them,  added  to  the  corpse-like  hue 
of  his  countenance. 

"  You,  probably,  are  aware  of  the  contents  of  this  letter,  Mr. 
O'Malley  ? "  said  he,  in  an  altered  voice,  whose  tones,  half  in 
anger,  half  in  suppressed  irony,  cut  to  my  very  heart. 

"  I  am  in  complete  ignorance  of  them,"  said  I,  calmly. 

"  Indeed,  sir  !  "  replied  he,  with  a  sarcastic  curl  of  his  mouth 
as  he  spoke.  "  Then,  perhaps,  you  will  tell  me,  too,  that  your 
very  success  is  a  secret  to  you " 

"  I'm  really  not  aware '' 

"  You  think,  probably,  sir,  that  the  pastime  is  an  amusing 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  407 

one,  to  interfere  where  the  affections  of  others  are  concerned. 
I've  heard  of  you,  sir.  Your  conduct  at  Lisbon  is  known  to 
me ;  and,  though  Captain  Trevyllian  may  bear " 

"  Stop,  Captain  Hammersley  ! "  said  I,  with  a  tremendous 
effort  to  be  calm  ;  "  stop  !  you  have  said  enough,  quite  enough, 
to  convince  me  of  what  your  object  was  in  seeking  me  here  to- 
day. You  shall  not  be  disappointed.  I  trust  that  assurance 
will  save  you  from  any  further  display  of  temper." 

"  I  thank  you  ;  most  humbly  I  thank  you  for  the  quickness 
of  your  apprehension  ;  and  I  shall  now  take  my  leave.  Good- 
evening,  Mr.  O'Malley.  I  wish  you  much  joy ;  you  have 
my  very  fullest  congratulations  upon  all  your  good  fortune." 

The  sneering  emphasis  the  last  words  were  spoken  with  re- 
mained fixed  in  my  mind  long  after  he  took  his  departure  ;  and, 
indeed,  so  completely  did  the  whole  seem  like  a  dream  to  me, 
that  were  it  not  for  the  fragments  of  the  miniature  that  lay 
upon  the  ground,  where  he  had  crushed  them  with  his  heel,  I 
could  scarcely  credit  myself  that  I  was  awake. 

My  first  impulse  was  to  seek  Power,  upon  whose  judgment 
and  discretion  I  could  with  confidence  rely. 

I  had  not  long  to  wait ;  for,  scarcely  had  I  thrown  my  cloak 
around  me,  when  he  rode  up.  He  had  just  seen  Hammersley, 
and  learned  something  of  our  interview. 

"  Why,  Charley,  my  dear  fellow  !  what  is  this  ?  How  have 
you  treated  poor  Hammersley  ?  " 

"  Treated  ///;;/  /  say,  rather,  how  has  he  treated  nief" 

I  here  entered  into  a  short  but  accurate  account  of  our  meet- 
ing, during  which  Power  listened  with  great  composure  ;  while 
I  could  perceive,  from  the  questions  he  asked,  that  some  very 
different  impression  had  been  previously  made  upon  his  mind. 

"  And  this  was  all  that  passed .''  " 

"All." 

"  But  what  of  the  business  at  Lisbon  ? " 

"  I  don't  understand." 

"Why,  he  speaks — he  has  heard   some  foolish  account  of 


4o8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

your  having  made  some  ridiculous  speech  there  about  your 
successful  rivalry  of  him  in  Ireland — Lucy  Dashwood,  I  sup- 
pose, is  referred  to.  Some  one  has  been  good-natured  enough 
to  repeat  the  thing  to  him." 

"  But  it  never  occurred.     I  never  did." 

'*  Are  you  sure,  Charley  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure ;  I  know  I  never  did." 

"  The  poor  fellow,  he  has  been  duped  !  Come,  Charley,  you 
must  not  take  it  ill.  Poor  Hammersley  has  never  recovered  a 
sabre-wound  he  received  some  months  since  upon  the  head  ; 
his  intellects  are  really  affected  by  it.  Leave  it  all  to  me. 
Promise  not  to  leave  your  quarters  till  I  return  ;  and  I'll  put 
everything  right  again." 

I  gave  the  required  pledge ;  while  Power,  springing  into  the 
saddle,  left  me  to  my  own  reflections. 

My  frame  of  mind,  as  Power  left  me,  was  by  no  means  an 
enviable  one.  A  quarrel  is  rarely  a  happy  incident  in  a  man's 
life,  still  less  is  it  so  when  the  difference  arises  with  one  we 
are  disposed  to  like  and  respect.  Such  was  Hammersley ;  his 
manly,  straightforward  character  had  won  my  esteem  and  re- 
gard, and  it  was  with  no  common  scrutiny  I  taxed  my  memory 
to  think  what  could  have  given  rise  to  the  impression  he  labored 
under  of  my  having  injured  him.  His  chance  mention  of 
Trevyllian  suggested  to  me  some  suspicion  that  his  dislike  of 
me,  wherefore  arising  I  knew  not,  might  have  its  share  in  the 
matter;  and  in  this  state  of  doubt  and  uncertainty  I  paced  im- 
patiently up  and  down,  anxiously  watching  for  Power's  return, 
in  the  hope  of  at  length  getting  some  real  insight  into  the  diffi- 
culty. 

My  patience  was  fast  ebbing.  Power  had  been  absent  above 
an  hour,  and  no  appearance  of  him  could  I  detect,  when  sud- 
denly the  tramp  of  a  horse  came  rapidly  up  the  hill.  I  looked 
out,  and  saw  a  rider  coming  forward  at  a  very  fast  pace.  Be- 
fore I  had  time  for  even  a  guess  as  to  who  it  was,  he  drew  up, 
and  I  recognized  Captain  Trevyllian.     There  was  a  certain 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  409 

look  of  easy  impertinence  and  half-smiling  satisfaction  about 
his  features  I  had  never  seen  before,  as  he  touched  his  cap  in 
salute,  and  said, — 

"  May  I  have  the  honor  of  a  few  words'  conversation  with 
you  ? " 

I  bowed  silently,  while  he  dismounted,  and  passing  his  bridle 
beneath  his  arm,  walked  on  beside  me. 

"  My  friend,  Captain  Hammersley,  has  commissioned  me  to 
wait  upon  you  about  this  unpleasant  affair " 

"  I  beg  pardon  for  the  interruption.  Captain  Trevyllian,  but 
as  I  have  yet  to  learn  to  what  you  or  your  friend  alludes,  per- 
haps it  may  facilitate  matters  if  you  will  explicitly  state  your 
meaning." 

He  grew  crimson  on  the  cheek  as  I  said  this,  while,  with  a 
voice  perfectly  unmoved,  he  continued, — 

"  I  am  not  sufficiently  in  my  friend's  confidence  to  know  the 
A'hole  of  the  affair  in  question,  nor  have  I  his  permission  to 
enter  into  any  of  it,  he  probably  presuming,  as  I  certainly  did 
myself,  that  your  sense  of  honor  would  have  deemed  further 
parley  and  discussion  both  unnecessary  and  unseasonable." 

"  In  fact,  then,  if  I  understand,  it  is  expected  that  I  should 
meet  Captain  Hammersley  for  some  reason  unknown " 

"  He  certainly  desires  a  meeting  with  you,"  was  the  dry 
feply. 

"  And  as  certainly  I  shall  not  give  it,  before  understanding 
upon  what  grounds." 

"  And  such  I  am  to  report  as  your  answer  ? "  said  he,  look- 
ing at  me  at  the  moment  with  an  expression  of  ill-repressed 
triumph  as  he  spoke. 

There  was  something  in  these  few  words,  as  well  as  in  the 
tone  in  which  ihey  were  spoken,  that  sunk  deeply  in  my  heart. 
Was  it  that  by  some  trick  of  diplomacy  he  was  endeavoring  to 
compromise  my  honor  and  character  .''  was  it  possible  that  my 
refusal  might  be  construed  into  any  other  than  tlie  real  cause? 
I  was  too  young,  too  inexperienced  in  the  world  to  decide  the 


410  CUAKLES  O'MALLEV, 

question  for  myself,  and  no  time  was  allowed  me  to  seek  another's 
counsel.  What  a  trying  moment  was  that  for  me  !  my  temples 
throbbed,  my  heart  beat  almost  audibly,  and  I  stood  afraid  to 
speak  ;  dreading,  on  the  one  hand,  lest  my  compliance  might 
involve  me  in  an  act  to  embitter  my  life  forever,  and  fearful, 
on  the  other,  that  my  refusal  might  be  reported  as  a  trait  of 
cowardice. 

He  saw,  he  read  my  difficulty  at  a  glance,  and,  with  a  smile 
of  most  supercilious  expression,  repeated  coolly  his  former 
question.  In  an  instant  all  thought  of  Hammersley  was  for- 
gotten. I  remembered  no  more.  I  saw  him  before  me,  he  who 
had,  since  my  first  meeting,  continually  contrived  to  pass  some 
inappreciable  slight  upon  me.  My  eyes  flashed,  my  hands 
tingled  with  ill-repressed  rage,  as  I  said, — 

"  With  Captain  Hammersley  I  am  conscious  of  no  quarrel, 
nor  have  I  ever  shown  by  any  act  or  look  an  intention  to  pro- 
voke one.  Indeed,  such  demonstrations  are  not  always  suc- 
cessful ;  there  are  persons  most  rigidly  scrupulous  for  a  friend's 
honor,  little  disposed  to  guard  their  own " 

"You  mistake,"  said  he,  interrupting  me,  as  I  spoke  these 
words  with  a  look  as  insulting  as  I  could  make  it ;  "  you 
mistake.  I  have  sworn  a  solemn  oath  never  to  send  a 
challenge." 

The  emphasis  upon  the  word  "  send,"  explained  fully  his 
meaning,  when  I  said, — 

"  But  you  will  not  decline " 

"  Most  certainly  not,"  said  he,  again  interrupting,  while  with 
sparkling  eye  and  elated  look  he  drew  himself  up  to  his  full 
height.     "  Your  friend  is " 

"  Captain  Power ;  and  yours " 


"  Sir  Harry  Beaufort.  I  may  observe  that,  as  the  troops  are 
in  marching  order,  the  matter  had  better  not  be  delayed." 

"  There  shall  be  none  on  my  part." 

"  Nor  mine  !  "  said  he,  as,  with  a  low  bow,  and  a  look  of 
most  ineffable  triumph,  he  sprang  into  his   saddle;  then,  "^« 


THE  JKISH  DKAOOON.  411 

revoir,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  he,  gathering  up  his  reins.  "  Beau- 
fort is  on  the  staff,  and  quartered  at  Oporto."  So  saying,  he 
cantered  easily  down  the  slope,  and  once  more  I  was  alone. 


CHAPTER    XLIX. 


THE  ROUTE. 


I  WAS  leisurely  examining  my  pistols — poor  Considine's  last 
present  to  me  on  leaving  home — when  an  orderly  sergeant  rode 
up,  and  delivered  into  my  hands  the  following  order : — 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malley  will  hold  himself  in  immediate  readiness  to 
proceed  on  a  particular  service.  By  order  of  his  Excellency  the  Com- 
mander of  the  Forces. 

(Signed)  "  S.  Gordon,  Military  Secretary." 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?  "  thought  I.  "  It  is  not  possible  that 
any  rumor  of  my  intended  meeting  could  have  got  abroad,  and 
that  my  present  destination  could  be  intended  as  a  punish- 
ment ?  " 

I  walked  hurriedly  to  the  door  of  the  little  hut  which  formed 
my  quarters  ;  below  me,  in  the  plain,  all  was  activity  and  prep- 
aration ;  the  infantry  were  drawn  up  in  marching  order ;  bag- 
gage wagons,  ordnance  stores  and  artillery  seemed  all  in 
active  preparation  ;  and  some  cavalry  squadrons  might  be 
already  seen,  with  forage  allowances  behind  the  saddle,  as  if 
only  waiting  the  order  to  set  out.  I  strained  my  eyes  to  see  if 
Power  was  coming,  but  no  horseman  approached  in  the  direc- 
tion. I  stood,  and  I  hesitated  whether  I  should  not  rather  seek 
him  at  once,  than  continue  to  wait  on  in  my  present  uncertainty  ; 
but  then,  what  if  I  should  miss  him  ?  and  I  had  pledged  myself 
to  remain  till  he  returned. 


412  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

While  I  deliberated  thus  with  myself,  weighing  the  various 
chances  for  and  against  each  plan,  I  saw  two  mounted  officers 
coming  towards  me  at  a  brisk  trot.  As  they  came  nearer,  I 
recognized  one  as  my  Colonel  ;  the  other  was  an  officer  of  the 
staff. 

Supposing  that  their  mission  had  some  relation  to  the  order 
I  had  so  lately  received,  and  which  until  now  I  had  forgotten,  I 
hastily  returned,  and  ordered  Mike  to  my  presence. 

"  How  are  the  horses,  Mike  ?  "     said  I. 

"  Never  better,  sir.  Badger  was  wounded  slightly  by  a  spent 
shot  in  the  counter,  but  he's  never  the  worse  this  morning,  and 
the  black  horse  is  capering  like  a  filly." 

"  Get  ready  my  pack,  feed  the  cattle,  and  be  prepared  to  set 
out  at  a  moment's  warning." 

"  Good  advice,  O'Malley,"  said  the  Colonel,  as  he  over- 
heard the  last  direction  to  my  servant.  "  I  hope  the  nags  are  in 
condition  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  sir,  I  believe  they  are." 

"  All  the  better ;  you've  a  sharp  ride  before  you.  Mean- 
while, let  me  introduce  my  friend ;  Captain  Beaumont — Mr. 
O'Malley.     I  think  we  had  better  be  seated." 

"  These  are  your  instructions,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  Captain 
Beaumont,  unfolding  a  map  as  he  spoke.  "  You  will  proceed 
from  this,  with  half  a  troop  of  our  regiment,  by  forced 
marches,  towards  the  frontier,  passing  through  the  town  of 
Calenco,  and  Guarda,  and  the  Estrella  pass.  On  arriving  at 
the  headquarters  of  the  Lusitanian  Legion,  which  you  will  find 
there,  you  are  to  put  yourself  under  the  orders  of  Major  Mon- 
soon, commanding  that  force.  Any  Portuguese  cavalry  he  may 
have  with  him  will  be  attached  to  yours,  and  under  your 
command  ;  your  rank,  for  the  time,  being  that  of  captain. 
You  will,  as  far  as  possible,  acquaint  yourself  with  the  habits 
and  capabilities  of  the  native  cavalry,  and  make  such  report 
as  you  judge  necessary  thereupon  to  his  Excellency  the 
Commander  of  the  Forces.     I  think  it  only  fair  to  add,  that  you 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  413 

are  indebted  to  my  friend  Colonel  Merivale  for  the  very 
flattering  position  thus  opened  to  your  skill  and  enterprise." 

"  My  dear  Colonel,  let  me  assure  you -" 

"  Not  a  word,  my  boy.  I  knew  the  thing  would  suit  you,  and 
I  am  sure  I  can  count  upon  your  not  disappointing  my  expecta- 
tions of  you.  Sir  Arthur  perfectly  remembers  yourname.  He 
only  asked  two  questions, — 

" '  Is  he  well  mounted  ? ' 

"  '  Admirably,'  was  my  answer. 

"  *  Can  you  depend  upon  his  promptitude  ? 

"  '  He'll  leave  in  half-an-hour.' 

"  So  you  see,  O'Malley,  I  have  already  pledged  myself  for 
you.  And  now  I  must  say  adieu  ;  the  regiments  are  about  to 
take  up  a  more  advanced  position,  so  good-bye.  I  hope  you'll 
have  a  pleasant  time  of  it  till  we  meet  again." 

"It  is  now  twelve  o'clock,  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  Beaumont; 
"we  may  rely  upon  your  immediate  departure.  Your  written 
instructions  and  despatches  will  be  here  within  a  quarter  of  an 
hour." 

I  muttered  something — what,  I  cannot  remember ;  I  bowed 
my  thanks  to  my  worthy  Colonel,  shook  his  hand  warmly,  and 
saw  him  ride  down  the  hill,  and  disappear  in  the  crowd  of 
soldiery  beneath,  before  I  could  recall  my  faculties,  and  think 
over  my  situation. 

Then  all  at  once  did  the  full  difficulty  of  my  position  break 
upon  me.  If  I  accepted  my  present  employment,  I  must 
certainly  fail  in  my  engagement  to  Trevyllian.  But  I  had 
already  pledged  myself  to  its  acceptance.  What  was  to  be 
(lone  .''  No  time  was  left  for  deliberation.  The  very  minutes 
1  should  have  spent  in  preparation  were  fast  passing.  Would 
that  Power  might  appear  !  Alas  !  he  came  not.  My  state  of 
doubt  and  uncertainty  increased  every  moment ;  I  saw  nothing 
but  ruin  before  me,  even  at  a  moment  when  fortune  promised 
most  fairly  for  the  future,  and  opened  a  field  of  enterprise  my 
heart  had  so  often  and  so  ardently  desired.     Nothing  was  left 


414  CHARLES  G'MALLEY, 

me  but  to  hasten  to  Colonel  Merivale  and  decline  my  appoint- 
ment ;  to  do  so  was  to  prejudice  my  character  in  his  estimation 
forever,  for  I  dared  not  allege  my  reasons,  and  in  all  prob- 
ability my  conduct  might  require  my  leaving  the  army. 

"Be  it  so,  then,"  said  I,  in  an  accent  of  despair;  "the  die  is 
cast." 

I  ordered  my  horse  round ;  I  wrote  a  few  words  to  Power, 
to  explain  my  absence,  should  he  come  while  I  was  away,  and 
leaped  into  the  saddle.  As  I  reached  the  plain  my  pace 
became  a  gallop,  and  I  pressed  my  horse  with  all  the  impatience 
my  heart  was  burning  with.  I  dashed  along  the  lines  towards 
Oporto,  neither  hearing  nor  seeing  aught  around  me,  when 
suddenly  the  clank  of  cavalry  accoutrements  behind  induced 
me  to  turn  my  head,  and  I  perceived  an  orderly  dragoon  at  full 
gallop,  in  pursuit.     I  pulled  up  till  he  came  alongside. 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  sir,"  said  the  man,  saluting,  "these 
despatches  are  for  you." 

I  took  them  hurriedly,  and  was  about  to  continue  my  route, 
when  the  attitude  of  the  dragoon  arrested  my  attention.  He 
had  reined  in  his  horse  to  the  side  of  the  narrow  causeway,  and, 
holding  him  still  and  steadily,  sat  motionless  as  a  statue.  I 
looked  behind,  and  saw  the  whole  staff  approaching  at  a  brisk 
trot.  Before  I  had  a  moment  for  thought  they  were  beside 
me. 

"  Ah  !  O'Malley,"  cried  Merivale,  "  you  have  your  orders ; 
don't  wait ;  his  Excellency  is  coming  up." 

"  Get  along,  I  advise  you,"  said  another,  "  or  you'll  catch  it, 
as  some  of  us  have  done  this  morning." 

"  All  is  right,  Charley  ;  you  can  go  in  safety,"  said  a  whisper- 
ing voice,  as  Power  passed  in  a  sharp  canter. 

That  one  sentence  was  enough  ;  my  heart  bounded  like  a 
deer,  my  cheek  beamed  with  the  glow  of  delighted  pleasure, 
I  closed  my  spurs  upon  my  gallant  gray,  and  dashed  across 
the  plain. 

When  I  arrived  at  my  quarters  the  men  were  drawn  up  in 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


415 


waiting,  and  provided  with  rations  for  three  days' march  :  Mike 
was  also  prepared  for  the  road,  and  nothing  more  remained  to 
delay  me. 

*'  Captain  Power  has  been  here,  sir,  and  left  a  note." 
I  took  it  and  thrust  it  hastily  into  my  sabretasche.  I  knew 
from  the  few  words  he  had  spoken,  that  my  present  step  in- 
volved me  in  no  ill  consequences  ;  so,  giving  the  word  to  wheel 
into  column,  I  rode  to  the  front,  and  set  out  upon  my  march  to 
Alcantara. 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE    WATCH-FIRE. 

There  are  few  things  so  inspiriting  to  a  young  soldier  as  the 
being  employed  with  a  separate  command  ;  the  picket  and  out- 
post duty  have  a  charm  for  him  no  other  portion  of  his  career 
possesses.  The  field  seems  open  for  individual  boldness  and 
heroism  ;  success,  if  obtained,  must  redound  to  his  own  credit ; 
and  what  can  equal,  in  its  spirit-stirring  enthusiasm,  that  first 
moment  when  we  become  in  any  way  the  arbiter  of  our  own 
fortunes  .-' 

Such  were  my  happy  thoughts,  as,  with  a  proud  and  elated 
heart,  I  set  forth  upon  my  march.  The  notice  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  had  bestowed  upon  me  had  already  done  much  ;  it 
had  raised  me  in  my  own  estimation,  and  implanted  within  me 
a  longing  desire  for  further  distinction.  T  thought,  too,  of  those 
far,  far  away,  who  were  yet  to  hear  of  my  successes. 

I  fancied  to  myself  how  they  would  severally  receive  the 
news.  My  poor  uncle,  with  tearful  eye  and  quivering  lip,  was 
before  me,  as  I  saw  him  read  the  despatch,  then  wipe  his  glasses, 
and  read  on,  till  at  last,  witii  one  long-drawn  breath,  his  manly 
voice,  tremulous  with  emotion,  would  break  forth, — "  My  boy  ! 


4i6  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

my  own  Charley  !  "  Then  I  pictured  Considine,  with  port 
erect  and  stern  features,  listening  silently;  not  a  syllable,  not 
a  motion  betraying  that  he  felt  interested  in  my  fate,  till,  as  if 
impatient,  at  length  he  would  break  in, — "  I  knew  it — I  said  so  ; 
and  yet  you  thought  to  make  him  a  lawyer !  "■  And  then  old 
Sir  Harry  ;  his  warm  heart  glowing  with  pleasure,  and  his  good- 
humored  face  beaming  with  happiness.  How  many  a  blunder 
he  would  make  in  retailing  the  news,  and  how  many  a  hearty 
laugh  his  version  of  it  would  give  rise  to  ! 

I  passed  in  review  before  me  the  old  servants,  as  they  lin- 
gered in  the  room  to  hear  the  story.  Poor  old  Matthew,  the 
butler,  fumbling  with  his  corkscrew  to  gain  a  little  time ;  then 
looking  in  my  uncle's  face,  half  entreatingly,  as  he  asked, — 
*'  Any  news  of  Master  Charles,  sir,  from  the  wars  ? " 

While  thus  my  mind  wandered  back  to  the  scenes  and  faces 
of  my  early  home,  I  feared  to  ask  myself  how  she  would  feel 
to  whom  my  heart  was  now  turning  ?  Too  deeply  did  I  know 
how  poor  my  chances  were  in  that  quarter  to  nourish  hope, 
and  yet  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  abandon  it  altogether. 
Hammersley's  strange  conduct  suggested  to  me  that  he,  at 
least,  could  not  be  my  rival,  while  I  plainly  perceived  that  he 
regarded  me  as  his.  There  was  a  mystery  in  all  this  I  could 
not  fathom,  and  I  ardently  longed  for  my  next  meeting  with 
Power,  to  learn  the  nature  of  his  interview,  and  also  in  what 
manner  the  affair  had  been  arranged. 

Such  were  my  passing  thoughts  as  I  pressed  forward.  My 
men,  picked  no  less  for  themselves  than  their  horses,  came 
rapidly  along ;  and,  ere  evening,  we  had  accomplished  twelve 
leagues  of  our  journey. 

The  country  through  which  we  journeyed,  though  wild  and 
romantic  in  its  character,  was  singularly  rich  and  fertile, — 
cultivation  reaching  to  the  very  summits  of  the  rugged  mount- 
ains, and  patches  of  wheat  and  Indian  corn  peeping  amid  masses 
of  granite  rock  and  tangled  brushwood.  The  vine  and  the  olive 
grew  wild  on  every  side ;  while  the  orange  and  the  arbutus,  load- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOO.V.  417 

ing  the  air  with  perfume,  were  mingled  with  prickly  pear-trees 
and  variegated  hollies.  We  followed  no  regular  track,  but  can- 
tered along  over  hill  and  valley,  through  forest  and  prairie  ;  now 
in  long  file  through  some  tall  field  of  waving  corn,  now  in  open 
order  upon  some  level  plain  ;  our  Portuguese  guide  riding  a 
little  in  advance  of  us,  upon  a  jet-black  mule,  carolling  merrily 
some  wild  Gallician  melody  as  he  w^ent. 

As  the  sun  was  setting,  we  arrived  beside  a  little  stream, 
that,  flowing  along  a  rocky  bed,  skirted  a  vast  forest  of  tall 
cork-trees.  Here  we  called  a  halt ;  and,  picketing  our  horses, 
proceeded  to  make  our  arrangements  for  a  bivouac. 

Never  do  I  remember  a  more  lovely  night.  The  watch-fires 
sent  up  a  delicious  odor  from  the  perfumed  shrubs  ;  while  the 
glassy  water  reflected  on  its  still  surface  the  starry  sky  that, 
unshadowed  and  unclouded,  stretched  above  us.  I  wrapped 
myself  in  my  trooper's  mantle,  and  lay  down  beneath  a  tree, 
— but  not  to  sleep.  There  was  a  something  so  exciting,  and 
withal  so  tranquillizing,  that  I  had  no  thought  of  slumber,  but 
fell  into  a  musing  reverie.  There  was  a  character  of  adventure 
in  my  position  that  charmed  me  much.  My  men  were  gathered 
in  little  groups  beside  the  fires  ;  some  sunk  in  slumber,  others 
sat  smoking  silently,  or  chatting,  in  a  low  and  under  tone,  of 
some  bygone  scene  of  battle  or  bivouac ;  here  and  there  were 
picketed  the  horses  ;  the  heavy  panoply  and  piled  carbines 
flickering  in  the  red  glare  of  the  watch-fires,  which  ever  and 
anon  threw  a  flitting  glow  upon  the  stern  and  swarthy  faces  of 
my  bold  troopers.  Upon  the  trees  around,  sabres  and  helmets, 
holsters  and  cross-belts,  were  hung'  like  armorial  bearings  in 
some  antique  hall,  the  dark  foliage  spreading  its  heavy  shadow 
around  us.  Farther  off,  upon  a  little  rocky  ledge,  the  erect 
figure  of  the  sentry,  with  his  short  carbine  resting  in  the  hollow 
of  his  arm,  was  seen  slowly  pacing  in  measured  tread,  or  stand- 
ing for  a  moment  silently,  as  he  looked  upon  the  fair  and  tran- 
c|uil  sky, — his  thoughts  doubtless  far,  far  away,  beyond  the  sea, 
t(;  some  hunibU'  lionic,  where — 
27 


4i8  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  The  hum  of  the  spreading  sycamore. 
That  grew  beside  his  cottage  door," 

was  again  in  his  ears,  while  the  merry  laugh  of  his  children 
stirred  his  bold  heart.  It  was  a  Salvator-Rosa  scene,  and 
brought  me  back  in  fancy  to  the  bandit  legends  I  had  read  in 
boyhood.  By  the  uncertain  light  of  the  wood  embers  I  en- 
deavored to  sketch  the  group  that  lay  before  me. 

The  night  wore  on.  One  by  one  the  soldiers  stretched  them- 
selves to  sleep,  and  all  was  still.  As  the  hours  rolled  by,  a 
drowsy  feeling  crept  gradually  over  me.  I  placed  my  pistols 
by  my  side,  and,  having  replenished  the  fire  by  some  fresh  logs, 
disposed  myself  comfortably  before  it. 

It  was  during  that  half  dreamy  state  that  intervenes  between 
waking  and  sleep,  that  a  rustling  sound  of  the  branches  behind 
attracted  my  attention.  The  air  was  too  calm  to  attribute  this 
to  the  wind,  so  I  listened  for  some  minutes  ;  but  sleep,  too  long 
deferred,  was  over-powerful,  and  my  head  sank  upon  my  grassy 
pillow,  and  I  was  soon  sound  asleep.  How  long  I  remained 
thus,  I  know  not ;  but  I  awoke  suddenly.  I  fancied  some  one 
had  shaken  me  rudely  by  the  shoulder  ;  but  yet  all  was  tran- 
quil. My  men  were  sleeping  soundly  as  I  saw  them  last.  The 
fires  were  becoming  low,  and  a  gray  streak  in  the  sky,  as  well 
as  a  sharp  cold  feeling  of  the  air,  betokened  the  approach  of 
day.  Once  more  I  heaped  some  dry  branches  together,  and  was 
about  again  to  stretch  myself  to  rest,  when  I  felt  a  hand  upon 
my  shoulder.  I  turned  quickly  round,  and,  by  the  imperfect 
light  of  the  fire,  saw  the  figure  of  a  man  standing  motionless 
beside  me  ;  his  head  was  bare,  and  his  hair  fell  in  long  curls 
upon  his  shoulders ;  one  hand  was  pressed  upon  his  bosom, 
and  with  the  other  he  motioned  me  to  silence.  My  first 
impression  was  that  our  party  were  surprised  by  some 
French  patrol ;  but,  as  I  looked  again,  I  recognized,  to  my 
amazement,  that  the  individual  before  me  was  the  young 
French  officer  I  had  seen  that  morning  a  prisoner  beside  the 
Douro. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


419 


"  How  came  you  here  ? "  said  I,  in  a  low  voice,  to  him  in 
French, 

"  Escaped ;  one  of  my  own  men  threw  himself  between  me 
and  the  sentry ;  I  swam  the  Douro,  received  a  musket-ball 
through  my  arm,  lost  my  shako, — and  here  I  am  ! " 

"  You  are  aware  you  are  again  a  prisoner  ?  " 

"If  you  desire  it,  of  course  I  am,"  said  he,  in  a  voice  full  of 
feeling,  that  made  my  very  heart  creep.  "  I  thought  you  were 
a  party  of  Lorge's  Dragoons,  scouring  the  country  for  forage  ; 
tracked  you  the  entire  day,  and  have  only  now  come  up  with 
you." 

The  poor  fellow,  who  had  neither  eaten  nor  drank  since  day- 
break, wounded  and  footsore,  had  accomplished  twelve  leagues 
of  a  march,  only  once  more  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 
His  years  could  scarcely  have  numbered  nineteen  ;  his  counte- 
nance was  singularly  prepossessing  ;  and,  though  bleeding  and 
torn,  with  tattered  uniform,  and  without  a  covering  to  his 
head,  there  was  no  mistaking  for  a  moment  that  he  was  of 
gentle  blood.  Noiselessly  and  cautiously  I  made  him  sit  down 
beside  the  fire,  while  I  spread  before  him  the  sparing  remnant 
of  my  last  night's  supper,  and  shared  my  solitary  bottle  of 
sherry  with  him. 

From  the  moment  he  spoke,  I  never  entertained  a  thought 
of  making  him  a  prisoner  ;  but,  as  I  knew  not  how  far  I  was 
culpable  in  permitting,  if  not  actually  facilitating,  his  escape.  I 
resolved  to  keep  the  circumstance  a  secret  from  my  party,  and, 
if  possible,  get  him  away  before  daybreak. 

No  sooner  did  he  learn  my  intentions  regarding  him,  than  in 
an  instant  all  memory  of  his  past  misfortune,  all  thoughts  of 
his  present  destitute  condition,  seemed  to  have  fled  ;  and,  while 
I  dressed  his  wound  and  bound  up  his  shattered  arm,  he  chat- 
tered away  as  unconcernedly  about  the  past  and  the  future  as 
though  seated  beside  the  fire  of  his  own  bivouac,  and  surrounded 
by  his  own  brother  officers. 

"You  took   us  by  surprise  the  other  day,"  said  he.     "Our 


42 o  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Marshal  looked  for  the  attack  from  the  mouth  of  the  river ;  we 
received  information  that  your  ships  were  expected  there.  In 
any  case,  our  retreat  was  an  orderly  one,  and  must  have  been 
effected  with  slight  loss." 

I  smiled  at  the  self-complacency  of  this  reasoning,  but  did 
not  contradict  him. 

"  Your  loss  must  indeed  have  been  great ;  your  men  crossed 
under  the  fire  of  a  whole  battery." 

"  Not  exactly,"  said  I ;  "  our  first  party  were  quietly  stationed 
in  Oporto  before  you  knew  anything  about  it." 

"  Ah  !  sacre  Dieu  I  Treachery  !  "  cried  he,  striking  his  fore- 
head with  his  clenched  fist. 

"  Not  so ;  mere  daring — nothing  more.  But  come,  tell 
me  something  of  your  own  adventures.  How  were  you 
taken  ? " 

"  Simply  thus  : — I  was  sent  to  the  rear  Vv'ith  orders  to  the 
artillery  to  cut  dieir  traces,  and  leave  the  guns;  and  when  com- 
ing back,  my  horse  grew  tired  in  the  heavy  ground,  and  I  was 
spurring  him  to  the  utmost,  when  one  of  your  heavy  dragoons 
— an  officer,  too — dashed  at  me,  and  actually  rode  me  down, 
horse  and  all.  I  lay  for  some  time  bruised  by  the  fall,  when 
an  infantry  soldier  passing  by,  seized  me  by  the  collar,  and 
brought  me  to  the  rear.  No  matter,  however,  here  I  am  now. 
You  will  not  give  me  up  ;  and,  perhaps,  I  may  one  day  live  to 
repay  the  kindness." 

"  You  have  not  long  joined  .''  " 

"  It  was  my  first  battle  ;  my  epaulettes  were  very  smart  things 
yesterday,  though  they  do  look  a  XmXq pass'ee  to-day.  You  are 
advancing,  I  suppose  ?  " 

I  smiled,  without  answering  this  question. 

*'  Ah,  I  see  you  don't  wish  to  speak ;  never  mind,  your  dis- 
cretion is  thrown  away  upon  me  ;  for,  if  I  rejoined  my  regiment 
to-morrow,  I  should  have  forgotten  all  you  told  me — all  but 
your  great  kindness."  These  last  words  he  spoke,  bowing 
slightly  his  head,  and  coloring  as  he  said  them. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  42 1 

"You  are  a  dragoon,  I  think?"  said  I,  endeavoring  to 
change  the  topic. 

"  I  was,  two  days  ago,  chasseur  a  cheval,  a  sous-lieutenant  in 
the  regiment  of  my  father,  the  General  St.  Croix." 

"  The  name  is  familiar  to  me,"  I  replied,  "  and  I  am  sincerely 
happy  to  be  in  a  position  to  serve  the  son  of  so  distinguished 
an  ofificer." 

"  The  son  of  so  distinguished  an  officer  is  most  deeply  obliged 
but  wishes  with  all  his  heart  and  soul  he  had  never  sought  glory 
under  such  very  excellent  auspices.  You  look  surprised,  fnon 
chcr ;  but,  let  me  tell  you,  my  military  ardor  is  considerably 
abated  in  the  last  three  days;  hunger,  thirst,  imprisonment,  and 
this  " — lifting  his  wounded  limb  as  he  spoke — "  are  sharp  les- 
sons in  so  short  a  campaign,  and  for  one,  too,  whose  life  hitherto 
had  much  more  of  ease  than  adventure  to  boast  of.  Shall  I 
tell  you  how  I  became  a  soldier  ?  " 

"  By  all  means;  give  me  your  glass  first;  and  now,  with  a 
fresh  log  to  the  fire,  I'm  your  man." 

*'  But  stay ;  before  I  begin,  look  to  this." 

The  blood  was  flowing  rapidly  from  his  wound,  which,  with 
some  difficulty,  I  succeeded  in  stanching.  He  drank  oif  his 
wine  hastily,  held  out  bis  glass  to  be  refilled,  and  then  began 
his  story. 

"  You  have  never  seen  the  Emperor  ?  " 

"  Never." 

*''■  Sacrebleic !  What  a  man  he  is  I  I'd  rather  stand  under 
the  fire  of  your  grenadiers,  than  meet  his  eye.  When  in  a 
passion,  he  does  not  say  much,  it  is  true  ;  but  what  he  does, 
comes  with  a  kind  of  hissing,  rushing  sound,  while  the  very  fire 
seems  to  kindle  in  his  look.  I  have  him  before  me  this  instant, 
and  though  you  will  confess  that  my  present  condition  has 
nothing  very  pleasing  in  it,  I  should  be  sorry,  indeed,  to 
change  it  for  the  last  time  I  stood  in  his  presence. 

"  Two  months  ago,  I  sported  the  gay  liglit  blue  and  silver  of 
a  page  to  the  PLmpcror,  and  certainly,  what  with  balls,  bonbonSy 


422  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

flirtation,  gossip,  and  champagne  suppers,  led  a  very  gay,  reck- 
less, and  indolent  life  of  it.  Somehow — I  may  tell  you  more 
accurately  at  another  period,  if  we  ever  meet — I  got  myself  into 
disgrace,  and,  as  a  punishment,  was  ordered  to  absent  myself 
from  the  Tuileries,  and  retire,  for  some  weeks,  to  Fontainebleau. 
Siberia,  to  a  Russian,  would  scarcely  be  a  heavier  infliction 
than  was  this  banishment  to  me.  There  was  no  court,  no  levee, 
no  military  parade,  no  ball,  no  opera.  A  small  household  of 
the  Emperor's  chosen  servants  quietly  kept  house  there.  The 
gloomy  walls  re-echoed  to  no  music  ;  the  dark  alleys  of  the 
dreary  garden  seemed  the  very  impersonation  of  solitude  and 
decay.  Nothing  broke  the  dull  monotony  of  the  tiresome  day, 
except  when  occasionally,  near  sunset,  the  clash  of  the  guard 
would  be  heard  turning  out,  and  the  clank  of  presenting  arms, 
followed  by  the  roll  of  a  heavy  carriage  into  the  gloomy  court- 
yard. One  lamp,  shining  like  a  star,  in  a  small  chamber  on 
the  second  floor,  would  remain  till  near  four,  sometimes  five 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  same  sounds  of  the  guard  and 
the  same  dull  roll  of  the  carriage  would  break  the  stillness  of 
the  early  morning  ;  and  the  Emperor — for  it  was  he — would  be 
on  his  road  back  to  Paris. 

"  We  never  saw  him — I  say  we,  for,  like  myself,  some  half- 
dozen  others  were  also  there,  expiating  their  follies  by  a  life  of 
cheerless  eiuiiii. 

"  It  was  upon  a  calm  evening  in  April,  we  sat  together  chat- 
ting over  the  various  misdeeds  which  had  consigned  us  to 
exile,  when  some  one  proposed,  by  way  of  passing  the  time,  that 
we  should  visit  the  small  flower-garden  that  was  parted  off  from 
the  rest,  and  reserved  for  the  Emperor  alone.  It  was  already 
beyond  the  hour  he  usually  came  ;  besides  that,  even  should  he 
arrive,  there  was  abundant  time  to  get  back  before  he  could 
possibly  reach  it.  The  garden  we  had  often  seen,  but  there 
was  something  in  the  fact  that  our  going  there  was  a  transgres- 
sion that  so  pleased  us  all,  that  we  agreed  at  once,  and  set  forth. 
For  above  an  hour  we  loitered  about  the  lonely  and  deserted 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON^.  423 

walks,  where  already  the  Emperor's  foot-tracks  had  worn  a 
marked  pathway,  when  we  grew  weary,  and  were  about  to  return, 
just  as  one  of  the  party  suggested,  half  in  ridicule  of  the  sanctity 
of  the  spot,  that  we  should  have  a  game  of  leap-frog  ere  we  left 
it.  The  idea  pleased  us,  and  was  at  once  adopted.  Our  plan 
was  this :  each  person  stationed  himself  in  some  bye-walk  or 
alley,  and  waited  till  the  other,  whose  turn  it  was,  came  and 
leaped  over  him  ;  so  that,  besides  the  activity  displayed,  there 
was  a  knowledge  of  the  locale  necessary  ;  for,  to  any  one 
passed  over,  a  forfeit  was  to  be  paid.  Our  game  began  at 
once,  and  certainly  I  doubt  if  ever  those  green  alleys  and 
shady  groves  rang  to  such  hearty  laughter.  Here  would  be 
seen  a  couple  rolling  over  together  on  the  grass  :  there  some 
luckless  wight  counting  out  his  pocket-money,  to  pay  his 
penalty.  The  hours  passed  quietly  over,  and  the  moon  rose, 
and  at  last  it  came  to  my  turn  to  make  the  tour  of  the  garden. 
As  I  was  supposed  to  know  all  its  intricacies  better  than 
the  rest,  a  longer  time  was  given  for  them  to  conceal  them- 
selves;  at  length  the  word  was  given,  and  I  started. 

"Anxious  to  acquit  myself  well,  I  hurried  along  at  top  speed, 
but  guess  my  surprise  to  discover  that  nowhere  could  I  find  one 
of  my  companions  ;  down  one  walk  I  scampered,  up  another, 
across  a  third,  but  all  was  still  and  silent  :  not  a  sound,  not  a 
breath,  could  I  detect.  There  was  still  one  part  of  the  garden 
unexplored  ;  it  was  a  small  open  space  before  a  little  pond, 
which  usually  contained  the  gold  fish  the  Emperor  was  so  fond 
(if.  Thither  I  bent  my  steps,  and  had  not  gone  far  when,  in 
the  pale  moonlight,  I  saw,  at  length,  one  of  my  companions 
waiting  patiently  for  my  coming,  his  head  bent  forward  and  his 
shoulders  rounded.  Anxious  to  repay  him  for  my  own  dis- 
appointment, I  crept  silently  forward  on  tiptoe  till  quite  near 
him,  when,  rushing  madly  on,  I  sprang  upon  his  back  ;  just,  how- 
ever, as  I  rose  to  leap  over,  he  raised  his  head,  and,  staggered 
by  the  impulse  of  my  spring,  he  was  thrown  forward,  and,  after 
an  ineffectual  effort  to  keep  his  legs,  fell  flat   upon  his  face  in 


424.  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

the  grass.  Bursting  with  laughter,  I  fell  over  him  on  the 
ground,  and  was  turning  to  assist  him,  when  suddenly  he 
sprang  upon  his  feet,  and — horror  of  horrors  ! — it  was  Napo- 
leon himself ;  his  usually  pale  features  were  purple  with  rage, 
but  not  a  word,  not  a  syllable  escaped  him. 

" '  Qui  etes-vous  / '  said  he,  at  length. 

"  '  St.  Croix,  sire,'  said  I,  still  kneeling  before  him,  while  my 
very  heart  leaped  into  my  mouth. 

"  '  St.  Croix  !  toujours  St.  Croix  !  Come  here  ;  approach 
me,'  cried  he,  in  a  voice  of  stifled  passion. 

"  I  rose  ;  but  before  I  could  take  a  step  forward  he  sprang 
at  me,  and,  tearing  off  my  epaulettes,  trampled  them  beneath 
his  feet,  and  then  he  shouted  out,  rather  than  spoke,  the  word 
'AUez!' 

"  I  did  not  wait  for  a  second  intimation,  but,  clearing  the 
paling  at  a  spring,  was  many  a  mile  from  Fontainebleau  before 
daybreak." 


CHAPTER  LI. 

THE    MARCH, 

Twice  the  r/zw7  sounded  ;  the  horses  champed  impatiently 
their  heavy  bits  ;  my  men  stood  waiting  for  the  order  to  mount, 
ere  I  could  arouse  myself  from  the  deep  sleep  I  had  fallen 
into.  The  young  Frenchman  and  his  story  were  in  my  dreams, 
and,  when  I  awoke,  his  figure,  as  he  lay  sleeping  beside  the  wood 
embers,  was  the  first  object  I  perceived.  There  he  lay,  to  all 
seeming  as  forgetful  of  his  fate  as  though  he  still  inhabited  the 
gorgeous  halls  and  gilded  saloons  of  the  Tuileries  ;  his  pale 
and  handsome  features  wore  even  a  placid  smile  as,  doubtless, 
some  dream  of  other  days  flitted  across  him  ;  his  long  hair 
waved  in  luxurious  curls  upon  his  neck,  and  his  light-brown 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


425 


moustache,  slightly  curled  at  the  top,  gave  to  his  mild  and 
youthful  features  an  air  of  s^ncy Jierte  that  heightened  their 
effect.  A  narrow  blue  ribbon,  which  he  wore  round  his  throat, 
gently  peeped  from  his  open  bosom.  I  could  not  resist  the 
curiosity  I  felt  to  see  what  it  meant,  and,  drawing  it  softly 
forth,  I  perceived  that  a  small  miniature  was  attached  to  it.  It 
was  beautifully  painted,  and  surrounded  with  brilliants  of  some 
value.  One  glance  showed  me — for  I  had  seen  more  than  one 
engraving  before  of  her — that  it  was  the  portrait  of  the  Empress 
Josephine.  Poor  boy  !  he  doubtless  was  a  favorite  at  court ; 
indeed,  everything  in  his  air  and  manner  bespoke  him  such.  I 
gently  replaced  the  precious  locket,  and  turned  from  the  spot, 
to  think  over  what  was  best  to  be  done  for  him.  Knowing  the 
vindictive  feeling  of  the  Portuguese  towards  their  invaders,  I 
feared  to  take  Pietro,  our  guide,  into  my  confidence.  I  accord- 
ingly summoned  my  man  Mike  to  my  aid,  who,  with  all  his 
country's  readiness,  soon  found  out  an  expedient.  It  was  to 
pretend  to  Pietro  that  the  prisoner  was  merely  an  English  officer, 
who  had  made  his  escape  from  the  French  army,  in  which, 
against  his  will,  he  had  been  serving  for  some  time. 

This  plan  succeeded  perfectly  ;  and,  when  St.  ('roix,  mounted 
upon  one  of  my  led  horses,  set  out  upon  his  march  beside  me, 
none  was  more  profuse  of  his  attentions  than  the  dark  brown 
guide,  whose  hatred  of  a  Frenchman  was  beyond  belief. 

By  thus  giving  him  safe  conduct  through  Portugal,  I  knew 
that  when  we  reached  the  frontier  he  could  easily  manage  to 
come  up  with  some  part  of  Marshal  Victor's  force,  the  advanced 
guard  of  which  lay  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Tagus. 

To  me  the  companionship  was  the  greatest  boon  ;  the  gay 
and  buoyant  spirit  that  no  reverse  of  fortune,  no  untoward 
event,  could  subdue,  lightened  many  an  hour  of  the  journey  ; 
and  though,  at  times,  the  gasconading  tone  of  the  Frenchman 
would  peep  through,  there  was  still  such  a  fund  of  good-tempered 
raillery  in  all  he  said,  that  it  was  impossible  to  feel  angry  with 
him.     His  implicit    faith    in  the  Emperor's  invincibility  also 


426  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

amused  me.  Of  the  unbounded  confidence  of  the  nation  in 
general,  and  the  army  particularly,  in  Napoleon,  I  had  till 
then  no  conception.  It  was  not  that  in  the  profound  skill  and 
immense  resources  of  the  general  they  trusted,  but  they  actually 
regarded  him  as  one  placed  above  all  the  common  accidents 
of  fortune,  and  revered  him  as  something  more  than  human, 

'■'•  II  viendra  et  puis "was  the  continued   exclamation  of 

the  young  Frenchman.  Any  notion  of  our  successfully  resisting 
the  overwhelming  might  of  the  Emperor,  he  would  have  laughed 
•to  scorn,  and  so  I  let  him  go  on  prophesying  our  future  mis- 
fortunes till  the  time  when,  driven  back  upon  Lisbon,  we 
should  be  compelled  to  evacuate  the  Peninsula,  and,  under 
favor  of  a  convention,  be  permitted  to  return  to  England.  All 
this  was  sufficiently  ridiculous,  coming  from  a  youth  of  nine- 
teen, wounded,  in  misery,  a  prisoner;  but  further  experience  of 
his  nation  has  shown  me  that  St.  Croix  was  not  the  exception, 
but  the  rule.  The  conviction  in  the  ultimate  success  of  their 
army,  whatever  be  the  merely  momentary  mishap,  is  the  one 
present  thought  of  a  Frenchman ;  a  victory  with  them  is  a 
conquest ;  a  defeat — if  they  are  by  any  chance  driven  to  acknowl- 
edge one — ^.fatalitt. 

I  was  too  young  a  man,  and,  still  more,  too  young  a  soldier, 
to  bear  with  this  absurd  affectation  of  superiority  as  I  ought, 
and  consequently  was  glad  to  wander,  whenever  I  could,  from 
the  contested  point  of  our  national  superiority  to  other  topics. 
St.  Croix,  although  young,  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  as  a 
page  in  the  splendid  court  of  the  Tuileries  ;  the  scenes  passing 
before  his  eyes  were  calculated  to  make  a  strong  impression  ; 
and,  by  many  an  anecdote  of  his  former  life,  he  lightened  the 
road  as  we  passed  along. 

"  You  promised,  by-the-bye,  to  tell  me  of  your  banishment. 
How  did  that  occur,  St.  Croix  ?  " 

"  Ah !  par  Dieii !  that  was  an  unfortunate  affair  for  me  : 
then  began  all  my  mishaps  ;  but  for  that,  I  should  never  have 
been  sent  to  Fontainebleau ;  never  have  played  leap-frog  with 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  427 

the  Emperor ;  never  have  been  sent  a  soldier  into  Spain. 
True,"  said  he,  laughing,  "  I  should  never  have  had  the  happi- 
ness of  your  acquaintance.  But  still,  I'd  much  rather  have 
met  you  first  in  the  Place  des  Victoires  than  in  the  Estrella 
Mountains." 

"  Who  knows  ?  "  said  I ;  "  perhaps  your  good  genius  prevailed 
in  all  this  ?  " 

"  Perhaps,"  said  he,  interrupting  me  ;  "  that's  exactly  what 
the  Empress  said — she  was  my  godmother — 'Jules  will  be  a 
Marechal  de  France  yet.'  But,  certainly,  it  must  be  confessed, 
I  have  made  a  bad  beginning.  However,  you  wish  to  hear  of 
my  disgrace  at  court.  AUons  done.  But  had  we  not  better 
wait  for  a  halt  ?  " 

"Agreed,"  said  I ;  "  and  so  let  us  now  press  forward." 


CHAPTER  LII. 

THE  PAGE. 

Under  the  deep  shade  of  some  tall  trees,  sheltered  from 
the  noonday  sun,  we  lay  down  to  rest  ourselves,  and  enjoy  a 
most  patriarchal  dinner — some  dry  biscuits,  a  few  bunches  of 
grapes,  and  a  little  weak  wine,  savoring  more  of  the  borachio- 
skin  than  the  vine-juice,  were  all  we  boasted ;  yet  they  were 
not  ungrateful  at  such  a  time  and  place. 

"  Whose  health  did  you  pledge,  then  ?  "  inquired  St.  Croix 
with  a  half  malicious  smile,  as  I  raised  the  glass  silently  to 
my  lips. 

I  blushed  deeply,  and  looked  confused. 

"  A  ses  beaux yeux  !  whoever  she  be,"  said  he,  gaily  tossing  off 
his  wine ;  "  and  now,  if  you  feel  disposed,  I'll  tell  you  my 
story.  In  good  truth,  it  is  not  worth  relating,  but  it  may  serve 
to  set  you  asleep,  at  all  events. 


428  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

"  I  have  already  told  you  I  was  a  page.  Alas  !  the  impres- 
sions you  may  feel  of  that  functionary,  from  having  seen 
Cherubino,  give  but  a  faint  notion  of  him  when  pertaining  to 
the  household  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon. 

^^  The /i7r/c7//o//e  amoroso  hzsked  in  the  soft  smiles  and  sunny 
looks  of  the  Countess  Almaviva  ;  we  met  but  the  cold,  impassive 
look  of  Talleyrand — the  piercing  and  penetrating  stare  of  Savary 
— or  the  ambiguous  smile,  half  menace,  half  mockery,  of  Mon- 
sieur Fouche.  While  on  service,  our  days  were  passed  in  the 
ante-chamber,  beside  the  sa//e  d'audicnce  of  the  Emperor — 
reclining  against  the  closed  door,  watching  attentively  for  the 
gentle  tinkle  of  the  little  bell  which  summoned  us  to  open  for 
the  exit  of  some  haughty  diplomate,  or  the  entree  of  some 
redoubted  general.  Thus  passed  we  the  weary  hours ;  the 
illustrious  visitors  by  whom  we  were  surrounded  had  no  novelty, 
consequently  no  attraction  for  us,  and  the  names  already 
historical  were  but  household  words  with  us. 

"We  often  remarked,  too,  the  proud  and  distant  bearing  the 
Emperor  assumed  towards  those  of  his  generals  who  had  been 
his  former  companions  in  arms.  Whatever  familiarity  of  free- 
dom may  have  existed  in  the  campaign  or  in  the  battle-field, 
the  air  of  the  Tuileries  certainly  chilled  it.  I  have  often  heard 
that  the  ceremonious  observances  and  rigid  etiquette  of  the 
old  Bourbon  court  were  far  preferable  to  the  stern  reserve  and 
unbending  stiffness  of  the  Imperial  one. 

"  The  ante-chamber  is  but  the  reflection  of  the  reception 
room  ;  and,  whatever  be  the  whims,  the  caprices,  the  littleness 
of  the  Great  Man,  they  are  speedily  assumed  by  his  inferiors 
and  the  dark  temper  of  one  casts  a  lowering  shadow  on  every 
menial  by  whom  he  is  surrounded. 

"  As  for  us,  we  were  certainly  not  long  in  catching  somewhat 
of  the  spirit  of  the  Emperor  ;  and  I  doubt  much  if  the  imperti- 
nence of  the  waiting-room  was  not  more  dreaded  and  detested 
than  the  abrupt  speech  and  searching  look  of  Napoleon  himself. 

"  What  a  malicious  pleasure  have  I  not  felt  in  arresting  the 


THE  IRISlr  DRAGOON.  429 

Step  of  M.  de  Talleyrand,  as  he  approached  the  Emperor's 
closet !  with  what  easy  insolence  have  I  lisped  out, '  Pardon 
Monsieur,  but  his  Majesty  cannot  receive  you  ' — or, '  Monsieur 
le  Due,  his  Majesty  has  given  no  orders  for  your  admission.'— 
How  amusing  it  was  to  watch  the  baffled  look  of  each,  as  he 
retired  once  more  to  his  place  among  the  crowd  ;  the  wily  dip- 
lomate  covering  his  chagrin  with  a  practised  smile,  while  the 
stern  marshal  would  blush  to  his  very  eyes  with  indignation. 
This  was  the  great  pleasure  our  position  afiforded  us;  and,  with 
a  boyish  spirit  of  mischief,  we  cultivated  it  to  perfection,  and 
became  at  last  the  very  horror  and  detestation  of  all  who  fre- 
quented the  levees  ;  and  the  ambassador,  whose  fearless  voice 
was  heard  among  the  councils  of  kings,  became  soft  and  con- 
ciliating in  his  approaches  to  us  ;  and  the  hardy  general,  who 
would  have  charged  upon  a  brigade  of  artillery,  was  timid  as  a 
girl  in  addressing  us  a  mere  question. 

"  Among  the  amiable  class  thus  characterized,  I  was  most 
conspicuous,  preserving  cautiously  a  tone  of  civility  that  left 
nothing  openly  to  complain  of.  I  assumed  an  indifference  and 
impartiality  of  manner  that  no  exigency  of  affairs,  no  pressing 
haste,  could  discompose  or  disturb;  and  my  bow  of  recognition 
to  Soult  or  Massena  was  as  coolly  measured,  as  my  monosyl- 
labic answer  was  accurately  cont.ed  over. 

"  Upon  ordinary  occasions,  the  Emperor,  at  the  close  of  each 
person's  audience,  rang  his  little  bell  for  the  admission  of  the 
next  in  order  as  they  arrived  in  the  waiting-room  ;  yet,  when 
anything  important  was  under  consideration,  a  list  was  given 
us  in  the  morning  of  the  names  to  be  presented  in  rotation, 
which  no  casual  circumstance  was  ever  suffered  to  interfere 
with. 

"It  is  now  about  four  months  since,  one  fine  morning,  such 
a  list  was  placed  within  my  hands.  His  Majesty  was  just  then 
occupied  with  an  inquiry  into  the  naval  force  of  the  kingdom  ; 
and  as  I  cast  my  eyes  carelessly  over  the  names,  I  read  little  else 
than  Vice-Admiral  so-and-so,  Commander  such-a-one,  and  Chef 


43 O  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

d'Escadron  such  another,  and  the  levee  presented  accordingly, 
instead  of  its  usual  brilliant  array  of  gorgeous  uniform  and 
aiguilletted  marshals,  the  simple  blue-and-gold  of  the  naval 
service. 

'*  The  marine  was  not  in  high  favor  with  the  Emperor,  and 
truly,  my  reception  of  these  unfrequent  visitors  was  anything 
but  flattering.  The  early  part  of  the  morning  was,  as  usual, 
occupied  by  the  audience  of  the  Minister  of  Police,  and  the  Due 
de  Bassano,  who,  evidently,  from  the  length  of  time  they  re- 
mained, had  matter  of  importance  to  communicate.  Mean- 
while, the  ante-chamber  filled  rapidly,  and,  before  noon,  was 
actually  crowded.  It  was  just  at  this  moment  that  the  folding- 
door  slowly  opened,  and  a  figure  entered,  such  as  I  had  never 
before  seen  in  our  brilliant  saloon :  he  was  a  man  of  five  or 
six-and-fifty,  short,  thick-set,  and  strongly  built,  with  a  bronzed 
and  weather-beaten  face,  and  a  broad  open  forehead,  deeply 
scarred  with  a  sabre-cut ;  a  shaggy  gray  moustache  curled  over 
and  concealed  his  mouth,  while  eyebrows  of  the  same  color 
shaded  his  dark  and  piercing  eyes.  His  dress  was  a  coarse 
cut  of  blue  cloth,  such  as  the  fishermen  wear  in  Bretagne, 
fastened  at  the  waist  by  a  broad  belt  of  black  leather,  from 
which  hung  a  short-bladed  cutlass ;  his  loose  trousers,  of  the 
same  material,  were  turned  up  at  the  ankles,  to  show  a  pair  of 
strong  legs  coarsely  cased  in  blue  stockings  and  thick-soled 
shoes — a  broad-leaved  oilskin  hat  was  held  in  one  hand,  and 
the  other  stuck  carelessly  in  his  pocket,  as  he  entered;  became 
in  with  a  careless  air,  and,  familiarly  saluting  one  or  two  officers 
in  the  room,  he  sat  himself  down  near  the  door,  appearing  lost 
in  his  own  reflections. 

" '  Who  can  you  be,  my  worthy  friend  ? '  was  my  question  to 
myself,  as  I  surveyed  this  singular  apparition.  At  the  same 
time,  casting  my  eyes  down  the  list,  I  perceived  that  several 
pilots  of  the  coast  of  Havre,  Calais,  and  Boulogne  had  been 
summoned  to  Paris,  to  give  some  information  upon  the  sound- 
ings and  depth  of  water  along  the  shore. 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  43 1 

"  *  Ha,'  thought  I,  '  I  have  it — the  good  man  has  mistaken 
his  place,  and  instead  of  remaining  without,  has  walked  boldly 
forward  to  the  ante-chamber.'  There  was  something  so  strange 
and  so  original  in  the  grim  look  of  the  old  fellow,  as  he  sat  there 
alone,  that  I  suffered  him  to  remain  quietly  in  his  delusion, 
rather  than  order  him  back  to  the  waiting-room  without ;  be- 
sides, I  perceived  that  a  kind  of  sensation  was  created  among 
the  others  by  his  appearance  there,  which  amused  me  greatly. 

"As  the  day  wore  on,  the  officers  formed  into  little  groups 
of  three  or  four,  chatting  together  in  an  under  tone  of  voice  ; 
all,  save  the  old  pilot ;  he  had  taken  a  huge  tobacco-box  from 
his  capacious  breast-pocket,  and  inserting  an  immense  piece 
of  the  bitter  weed  in  his  mouth,  began  to  chew  it  as  leisurely 
as  though  he  were  walking  the  quarter-deck.  The  cool  insou- 
ciance of  such  a  proceeding  amused  me  much,  and  I  resolved 
to  draw  him  out  a  little. 

"  His  strong,  broad  Breton  features,  his  deep  voice,  his  dry, 
blunt  manner,  were  all  in  admirable  keeping  with  his  exterior, 
and  amused  me  highly. 

'■'•'■  Par  Dieu !  my  lad,'  said  he,  after  chatting  sometime, 
'had  you  not  better  tell  the  Emperor  that  I  am  waiting  ? — It's 
now  past  noon,  and  I  must  eat  something.' 

" '  Have  a  little  patience,'  said  I  ;  '  his  Majesty  is  going  to 
invite  you  to  dinner.' 

"  '  Be  it  so,'  said  he,  gravely ;  '  provided  the  hour  be  an 
early  one,  I'm  his  man.' 

"  With  difficulty  did  I  keep  down  my  laughter  as  he  said 
this,  and  continued. 

"  *  So  you  know  the  Emperor  already,  it  seems  ? ' 

"  *  Yes,  that  I  do !  I  remember  him  when  he  was  no  highei 
than  yourself.' 

"  *  How  delighted  he'll  be  to  find  you  here — I  hope  you  have 
brought  up  some  of  your  family  with  you,  as  the  Emperor 
would  be  so  flattered  by  it  ? ' 

"  'No,  I've  left  them  at  home  ;  this  place  don't  suit  us  over 


432  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

well.  We  ha\'e  plenty  to  do,  besides  spending  our  time  and 
money  among  all  you  fine  folks  here.' 

" '  And  not  a  bad  life  of  it,  either,'  added  I,  '  fishing  for  cod 
and  herrings — stripping  a  wreck  now  and  then.' 

"  He  stared  at  me,  as  I  said  this,  like  a  tiger  on  the  spring, 
but  spoke  not  a  word. 

"  '  And  how  many  young  sea-wolves  may  you  have  in  your 
den  at  home  ? ' 

"  '  Six ;  and  all  of  them  able  to  carry  you  with  one  hand,  at 
arm's  length  ! ' 

" '  I  have  no  doubt ;  I  shall  certainly  not  test  their  ability. 
But  you  yourself,  how  do  you  like  the  capital  ? ' 

"  '  Not  over  well,  and    I'll  tell  you  why ' 

"  As  he  said  this,  the  door  of  the  audience-chamber  opened, 
and  the  Emperor  appeared.  His  eyes  flashed  fire,  as  he  looked 
hurriedly  around  the  room. 

"  '  Who  is  in  waiting  here  ? ' 

" '  I  am,  please  your  Majesty,'  said  I,  bowing  deeply,  as  I 
started  from  my  seat. 

" '  And  where  is  the  Admiral  Truguet  ?  Why  was  he  not 
admitted  ? ' 

" '  Not  present,  your  Majesty,'  said  I,  trembling  with  fear. 

"  '  Hold  there,  young  fellow.     Not  so  fast ;  here  he  is.' 

"*  Ah,  Truguet,  i>ion  ami/'  cried  the  Emperor,  placing  both 
hands  on  the  old  fellow's  shoulders;  'how  long  have  you  been 
in  waiting  ? ' 

"  *  Two  hours  and  a  half,'  said  he  ;  producing  in  evidence  a 
watch  like  a  saucer. 

"  'What!  two  hours  and  a  half,  and  I  not  know  it?' 

"  *  No  matter  ;  I  am  always  happy  to  serve  your  Majesty. 
But  if  that  fine  fellow  had  not  told  me  that  you  were  going  to 
ask  me  to  dinner ' 

"  *  He  !  he  said  so,  did  he  ? '  said  Napoleon,  turning  on  me 
a  glance  like  a  wild  beast.  '  Yes,  Truguet,  so  I  am  ;  you  shall 
dine  with  me  to-day.     And  you,  sir,'  said  he,  dropping  his 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  433 

Voice  to  a  whisper,  as  he  came  closer  towards  me,  *  and  you  have 
dared  to  speak  thus  ?  Call  in  a  guard  there  ;  Capitaine,  put 
this  person  under  arrest ;  he  is  disgraced  ;  he  is  no  longer  page 
of  the  palace.     Out  of  my  presence  !  away,  sir  ! ' 

"  The  room  wheeled  round  ;  my  legs  tottered,  my  senses 
reeled ;  and  I  saw  no  more. 

"Three  weeks'  bread  and  water  in  St.  Pe'lagie,  however, 
brought  me  to  my  recollection  ;  and  at  last  my  kind,  my  more 
than  kind  friend,  the  Empress,  obtained  my  pardon,  and  sent 
me  to  Fontainebleau,  till  the  Emperor  should  forget  all  about 
it.  How  I  contrived  again  to  refresh  his  memory  I  have 
already  told  you ;  and  certainly  you  will  acknowledge  that  I 
have  not  been  fortunate  in  my  interviews  with  Napoleon." 

I  am  conscious  how  much  St.  Croix's  story  loses  in  my  tell- 
ing. The  simple  expressions,  the  grace  of  the  narrative,  were  its 
charm  ;  and  these,  alas  !  I  can  neither  translate  nor  imitate, 
no  more  than  I  can  convey  the  strange  mixture  of  deep  feel- 
ing and  levity,  shrewdness  and  simplicity,  that  constituted  the 
manner  of  the  narrator. 

With  many  a  story  of  his  courtly  career  he  amused  me  as  we 
trotted  along ;  when,  towards  nightfall  of  the  third  day,  a 
peasant  informed  us  that  a  body  of  French  cavalry  occupied 
the  convent  of  San  Cristoval,  about  three  leagues  off.  The  op- 
portunity of  his  return  to  his  own  army  pleased  him  far  less  than 
I  expected  ;  he  heard,  without  any  show  of  satisfaction,  that  the 
time  of  his  liberation  had  arrived,  and  when  the  moment  of 
leave-taking  drew  near,  he  became  deeply  affected. 

"  Eh  bien,  Charles,"  said  he,  smiling  sadly  through  his  dimmed 
and  tearful  eyes.  "  You've  been  a  kind  friend  to  me.  Is  the 
time  never  to  come  when  I  can  repay  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  yes;  we'll  meet  again,  be  assured  of  it.  Meanwhile, 
there  is  one  way  you  can  more  than  repay  anyihing  I  have  done 
for  you." 

"  Oh  !  name  it  at  once." 

"  Many  a  brave  fellow  of  ours  is  now,  and,  doubtless,  many 


434  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

more  will  be,  prisoners  with  your  army  in  this  war.  Whenever, 
therefore,  your  lot  brings  you  in  contact  with  such " 

"  They  shall  be  my  brothers,"  said  he  springing  towards  me, 
and  throwing  his  arms  round  my  neck.  "  Adieu,  adieu  !  "  with 
that  he  rushed  from  the  spot,  and  before  I  could  speak  again, 
was  mounted  upon  the  peasant's  horse,  and  waving  his  hand  to 
me  in  farewell. 

I  looked  after  him  as  he  rode  at  a  fast  gallop  down  the  slope 
of  the  green  mountain,  the  noise  of  the  horse's  feet  echoing 
along  the  silent  plain.  I  turned  at  length  to  leave  the  spot, 
and  then  perceived,  for  the  first  time,  that,  when  taking  his 
farewell  of  me,  he  had  hung  around  my  neck  his  miniature  of 
the  Empress.  Poor  boy  !  how  sorrowful  I  felt  thus  to  rob  him 
of  what  he  had  held  so  dear  !  How  gladly  would  I  have  over- 
taken him  to  restore  it !  It  was  the  only  keepsake  he  possessed  ; 
and,  knowing  that  I  would  not  accept  it,  if  offered,  he  took 
this  way  of  compelling  me  to  keep  it. 

Through  the  long  hours  of  the  summer's  night,  I  thought  of 
him ;  and,  when  at  last  I  slept,  towards  morning,  my  first 
thought  on  waking  was  of  the  solitary  day  before  me.  The 
miles  no  longer  slipped  imperceptibly  along  ;  no  longer  did  the 
noon  and  night  seem  fast  to  follow.  Alas  !  that  one  should 
grow  old  !  The  very  sorrows  of  our  early  years  have  something 
soft  and  touching  in  them.  Arising  less  from  deep  wrong  than 
slight  mischances,  the  grief  they  cause  comes  ever  with  an  alloy 
of  pleasant  thoughts,  telling  of  the  tender  past ;  and,  'mid 
the  tears  called  up,  forming  some  bright  rainbow  of  future 
hope. 

Poor  St.  Croix  had  already  won  greatly  upon  me ;  and  I  felt 
lonely  and  desolate  when  he  departed. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOA. 


435 


CHAPTER  LIII. 

ALVAS, 

Nothing  of  incident  marked  our  further  progress  towards 
the  frontier  of  Spain,  and  at  length  we  reached  the  small  town 
of  Alvas.  It  was  past  sunset  as  we  arrived,  and,  instead  of 
the  usual  quiet  and  repose  of  a  little  village,  we  found  the 
streets  crowded  with  people,  on  horseback  and  on  foot ;  mules, 
bullocks,  carts,  and  wagons  blocked  up  the  way,  and  the  oaths 
of  the  drivers  and  the  screaming  of  women  and  children  re- 
sounded on  all  sides. 

With  what  little  Spanish  I  possessed  I  questioned  some  of 
those  near  me,  and  learned,  in  reply,  that  a  dreadful  engage- 
ment had  taken  place  that  day  between  the  advanced  guard  of 
the  French,  under  Victor,  and  the  Lusitanian  legion  ;  that  the 
Portuguese  troops  had  been  beaten  and  completely  routed,  los- 
ing all  their  artillery  and  baggage  ;  that  the  French  were  rapidly 
advancing,  and  expected  hourly  to  arrive  at  Alvas,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  the  terror-stricken  inhabitants  were  packing 
up  their  possessions  and  hurrying  away. 

Here,  then,  was  a  point  of  considerable  difficulty  for  me  at 
once.  My  instructions  had  never  provided  for  such  a  conjunct- 
ure, and  I  was  totally  unable  to  determine  what  was  best  to 
be  done ;  both  my  men  and  their  horses  were  completely  tired 
by  a  march  of  fourteen  leagues,  and  had  a  pressing  need  of 
some  rest  ;  on  ev^ery  side  of  me  the  preparations  for  flight  were 
proceeding  witii  all  the  speed  that  fear  inspires  ;  and  to  my 
urgent  request  for  some  information  as  to  food  and  shelter,  I 
could  obtain  no  other  reply  than  muttered  menaces  of  the  fate 


436  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

before  me  if  I  remained,  and  exaggerated  accounts  of  French 
cruelty. 

Amid  all  this  bustle  and  confusion  a  tremendous  fall  of  heavy 
rain  set  in,  which  at  once  determined  me,  come  what  might,  to 
house  my  party,  and  provide  forage  for  our  horses. 

As  we  pushed  our  way  slowly  through  the  encumbered  streets, 
looking  on  every  side  for  some  appearance  of  a  village  inn,  a 
tremendous  shout  rose  in  our  rear,  and  a  rush  of  the  people 
towards  us  induced  us  to  suppose  that  the  French  were  upon 
us.  For  some  minutes  the  din  and  uproar  were  terrific — the 
clatter  of  horses'  feet,  the  braying  of  trumpets,  the  yelling  of 
the  mob,  all  mingling  in  one  frightful  concert. 

I  formed  my  men  in  close  column,  and  waited  steadily  for 
the  attack,  resolving,  if  possible,  to  charge  through  the  advanc- 
ing files  :  any  retreat  through  the  crowded  and  blocked-up 
thoroughfares,  being  totally  out  of  the  question.  The  rain  was 
falling  in  such  torrents  that  nothing  could  be  seen  a  few  yards 
off,  when  suddenly  a  pause  of  a  few  seconds  occurred,  and, 
from  the  clash  of  accoutrements,  and  the  hoarse  tones  of  a 
loud  voice,  I  judged  that  the  body  of  men  before  us  were 
forming  for  attack. 

Resolving,  therefore,  to  take  them  by  surprise,  I  gave  the 
word  to  charge,  and,  spurring  our  jaded  cattle,  onward  we 
dashed.  The  mob  fled  right  and  left  from  us  as  we  came  on  ; 
and  through  the  dense  mist  we  could  just  perceive  a  body  of 
cavalry  before  us. 

In  an  instant  we  were  among  them  ;  down  they  went  on  every 
side,  men  and  horses  rolling  pell-mell  over  each  other — not  a 
blow — not  a  shot  striking  us  as  we  pressed  on.  Never  did  I 
witness  such  total  consternation  ;  some  threw  themselves  from 
their  horses,  and  fled  towards  the  houses  ;  others  turned  and 
tried  to  fall  back,  but  the  increasing  pressure  from  behind  held 
them,  and  finally  succeeded  in  blocking  us  up  amongst  them. 

It  was  just  at  this  critical  moment  that  a  sudden  gleam  of 
light  from  a  window  fell  upon  the  disordered  mass,  and  to  my 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  437 

astonishment — I  need  not  say,  to  my  delight — I  perceived  that 
they  were  Portuguese  troops.  Before  I  had  well  time  to  halt 
my  party,  my  convictions  were  pretty  well  strengthened  by 
hearing  a  well-known  voice  in  the  rear  of  the  mass  call 
out ; — 

"  Charge,  ye  devils  !  charge,  will  ye  ?  illustrious  Hidalgos  ! 
cut  them  down  ;  los  infidelos,  sacrificados  los — scatter  them  like 
chaff !  " 

One  roar  of  laughter  was  my  only  answer  to  this  energetic 
appeal  for  my  destruction,  and  the  moment  after,  the  dry  feat- 
ures and  pleasant  face  of  old  Monsoon  beamed  on  me  by  the 
light  of  a  pine-torch  he  carried  in  his  right  hand. 

"  Are  they  prisoners  ?  have  they  surrendered  ?  "  inquired  he, 
riding  up.  "  It  is  well  for  them  ;  we'd  have  made  mincemeat 
of  them  otherwise ;  now  they  shall  be  well  treated,  and  ran- 
somed if  they  prefer." 

"  Gracios  exaikiize  f"  said  T,  in  a  feigned  voice. 

"  Give  up  your  sword,"  said  the  Major,  in  an  under  tone. 
"  You  behaved  gallantly,  but  you  fought  against  invincibles. 
Lord  love  them  !  but  they  are  the  most  terrified  invincibles." 

I  nearly  burst  aloud  at  this. 

"  It  was  a  close  thing  which  of  us  ran  first,"  muttered  the 
Major,  as  he  turned  to  give  some  directions  to  an  aide-de-camp. 
"  Ask  them  who  they  are,"  said  he,  in  Spanish. 

By  this  time  I  came  close  alongside  of  him,  and  placing  my 
mouth  close  to  his  ear,  holloed  out : — 

"  Monsoon,  old  fellow,  how  goes  the  King  of  Spain's  sherry  ?  " 

"  Eh  ! — what — why — upon  my  life,  and  so  it  is — Charle)',  my 
boy,  so  it's  you,  is  it — egad,  how  good  ;  and  we  were  so  near 
being  the  death  of  you !  My  poor  fellow,  how  came  you 
here  ?  " 

A  few  words  of  explanation  sufficed  to  inform  the  Major  why 
we  were  there,  and  still  more  to  comfort  him  with  the  assurance 
that  he  had  not  been  charging  the  General's  staff,  and  the  Com- 
mander-in  Chief  himself. 


438  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Upon  my  life,  you  gave  me  a  great  start ;  though,  as  long 
as  I  thought  you  were  French,  it  was  very  well." 

"  True,  Major,  but  certainly  the  invincibles  were  merciful  as 
they  were  strong." 

"They  were  tired,  Charley,  nothing  more;  why,  lad,  we've 
been  fighting  since  daybreak — beat  Victor  at  six  o'clock — 
drove  him  back  behind  the  Tagus — took  a  cold  dinner,  and 
had  at  him  again  in  the  afternoon.  Lord  love  you  !  we've  im- 
mortalized ourselves  ;  but  you  must  never  speak  of  this  little 
business  here  ;  it  tells  devilish  ill  for  the  discipline  of  your 
fellows,  upon  my  life  it  does." 

This  was  rather  an  original  turn  to  give  the  transaction,  but 
I  did  not  oppose  ;  and,  thus  chatting,  we  entered  the  little  inn, 
where,  confidence  once  restored,  some  semblance  of  comfort 
already  appeared. 

"  And  so  you're  come  to  reinforce  us  1 "  said  Monsoon ; 
"  there  was  never  anything  more  opportune  ;  though  we  sur- 
prised ourselves  to-day  with  valor,  I  don't  think  we  could  per- 
severe." 

"  Yes,  Major,  the  appointment  gave  me  sincere  pleasure ;  I 
greatly  desired  to  see  a  little  service  under  your  orders.  Shall 
I  present  you  with  my  despatches  ?  " 

"  Not  now,  Charley — not  now,  my  lad.  Supper  is  the  first 
thing  at  this  moment ;  besides,  now  that  you  remind  me,  I 
must  send  off  a  despatch  myself.  Upon  my  life,  it's  a  great 
piece  of  fortune  that  you're  here ;  you  shall  be  Secretary  at 
War,  and  write  it  forme  ;  here  now — how  lucky  that  I  thought 
of  it,  to  be  sure !  and  it  was  just  a  mere  chance  ;  one  has  so 

many  things "    Muttering  such  broken,  disjointed  sentences, 

the  Major  opened  a  large  portfolio  with  writing  materials,  which 
he  displayed  before  me  as  he  rubbed  his  hands  with  satisfac- 
tion, and  said,  "  Write  away,  lad." 

"  But,  my  dear  Major,  you  forget;  I  was  not  in  the  action. 
You  must  describe  ;  I  can  only  follow  you." 

"  Begin  then  thus  : — 


THE  IRISH  DRAGO ON.  43 9 

"  '  Hfad-QuarL'rs,  Alvas,Jnne  26. 
"  *  Your  Excellency, — 

"  '  Having  learned  from  Don  Alphonzo  Xaviero  da  Minto,  an  officer 
upon  my  personal  staff ' 

"  Luckily  sober  at  that  moment 

"  '  That  the  advanced  guard  of  the  eighth  corps  of  the  French  army ' 

"  Stay,  though,  was  it  the  eighth  ? — Upon  my  Hfe,  I'm  not 
quite  clear  as  to  that ;  blot  the  word  a  little  and  go  on 

"  '  That  the corps,  under  Marshal  Victor,  had  commenced  a  forward 

movement  towards  Alcantara,  I  immediately  ordered  a  flank  movement  of 
the  light  infantry  regiment  to  cover  the  bridge  over  the  Tagus.  After 
breakfast '  " 

"  I'm  afraid,  Major,  that  is  not  precise  enough." 
"  Well, 

"  'About  eleven  o'clock,  the  French  skirmishers  attacked,  and  drove 
in  our  pickets  thai  were  posted  in  front  of  our  position,  and  following  rap- 
idly up  with  cavalry,  they  took  a  few  prisoners,  and  killed  old  Alphonzo; 
he  ran  like  a  man,  they  say,  but  they  caught  him  in  the  rear.' 

"  You  needn't  put  that  in,  if  you  don't  like. 

"  '  I  now  directed  a  charge  of  the  cavalry  brigade,  under  Don  Asturias 
Y'Hajos,  that  cut  them  up  in  fine  style.  Our  artillery,  posted  on  the 
heights,  mowing  away  at  their  columns  like  fun. 

"  '  Victor  didn't  like  this,  and  got  into  a  wood,  when  we  all  went  to 
dinner ;  it  was  about  two  o'clock  then. 

"  '  After  dinner,  the  Portuguese  light  coqjs,  under  Silva  da  Onorha,  hav- 
ing made  an  attack  upon  the  enemy's  left,  without  my  orders,  got  devilishly 
well  trounced,  and  served  them  right ;  but,  coming  up  to  their  assistance, 
with  the  heavy  brigade  of  guns,  and  the  cavalry,  we  drove  back  the  French, 
and  took  several  prisoners,  none  of  whom  we  put  to  death.' 

"  Dash  that — Sir  Arthur  likes  respect  for  the  usages  of  war. 
— Lord,  how  dry  I'm  getting! 

"  '  The  French  were  soon  seen  to  retire  their  heavy  guns,  and  speedily 
afterwards  retreated.  We  pursued  them  for  some  time,  but  they  showed 
fight ;  and,  as  it  was  getting  dark,  I  drew  off  my  forces,  and  came  here  to 
supper.  Your  Excellency  will  perceive,  by  the  enclosed  return,  that  our 
loss  has  been  considerable. 

"  '  I  send  this  despatch  by  Don  Emmanuel  Forgales,  whose  services ' 


440  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  I  back  him  for  mutton  hash  with  onions  against  the  whole 

regiment 

"  '  Have  been  of  the  most  distinguished  nature,  and  beg  to  recommend 
him  to  your  Excellency's  favor. 

"  '  I  have  the  honor,  etc' 

"  Is  it  finished,  Charley  ?  Egad,  I'm  glad  of  it,  for  here 
comes  supper." 

The  door  opened  as  he  spoke,  and  displayed  a  tempting  tray 
of  smoking  viands,  flanked  by  several  bottles — an  ofiicer  of 
the  Major's  staff  accompanied  it  and  showed,  by  his  attentions 
to  the  etiquette  of  the  table,  and  the  proper  arrangement  of  the 
meal,  that  his  functions  in  his  superior's  household  were  more 
than  military. 

We  were  speedily  joined  by  two  others  in  rich  uniform,  whose 
names  I  now  forget,  but  to  whom  the  Major  presented  me  in 
all  form ;  introducing  me,  as  well  as  I  could  interpret  his 
Spanish,  as  his  most  illustrious  ally  and  friend  Don  Carlos 
O'Malley. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

THE  SUPPER. 

T  HAVE  often  partaken  of  more  luxurious  cookery  and  rarer 
wines ;  but  never  do  I  remember  enjoying  a  more  welcome 
supper  than  on  this  occasion. 

Our  Portuguese  guest  left  us  soon,  and  the  Major  and  my- 
self were  once  more  tete-a-tete  beside  a  cheerful  fire  ;  a  well- 
chosen  array  of  bottles  guaranteeing  that,  for  some  time  at 
least,  no  necessity  of  leave-taking  should  arise  from  any  de- 
ficiency of  wine. 

"  That  sherry  is  very  near  the  thing,  Charley  ;  a  little,  a  very 
little  sharp,  but  the  after-taste  perfect;  and  now,  my  boy,  how- 
have  you  been  doing  since  we  parted  ?  " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  44 1 

"  Not  so  badl}',  Major.  I  have  already  got  a  step  in  promo- 
tion.    The  affair  at  the  Douro  gave  me  a  lieutenancy." 

"  I  wish  you  joy  with  all  my  heart.  I'll  call  you  Captain 
always  while  you're  with  me.  Upon  my  life  I  will.  Why,  man, 
they  style  me  your  Excellency  here.  Bless  your  heart !  we  are 
great  folk  among  the  Portuguese,  and  no  bad  service  after  all." 

"  I  should  think  not.  Major.  You  seem  to  have  always  made 
a  good  thing  of  it." 

"  No,  Charley ;  no,  my  boy.  They  overlook  us  greatly  in 
general  orders  and  despatches.  Had  the  brilliant  action  of  to- 
day been  fought  by  the  British^but  no  matter ;  they  may  be- 
have well  in   England,  after   all  ;  and,  when  I'm  called   to  the 

Upper  House  as  Baron  Monsoon  of  the  Tagus is  that  better 

than  Lord  Alcantara  ?  " 

"  I  prefer  the  latter." 

"  Well,  then,  I'll  have  it.  Lord  !  what  a  treaty  I'll  move  for 
,vith  Portugal,  to  let  us  have  wine  cheap.  Wine,  you  know,  as 
David  says,  gives  us  a  pleasant  countenance  ;  and  oil,  I  forget 
what  oil  does, — pass  over  the  decanter.  And  how  is  Sir 
Arthur,  Charley?  A  fine  fellow,  but  sadly  deficient  in  the 
knowledge  of  supplies. — Never  would  have  made  any  character 
in  the  commissariat. — Bless  your  heart,  he  pays  for  everything 
here,  as  if  he  were  in  Cheapside." 

"  How  absurd,  to  be  sure  !  " 

'*  Isn't  it,  though  ?  that  was  not  my  way,  when  I  was  com- 
iiissary-general  about  a  year  or  two  ago.  To  be  sure,  how  I 
did  puzzle  them  !  They  tried  to  audit  my  accounts  :  and  what 
do  you  think  I  did  ?  I  brought  them  in  three  thousand  pounds 
in  my  debt.  They  never  tried  on  that  game  any  more.  '  No, 
no  ! '  said  the  Junta ;  '  Beresford  and  Monsoon  are  great  men, 
and  must  be  treated  with  respect.'  Do  you  think  we'd  let  them 
search  our  pockets  ?  But  the  rogues  doubled  on  us,  after  all ; 
they  sent  us  to  the  northward, — a  poor  country " 

"  So  that,  except  a  little  common-place  pillage  of  the  con- 
vents and  nunneries,  you  had  little  or  nothing?" 


44^  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

"  Exactly  so ;  and  then  I  got  a  great  shock  about  that  time, 
that  affected  my  spirits  for  a  considerable  while." 

''  Indeed,  Major  !  some  illness  ?  " 

"  No,  I  was  quite  well  ;  but — Lord !  how  thirsty  it  makes 
me  to  think  of  it !  my  throat  is  absolutely  parched, — I  was 
near  being  hanged  !  " 

"  Hanged  ! " 

"  Yes.  Upon  my  life  it's  true — very  horrible,  ain't  it  ?  It 
had  a  great  effect  upon  my  nervous  system  ;  and  they  never 
thought  of  any  little  pension  to  me  as  a  recompense  for  my 
sufferings." 

"  And  who  was  barbarous  enough  to  think  of  such  a  thing, 
Major  ?  " 

"  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  himself  :  none  other,  Charley." 

"  Oh,  it  was  a  mistake.  Major,  or  a  joke," 

"  It  was  devilish  near  being  a  practical  one,  though.  I'll 
tell  you  how  it  occurred.  After  the  battle  of  Vimeira,  the 
brigade  to  which  I  was  attached  had  their  head-quarters  at 
San  Pietro,  a  large  convent  where  all  the  church  plate  for  miles 
around  was  stored  up  for  safety.  A  sergeant's  guard  was 
accordingly  stationed  over  the  refectory,  and  every  precaution 
taken  to  prevent  pillage,  Sir  Arthur  himself  having  given  par- 
ticular orders  on  the  subject.  Well,  somehow, — I  never  could 
find  out  how, — but,  in  leaving  the  place,  all  the  wagons  of  our 
brigade  had  got  some  trifling  articles  of  small  value  scattered, 
as  it  might  be,  among  their  stores — gold  cups,  silver  candle- 
sticks, Virgin  Marys,  ivory  crucifixes,  saints'  eyes  set  in  topazes, 
and  martyrs'  toes  in  silver  filigree,  and  a  hundred  other  similar 
things. 

"  One  of  these  confounded  bullock-cars  broke  down  just  at 
the  angle  of  the  road  where  the  Commander-in-Chief  was 
standing  with  his  staff  to  watch  the  troops  defile,  and  out 
rolled,  among  bread  rations  and  salt  beef,  a  whole  avalanche 
of  precious  relics  and  church  ornaments.  Every  one  stood 
aghast !     Never  was  there  such  a  misfortune.     No  one  endeav- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  443 

ored  to  repair  the  mishap,  but  all  looked  on  in  terrified  amaze- 
ment as  to  what  was  to  follow. 

"  '  Who  has  the  command  of  this  detachment  ? '  shouted  out 
Sir  Arthur,  in  a  voice  that  made  more  than  one  of  us  tremble. 

"  *  Monsoon,  your  Excellency — Major  Monsoon,  of  the  Por- 
tuguese brigade.' 

"  '  The  d — d  old  rogue  ! — I  know  him.'  Upon  my  life  that's 
what  he  said.  *  Hang  him  up  on  the  spot,'  pointing  with  his 
finger  as  he  spoke  ;  *  we  shall  see  if  this  practice  cannot  be  put 
a  stop  to.'  And  with  these  words  he  rode  leisurely  away,  as  if 
he  had  been  merely  ordering  dinner  for  a  small  party. 

"  When  I  came  up  to  the  place,  the  halberts  were  fixed, 
and  Gronow,  with  a  company  of  the  Fusiliers,  under  arms 
beside  them. 

"  '  Devilish  sorry  for  it,  Major,'  said  he.  '  It's  confoundedly 
unpleasant ;  but  can't  be  helped.  We've  got  orders  to  see  you 
hanged  ! ' 

"  Faith,  it  was  just  so  he  said  it,  tapping  his  snuff-box  as  he 
spoke,  and  looking  carelessly  about  him.  Now,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  fixed  halberts  and  the  Provost-Marshal,  I'd  not 
have  believed  him  ;  but  one  glance  at  them,  and  another  at  the 
bullock-cart  with  all  the  holy  images,  told  me  at  once  what  had 
happened. 

"  '  He  only  means  to  frighten  me  a  little  ?  Isn't  that  all, 
Gronow  ? '  cried  I,  in  a  supplicating  voice. 

"  'Very  possibly.  Major,'  said  he  ;  'but  I  must  execute  my 
orders.' 

"  '  You'll  surely  not '     Before   I  could  finish,   up  came 

Dan  Mackinnon,  cantering  smartly.  '  Going  to  hang  old  Mon- 
soon, eh,  Gronow  "i     What  fun  ! ' 

"  '  Ain't  it,  though  ! '  said  I,  half  blubbering. 

"  '  Well,  if  you're  a  good  Catholic,  you  may  have  your  choice 
of  a  saint,  for,  by  Jupiter  !  there's  a  strong  muster  of  them 
here.'  This  cruel  allusion  was  made  in  reference  to  the  gold 
and  silver  effigies  that  lay  scattered  about  the  highway. 


444  CHARLES  &M ALLEY. 

"  *  Dan,'  said  I,  in  a  whisper,  '  intercede  for  me — do,  like  a 
good,  kind  fellow.     You  have  influence  with  Sir  Arthur.* 

*' '  You  old  sinner,'  said  he,  '  it's  useless.' 

"  *  Dan,  I'll  forgive  you  the  fifteen  pounds.' 

"  *  That  you  owe  me^  said  Dan,  laughing. 

"'Who'll  ever  be  the  father  to  you  I  have  been?  Who'll 
mix  your  punch  with  burnt  Madeira,  when   I'm  gone  ?  *  said  I. 

" '  Well,  really,  I  am  sorry  for  you,  Monsoon.  I  say,  Gronow, 
don't  tuck  him  up  for  a  few  minutes;  I'll  speak  for  the  old 
villain,  and,  if  I  succeed,  I'll  wave  my  handkerchief.' 

"  Well,  away  went  Dan  at  a  full  gallop.  Gronow  sat  down 
on  a  bank,  and  I  fidgeted  about  in  no  very  enviable  frame  of 
mind,  the  confounded  Provost-Marshal  eyeing  me  all  the  while. 

" '  I  can  only  give  you  five  minutes  more.  Major,'  said  Gro- 
now, placing  his  watch  beside  him  on  the  grass.  I  tried  to 
pray  a  little,  and  said  three  or  four  of  Solomon's  proverbs, 
when  he  again  called  out, — '  There,  you  see  it  won't  do  !  Sir 
Arthur  is  shaking  his  head.' 

"  '  What's  that  waving  yonder  ? ' 

" '  The  colors  of  the  6th  Foot. — Come,  Major,  off  with  your 
stock.' 

"  '  Where  is  Dan  now — what  is  he  doing  ? ' — for  I  could  see 
nothing  myself. 

"  '  He's  riding  beside  Sir  Arthur.     They  all  seem  laughing.' 

"  *  God  forgive  them  !  what  an  awful  retrospect  this  will 
prove  to  some  of  them.' 

'"Time's  up  ! '  said  Gronow,  jumping  up,  and  replacing  his 
watch  in  his  pocket. 

"  '  Provost-Marshal,  be  quick  now ' 

" '  Eh  !  what's  that  ? — there,  I  see  it  waving !  there's  a  shout 
too!' 

"  '  Ay,  by  Jove  !  so  it  is  ;  well,  you're  saved  this  time,  Major 
— that's  the  signal.' 

"  So  saying,  Gronow  formed  his  fellows  in  line  and  resumed 
his  march  quite  coolly,  leaving  me  alone  on  the  roadside  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  445 

meditate  over  martial  law  and  my  pernicious  taste  for  relics. 

"  Well,  Charley,  this  gave  me  a  great  shock,  and  I  think, 
too,  it  must  have  had  a  great  effect  upon  Sir  Arthur  himself  ; 
but,  upon  my  life,  he  has  wonderful  nerves.  I  met  him  one 
day  afterwards  at  dinner  in  Lisbon  ;  he  looked  at  me  very  hard 
for  a  few  seconds — '  Eh,  Monsoon  !  Major  Monsoon,  I  think  ? ' 

"  '  Yes,  your  Excellency,'  said  I,  briefly ;  thinking  how  pain- 
ful it  must  be  for  him  to  meet  me. 

"  '  Thought  I  had  hanged  you — know  I  intended  it — no 
matter — a  glass  of  wine  with  you  ? ' 

"  Upon  my  life,  that  was  all ;  how  easily  some  people  can 
forgive  themselves  !  But,  Charley,  my  hearty,  we  are  getting 
on  slowly  with  the  tipple ;  are  they  all  empty  ?  so  they  are  ! 
let  us  make  a  sortie  on  the  cellar  ;  bring  a  candle  with  you,  and 
come  along." 

We  had  scarcely  proceeded  a  few  steps  from  the  door,  when 
a  most  vociferous  sound  of  mirth,  arising  from  a  neighboring 
apartment,  arrested  our  progress. 

"  Are  the  Dons  so  convivial,  Major  ? "  said  I,  as  a  hearty 
burst  of  laughter  broke  forth  at  the  moment. 

"  Upon  my  life,  they  surprise  me  ;  I  begin  to  fear  they  have 
taken  some  of  our  wine." 

We  now  perceived  that  the  sounds  of  merriment  came  from 
the  kitchen,  which  opened  upon  a  little  court-yard.  Into  this 
we  crept  stealthily,  and  approaching  noiselessly  to  the  window, 
obtained  a  peep  at  the  scene  within. 

Around  a  blazing  fire,  over  which  hung  by  a  chain  a  massive 
iron  pot,  sat  a  goodly  party  of  some  half-dozen  people.  One 
group  lay  in  dark  shadow,  but  the  others  were  brilliantly  light- 
ed up  by  the  cheerful  blaze,  and  showed  us  a  portly  Dominican 
friar,  with  a  beard  down  to  his  waist ;  a  buxom,  dark-eyed  girl 
of  some  eighteen  years  ;  and  between  the  two,  most  comfort- 
ably leaning  back,  with  an  arm  round  each,  no  less  a  person 
tiian  my  trusty  man,  Mickey  Free. 

It  was  evident,  from  the  alternate  motion  f)f  iiis  head,  that  his 


446  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

attentions  were  evenly  divided  between  the  church  and  the  fair 
sex — although,  to  confess  the  truth,  they  seemed  much  more 
favorably  received  by  the  latter  than  the  former — a  brown 
earthen  flagon  appearing  to  absorb  all  the  worthy  monk's 
thoughts  that  he  could  spare  from  the  contemplation  of  heavenly 
objects. 

"  Mary,  my  darlin',  don't  be  looking  at  me  that  way,  through 
the  corner  of  your  eye  ; — I  know  you're  fond  of  me — but  the 
girls  always  was.  You  think  I'm  joking,  but  troth  I  wouldn't  say 
a  lie  before  the  holy  man  beside  me  ;  sure  I  wouldn't,  father  ?  " 

The  friar  grunted  out  something  in  reply,  not  very  unUke,  in 
sound  at  least,  a  hearty  anathema. 

"  Ah,  then,  isn't  it  yourself  has  the  illigant  time  of  it,  father 
dear  !  "  said  he,  tapping  him  familiarly  upon  his  ample  paunch. 
"  and  nothing  to  trouble  you  ;  the  best  of  divarsion  wherever 
you  go,  and  whether  it's  Badahos  or  Ballykilruddery,  it's  all 
one  ;  the  women  is  fond  of  ye.  Father  Murphy,  the  coadjutor 
in  Scariff,  was  just  such  another  as  yourself,  and  he'd  coax  the 
birds  off  the  trees  with  the  tongue  of  him.  Give  us  a  pull  at  the 
pipkin  before  it's  all  gone,  and  I'll  give  you  a  chant." 

With  this  he  seized  the  jar,  and  drained  it  to  the  bottom  -, 
the  smack  of  his  lips  as  he  concluded,  and  the  disappointed 
look  of  the  friar,  as  he  peered  into  the  vessel,  throwing  the 
others,  once  more,  into  a  loud  burst  of  laughter. 

"  And  now,  your  rev'rance,  a  good  chorus  is  all  I  ask,  and 
you'll  not  refuse  it  for  the  honor  of  the  church." 

So  saying,  he  turned  a  look  of  most  droll  expression  upon  the 
monk,  and  began  the  following  ditty,  to  the  air  of 

'  St.  Patrick  was  a  Gentleman.* 
"  What  an  illegant  life  a  f nar  leads, 

With  a  fat  round  paunch  before  him : 
He  mutters  a  prayer  and  counts  his  beads, 

And  all  the  women  adore  him. 
It's  little  he's  troubled  to  work  or  think, 

Wherever  devotion  leads  him  ; 
A  '  pater '  pays  for  his  dinner  and  drink, 
For  the  church— good  h'ck  to  her :— feeds  him. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  447 

"  From  the  cow  in  the  field  to  the  pig  in  the  stye, 

From  the  maid  to  the  lady  in  satin, 
They  tremble,  wherever  he  turns  an  eye ; 

He  can  talk  to  the  devil  in  Latin ! 
He's  mighty  severe  to  the  ugly  and  ould, 

And  curses  like  mad  when  he's  near  'em; 
But  one  beautiful  trait  of  him  I've  been  tould, 

The  innocent  craytures  don't  fear  him. 

"  It's  little  for  spirits  or  ghosts  he  cares ; 

For  'tis  true  as  the  world  supposes, 
With  an  ave  he'd  make  them  march  downstairs, 

Av  they  dared  to  show  their  noses. 
The  devil  himself's  afraid,  'tis  said. 

And  dares  not  to  deride  him  ; 
For  '  angels  make  each  night  his  bed. 

And  then lie  down  beside  him.'  " 

A  perfect  burst  of  laughter  from  Monsoon  prevented  my 
hearing  how  Mike's  minstrelsy  succeeded  within  doors ;  but, 
when  I  looked  again,  I  found  that  the  friar  had  decamped, 
leaving  the  field  open  to  his  rival — a  circumstance,  I  could 
plainly  perceive,  not  disliked  by  either  party. 

"  Come  back,  Charley — that  villain  of  yours  has  given  me 
the  cramp,  standing  here  on  the  cold  pavement.  We'll  have  a 
little  warm  posset — very  small  and  thin,  as  they  say  in  Tom 
Jones — and  then  to  bed." 

Notwithstanding  the  abstemious  intentions  of  the  Major  it 
was  daybreak  ere  we  separated,  and  neither  party  in  a  condi- 
tion for  performing  upon  the  tight-rope. 


CHAPTER  LV. 


THE   LEGION. 


My  services,  while  with  the  Legion,  were  of  no  very  distin- 
guished character,  and  require  no  lengthened  chronicle.  Their 
great  feat  of  arms,  the  repulse  of  an  advanced  guard  of 
Victor's  corps,  iiad  taken  place  the  very  morning  I  had  joined 


448  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

them,  and  the  ensuing  month  was  passed  in  soft  repose  upon 
their  laurels. 

For  the  first  few  days,  indeed,  a  multiplicity  of  cares  beset  the 
worthy  Major.  There  was  a  despatch  to  be  written  to  Beres- 
ford — another  to  tlie  Supreme  Junta — a  letter  to  Wilson,  at 
that  time  with  a  corps  of  observation  to  the  eastward.  There 
were  some  wounded  to  be  looked  after — a  speech  to  be  made 
to  the  conquering  heroes  themselves — and,  lastly,  a  few  pris- 
oners were  taken,  whose  fate  seemed  certainly  to  partake  of 
the  most  uncertain  of  war's  proverbial  chances. 

The  despatches  gave  little  trouble  :  with  some  very  slight 
alterations,  the  great  original,  already  sent  forward  to  Sir 
Arthur,  served  as  a  basis  for  the  rest.  The  wounded  were  for- 
warded to  Alcantara,  with  a  medical  staff,  to  whom  Monsoon, 
at  parting,  pleasantly  hinted,  that  he  expected  to  see  all  the 
sick  at  their  duty  by  an  early  day,  or  he  would  be  compelled  to 
report  the  doctors.  The  speech,  which  was  intended  as  a  kind 
of  general  order,  he  deferred  for  some  favorable  afternoon,  when 
he  could  get  up  his  Portuguese  ;  and,  lastly,  came  the  prisoners, 
by  far  the  most  diihcult  of  all  his  cares.  As  for  the  few  com- 
mon soldiers  taken,  they  gave  him  little  uneasiness ;  as  Sir 
John  has  it,  they  were  "  mortal  men,  and  food  for  powder  ;  " 
but  there  was  a  staff-ofhcer  among  them,  aiguilletted  and  epau- 
letted.  The  very  decorations  he  wore  were  no  common  temp- 
tation. Now  the  Major  deliberated  a  long  time  with  himself ; 
whether  the  usages  of  modern  war  might  not  admit  of  the 
ancient,  time-honored  practice  of  ransom.  The  battle,  save 
in  glory,  had  been  singularly  unproductive — plunder  there  was 
none — the  few  ammunition-wagons  and  gun-carriages  were 
worth  little  or  nothing ;  so  that,  save  the  prisoners,  nothing 
remained.  Tt  was  late  in  the  evening — the  mellow  hour  of  the 
^Major's  meditations — when  he  ventured  to  open  his  heart  to 
me  upon  the  matter. 

"  I  was  just  thinking,  Charley,  how  very  superior  they  were, 
in  olden  times,  to  us  moderns,  in  many  matters,   and  nothing 


THE  IRISH  dragoon: 


449 


more  than  in  their  treatment  of  prisoners.  They  never  took 
them  away  from  their  friends  and  country ;  they  always  ran- 
somed them — if  they  had  wherewithal  to  pay  their  way.  So 
good-natured — upon  my  life  it  was  a  most  excellent  custom. 
They  took  any  little  valuables  they  found  about  them,  and  then 
put  them  up  at  auction.  Moses  and  Eleazar,  a  priest,  we  are 
told,  took  every  piece  of  gold,  andtlieir  wrought  jewels — mean- 
ing their  watches  and  ear-rings.  You  needn't  laugh,  they  all 
wore  ear-rings,  those  fellows  did.  Now,  why  shouldn't  I  profit 
by  their  good  example  ?  I  have  taken  Agag,  the  King  of  the 
Amalekites — no,  but,  upon  my  life,  I  have  got  a  French 
Major,  and  I'd  let  him  go  for  fifty  doubloons." 

It  was  not  without  much  laughing,  and  some  eloquence,  that 
I  could  persuade  Monsoon  that  Sir  Arthur's  military  notions 
might  not  accept  of  even  the  authority  of  Moses  ;  and,  as 
our  head-quarters  were  at  no  great  distance,  the  danger  of 
such  a  step  as  he  meditated  was  too  considerable  at  such  a 
moment. 

As  for  ourselves,  no  fatiguing  drills,  no  harassing  field-days, 
and  no  provoking  inspections  interfered  with  the  easy  current 
of  our  lives.  Foraging  parties  there  were,  it  was  true,  and  some 
occasional  outpost  duty  was  performed  ;  but  the  officers  for 
both  were  selected  with  a  tact  that  proved  the  Major's 
appreciation  of  character;  for,  while  the  gay  joyous  fellow  that 
sung  a  jovial  song  and  loved  his  liquor  was  certain  of  being 
entertained  at  head-quarters,  the  less-gifted  and  less-congenial 
spirit  had  the  happiness  of  scouring  the  country  for  forage,  and 
presenting  himself  as  a  target  to  a  French  rifie. 

My  own  endeavors  to  fulfil  my  instructions  met  with  but 
little  encouragement  or  support ;  and,  although  I  labored  hard 
at  my  task,  I  must  confess  that  the  soil  was  a  most  ungrateful 
one.  The  cavalry  were,  it  is  true,  composed  mostly  of  young 
fellows  well  appointed,  and  in  most  cases  well  mounted  ;  but  a 
more  disorderly,  careless,  undisciplined  set  of  good-humored 
fellows  never  formed  a  corps  in  the  world. 
29 


450  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Monsoon's  opinions  were  felt  in  every  branch  of  the  service, 
from  the  adjutant  to  the  drumboy— the  same  reckless,  indolent, 
plunder-loving  spirit  prevailed  everywhere.  And  although, 
under  fire,  they  showed  no  lack  of  gallantry  or  courage,  the 
moment  of  danger  passed,  discipline  departed  with  it,  and  their 
only  conception  of  benefiting  by  a  victory  consisted  in  the 
amount  of  pillage  that  resulted  from  it. 

From  time  to  time  the  rumors  of  great  events  reached  us.  We 
heard  that  Soult,  having  succeeded  in  reorganizing  his  beaten 
army,  was,  in  conjunction  with  Ney's  corps,  returning  from  the 
north  ;  that  the  Marshals  were  consolidating  their  forces  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Talavera,  and  that  King  Joseph  himself,  at 
the  head  of  a  large  army,  had  marched  for  Madrid. 

Menacing  as  such  an  aspect  of  affairs  was,  it  had  little  dis- 
turbed the  Major's  equanimity  ;  and  when  our  advanced  posts 
reported  daily  the  intelligence  that  the  French  were  in  retreat, 
he  cared  little  with  what  object  of  concentrating  they  retired, 
provided  the  interval  between  us  grew  gradually  wider.  His 
speculations  upon  the  future  were  singularly  prophetic. 
"You'll  see,  Charley,  what  will  happen  ;  old  Cuesta  will  pursue 
them,  and  get  thrashed.  The  English  will  come  up,  and  per- 
haps get  thrashed  too  ;  but  we — God  bless  us  !  are  only  a  small 
force,  partially  organized  and  ill  to  depend  on  ;  we'll  go  up  the 
mountains  till  all  is  over  !  "  Thus  did  the  Major's  discretion 
not  only  extend  to  the  avoidance  of  danger,  but  he  actually 
disqualified  himself  from  even  making  its  acquaintance. 

Meanwhile,  our  operations  consisted  in  making  easy  marches 
to  Almarez,  halting  wherever  the  commissariat  reported  a  well- 
stocked  cellar  or  well-furnished  hen-roost  ;  taking  the  primrose 
path  in  life,  and  being,  in  words  of  the  Major,  "  contented  and 
grateful,  even  amid  great  perils  !  " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


451 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

THE      DEPARTURE. 

On  the  morning  of  the  loth  July,  a  despatch  reached  us  an- 
nouncing that  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  had  taken  up  his  head- 
quarters at  Placentia,  for  the  purpose  of  communicating  with 
Cuesta,  then  at  Casa  del  Puerto,  and  ordering  me  immediately 
to  repair  to  the  Spanish  head-quarters,  and  await  Sir  Arthur's 
arrival,  to  make  my  report  upon  the  effective  state  of  our 
corps.  As  for  me,  I  was  heartily  tired  of  the  inaction  of  my 
present  life,  and,  much  as  I  relished  the  eccentricities  of  my 
friend  the  Major,  longed  ardently  for  a  different  sphere  of 
action. 

Not  so  Monsoon  ;  the  prospect  of  active  employment,  and 
the  thoughts  of  being  left  once  more  alone — for  his  Portuguese 
staff  afforded  him  little  society — depressed  him  greatly,  and, 
as  the  hour  of  my  departure  drew  near,  he  appeared  lower  in 
spirits  than  I  had  ever  seen  him. 

"  I  shall  be  very  lonely  without  you,  Charley,"  said  he,  with 
a  sigh,  as  we  sat  the  last  evening  together  beside  our  cheerful 
wood  fire.  "  I  have  little  intercourse  with  the  Dons ;  for  my 
Portuguese  is  none  of  the  best,  and  only  comes  when  the  even- 
ing is  far  advanced;  and,  besides,  the  villains,  I  fear,  may  re- 
member the  sherry  affair.  Two  of  my  present  staff  were  with 
me  then." 

"  Is  that  the  story  Power  so  often  alluded  to.  Major,  the 
King  of  Spain's ?" 

"  There,  Charley,  hush — be  cautious,  my  boy.  I'd  rather 
not  speak  about  tliat  till  we  get  amongst  our  own  fellows." 

"  Just  as  you  like.  Major;  but,  do  you  know,  I  have  a  strong 
curiosity  to  hear  the  narrative," 


45: 


CHARLES  a M ALLEY. 


"  If  I'm  not  mistaken,  there  is  some  one  listening  at  the 
door — gently — that's  it,  eh  ?  " 

"  No,  we  are  perfectly  alone  ;  the  night's  early — who  knows 
when  we  shall  have  as  quiet  an  hour  again  together  ?  Let  me 
hear  it,  by  all  means." 

"  Well,  I  don't  care;  the  thing.  Heaven  knows!  is  tolerably 
well  known  ;  so,  if  you'll  amuse  yourself  making  a  devil  of  the 
turkey's  legs  there,  I'll  tell  you  the  story.  It's  very  short, 
Charley,  and  there's  no  moral ;  so  you're  not  likely  to  repeat 
it." 

So  saying,  the  Major  filled  up  his  glass,  drew  a  little  closer 
to  the  fire,  and  began  : — 

"  When  the  French  troops,  under  Laborde,  were  marching 
upon  Alcobaca,  in  concert  with  Loison's  corps,  I  was  ordered 
to  convey  a  very  valuable  present  of  sherry  the  Due  d'Albu- 
querque  was  making  to  the  Supreme  Junta — no  less  than  ten 
hogsheads  of  the  best  sherry  the  royal  cellars  of  Madrid  had 
formerly  contained. 

"  It  was  stored  in  the  San  Vincente  convent ;  and  the  Junta, 
knowing  a  little  about  monkish  tastes  and  the  wants  of  the 
church,  prudently  thought  it  would  be  quite  as  well  at  Lisbon. 
I  was  accordingly  ordered,  with  a  sufficient  force,  to  provide 
for  its  safe-conduct  and  secure  arrival,  and  set  out  upon 
mymarch  one  lovely  morning  in  April  with  my  precious  con- 
voy. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  never  could  understand,  why  temptations 
are  thrown  in  our  way  in  this  life,  except  for  the  pleasure  of 
yielding  to  them.  As  for  me,  I'm  a  stoic  when  there's  nothing 
to  be  had ;  but  let  me  get  a  scent  of  a  well-kept  haunch,  the 
odor  of  a  wine-bin  once  in  my  nose,  I  forget  everything  except 
appropriation — that  bone  smells  deliciously,  Charley  ;  a  little 
garlic  would  improve  it  vastly. 

"  Our  road  lay  through  cross-paths  and  mountain  tracts — 
for  the  French  were  scouring  the  country  on  every  side — and 
my  fellows,  only  twenty  altogether,  trembled  at  the  very  name 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  453 

of  them ;  so  that  our  only  chance  was  to  avoid  falUng  in  with 
any  forage  parties.  We  journeyed  along  for  several  days,  rarely 
making  more  than  a  few  leagues  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  a 
scout  always  in  advance  to  assure  us  that  all  was  safe.  The 
road  was  a  lonesome  one,  and  the  way  weary — for  I  had  no 
one  to  speak  to  or  converse  with— so  I  fell  into  a  kind  of  mus- 
ing fit  about  the  old  wine  in  the  great  brown  casks.  I  thought 
on  its  luscious  flavor,  its  rich  straw  tint,  its  oily  look  as  it 
flowed  into  the  glass,  the  mellow  after-taste,  warming  the  heart 
as  it  went  down,  and  I  absolutely  thought  I  could  smell  it 
through  the  wood. 

"  How  I  longed  to  broach  one  of  them,  if  it  were  only  to  see 
if  my  dreams  about  it  were  correct.  '  Maybe  it's  brown  sherry,' 
thought  I,  '  and  I  am  all  wrong.'  This  was  a  very  distressing 
reflection.  I  mentioned  it  to  the  Portuguese  Intendant,  who 
travelled  with  us  as  a  kind  of  supercargo ;  but  the  villain  only 
grinned,  and  said  something  about  the  Junta  and  the  galleys 
for  life  ;  so  I  did  not  recur  to  it  afterwards.  Well,  it  was  upon 
the  third  evening  of  our  march  that  the  scout  reported  that  at 
Merida,  about  a  league  distant,  he  had  fallen  in  with  an  English 
cavalry  regiment,  who  were  on  their  march  to  the  northern  prov- 
inces, and  remaining  that  night  in  the  village.  As  soon,  there- 
fore, as  I  had  made  all  my  arrangements  for  the  night,  I  took 
a  fresh  horse,  and  cantered  over  to  have  a  look  at  my  country- 
men, and  hear  the  news.  When  I  arrived  it  was  a  dark  night ; 
but  I  was  not  long  in  finding  out  our  fellows.  They  were  the 
nth  Light  Dragoons,  commanded  by  my  old  friend  Bowes, 
and  with  as  jolly  a  mess  as  any  in  the  service. 

"  Before  half-an-hour's  time  I  was  in  the  midst  of  them,  hear- 
ing all  about  the  campaign,  and  telling  them  in  return  about 
my  convoy — dilating  upon  the  qualities  of  the  wine,  as  if  I  had 
been  drinking  it  every  day  at  dinner. 

"  We  had  a  very  mellow  night  of  it,  and  before  four  o'clock 
the  senior  major  and  four  captains  were  under  the  table,  and 
all  the  subs,  in  a  state  unprovided  for  by  the  articles  of  war. 


454  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

So  I  thought  I'd  be  going,  and,  wishing  the  sober  ones  a  good- 
bye, set  out  on  my  road  to  join  my  own  party. 

"  I  had  not  gone  above  a  hundred  yards  when  I  heard  some 
one  running  after,  and  calling  out  my  name. 

"  '  I  say,  Monsoon ;  Major,  confound  you,  pull  up.' 

"  '  Well,  what's  the  matter  ?  has  any  more  lush  turned  up  ?  * 
inquired  I,  for  we  had  drank  the  tap  dry  when  I  left. 

"  '  Not  a  drop,  old  fellow  ! '  said  he  ;  '  but  I  was  thinking  of 
what  you've  been  saying  about  that  sherry.' 

"  '  Well !     What  then  ?  ' 

"  '  Why,  I  want  to  know  how  we  could  get  a  taste  of  it  ? ' 

"  '  You'd  better  get  elected  one  of  the  Cortes,'  said  I,  laugh- 
ing ;  'for  it  does  not  seem  likely  you'll  do  so  in  any  other  way.' 

"  '  I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,'  said  he,  smiling.  '  What  road  do 
you  travel  to-morrow  ? ' 

"  *  By  Cavalhos  and  Reina.* 

"  'Whereabouts  may  you  happen  to  be  towards  sunset?' 

" '  I  fear  we  shall  be  in  the  mountains,'  said  I,  with  a  know- 
ing look,  'where  ambuscades  and  surprise  parties  would  be 
highly  dangerous.' 

"  *  And  your  party  consists  of ? ' 

"  '  About  twenty  Portuguese,  all  ready  to  run  at  the  first  shot.' 

"  '  I'll  do  it.  Monsoon  !     I'll  be  hanged  if  I  don't.' 

"  '  But,  Tom,'  said  I,  'don't  make  any  blunder;  only  blank 
cartridge,  my  boy.' 

"  '  Honor  bright ! '  cried  he  ;  '  your  fellows  are  armed,  of 
course  ? ' 

" '  Never  think  of  that ;  they  may  shoot  each  other  in  the 
confusion  ;  but,  if  you  only  make  plenty  of  noise  coming  on, 
they'll  never  wait  for  you.' 

"  '  What  capital  fellows  they  must  be  !  * 

" '  Crack  troops,  Tom  ;  so  don't  hurt  them  :  and  now,  good- 
night.' 

"  As  I  cantered  off,  I  began  to  think  over  O'Flaherty's  idea, 
and,  upon  my  life,  I  didn't  half  like  it :  he  was  a  reckless,  devil- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  455 

may- care  fellow,  and  it  was  just  as  likely  he  would  really  put 
his  scheme  into  practice. 

"  When  morning  broke,  however,  we  got  under  way  again, 
and  I  amused  myself  all  the  forenoon  in  detailing  stories  of 
French  cruelty;  so  that,  before  we  had  marched  ten  miles, 
there  was  not  a  man  amongst  us  not  ready  to  run  at  the  slight- 
est sound  of  attack  on  any  side.  As  evening  was  falling  we 
reached  Morento,  a  little  mountain  pass  which  follows  the 
course  of  a  small  river,  and  where,  in  many  places,  the  mule 
carts  had  barely  space  enough  to  pass  between  the  cliffs  and 
the  stream.  '  \A'hat  a  place  for  Tom  O'Flaherty  and  his  for- 
agers ! '  thought  I,  as  we  entered  the  little  mountain  gorge  ;  but 
all  was  silent  as  the  grave ;  except  the  tramp  of  our  party,  not 
a  sound  was  heard.  There  was  something  solemn  and  still  in 
the  great  brown  mountain,  rising  like  vast  walls  on  either  side, 
with  a  narrow  streak  of  gray  sky  at  top,  and  in  the  dark  slug- 
gish stream,  that  seemed  to  awe  us,  and  no  one  spoke  ;  the  mule- 
teer ceased  his  merry  song,  and  did  not  crack  or  flourish  his 
long  whip  as  before,  but  chid  his  beasts  in  a  half-muttered 
voice,  and  urged  them  faster,  to  reach  the  village  before  night- 
fall. 

"  Egad,  somehow,  I  felt  uncommonly  uncomfortable  ;  I  could 
not  divest  my  mind  of  the  impression  that  some  disaster  was 
impending,  and  I  wished  O'Flaherty  and  his  project  in  a  very 
warm  climate.  '  He'll  attack  us,'  thought  I,  '  where  we  can't 
run ;  fair  play  forever ;  but,  if  they  are  not  able  to  get  away, 
even  the  militia  will  fight.'  However,  the  evening  crept  on, 
and  no  sign  of  his  coming  appeared  on  any  side,  and,  to  my 
sincere  satisfaction,  I  could  see,  about  half  a  league  distant, 
the  twinkling  light  of  the  little  village  where  we  were  to  halt 
for  the  night.  It  was  just  at  this  time  that  a  scout  I  had  sent 
out  some  few  hundred  yards  in  advance  came  galloping  up, 
almost  breathless. 

"  '  The  French,  captain  ;  the  French  are  upon  us  1 '  said  he, 
with  a  face  like  a  ghost. 


456  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  *  Whew  !  Which  way  ?  how  many  ? '  said  I,  not  at  all  sure 
that  he  might  not  be  telling  the  truth. 

"  '  Coming  in  force  ! '  said  the  fellow  ;  *  dragoons  !  by  this 
road.' 

" '  Dragoons  ?  By  this  road  ? '  repeated  every  man  of  the 
party,  looking  at  each  other  like  men  sentenced  to  be  hanged. 

"  Scarcely  had  they  spoken,  when  we  heard  the  distant  noise 
of  cavalry  advancing  at  a  brisk  trot.  Lord,  what  a  scene  en- 
sued !  the  soldiers  ran  hither  and  thither  like  frightened  sheep ; 
some  pulled  out  crucifixes  and  began  to  say  their  prayers ; 
others  fired  off  their  muskets  in  a  panic  ;  the  mule-drivers  cut 
their  traces,  and  endeavored  to  get  away  by  riding;  and  the 
Intendant  took  to  his  heels,  screaming  out  to  us,  as  he  went, 
to  fight  manfully  to  the  last,  and  that  he'd  report  us  favorably 
to  the  Junta. 

"Just  at  this  moment  the  dragoons  came  in  sight ;  they  came 
galloping  up,  shouting  like  madmen.  One  look  was  enough 
for  my  fellows ;  they  sprang  to  their  legs  from  their  devotions ; 
fired  a  volley  straight  at  the  new  moon,  and  ran  like  men. 

"  I  was  knocked  down  in  the  rush.  As  I  regained  my  legs, 
Tom  O'Flaherty  was  standing  beside  me,  laughing  like  mad, 

"  '  Eh,  Monsoon  !  I've  kept  my  word,  old  fellow  !  What 
legs  they  have  !  we  shall  make  no  prisoners,  that's  certain. — 
Now,  lads,  here  it  is  !  put  the  horses  to,  here.  We  shall  take 
but  one.  Monsoon,  so  that  your  gallant  defence  of  the  rest  will 
please  the  Junta.  Good-night ;  good-night !  I  will  drink  your 
health  every  night  these  two  months.' 

"  So  saying,  Tom  sprang  to  his  saddle,  and  in  less  time  than 
I've  been  telling  it  the  whole  was  over,  and  I  sitting  by  myself 
in  the  gray  moonlight,  meditating  on  all  I  saw,  and  now  and 
then  shouting  for  my  Portuguese  friends  to  come  back  again. 
They  came  in  time,  by  twos  and  threes,  and  at  last  the  whole 
party  reassembled,  and  we  set  forth  again, — every  man,  from 
the  Intendant  to  the  drummer,  lauding  my  valor,  and  saying 
that  Don  Monsoon  was  a  match  for  the  Cid." 


Till:  IRISH  DRAGOON.  457 

"  And  how  did  the  Junta  behave  ?  " 

"  Like  trumps,  Charley.  Made  me  a  Knight  of  Battalha, 
and  kissed  me  on  both  cheeks,  having  sent  twelve  dozen  of  the 
rescued  wine  to  my  quarters,  as  a  small  testimony  of  their 
esteem.  I  have  laughed  very  often  at  it  since.  But,  hush  ! 
Charley.     What's  that  I  hear  without  there  ?  " 

"  Oh,  it's  my  fellow,  Mike.  He  asked  my  leave  to  entertain 
his  friends  before  parting,  and  I  perceive  he  is  delighting  them 
with  a  song." 

"  But,  what  a  confounded  air  it  is  !  are  the  words  Hebrew?  " 

"Irish,  Major  ;  most  classical  Irish,  too,  I'll  be  bound." 

"  Irish  !  I've  heard  most  tongues  ;  but  that  certainly  surprises 
me.      Call  him  in,  Charley,  and  let  us  have  the  canticle." 

In  a  few  minutes  more,  Mr.  Free  appeared,  in  a  state  of  very 
satisfactory  elevation,  his  eyebrows  alternately  rising  and  fall- 
ing, his  mouth  a  little  drawn  to  one  side,  and  a  side  motion  in 
his  knee-joints  that  might  puzzle  a  physiologist  to  account 
for. 

"  A  sweet  little  song  of  yours,  Mike,"  said  the  Major ;  "  a 
very  sweet  thing  indeed.     Wet  your  lips,  Mickey." 

"  Long  life  to  your  honor,  and  Master  Charles  there  too,  and 
them  that  belongs  to  both  of  yez.  May  a  gooseberry  skin  make 
a  nightcap  for  the  man  would  harm  either  of  ye." 

"  Thank  you,  Mike.     And  now  about  that  song." 

"  It's  the  ouldest  tune  ever  was  sung,  "  said  Mike,  with  a 
hiccup,  "  barring  Adam  had  a  taste  for  music  ;  but  the  words — 
the  poethry  is  not  so  ould." 

"  And  how  comes  that  ?  " 

"The  poethry,  ye  see,  was  put  to  it  by  one  of  my  ancesthors 
— he  was  a  great  inventhor  in  times  past,  and  made  beautiful 
songs — and  ye'd  never  guess  what  it's  all  about." 

"  Love,  mayhap  ?"  quoth  Monsoon. 

"  Sorra  taste  of  kissing  from  beginning  to  end." 

"A  drinking  song?  "  said  I. 

"  Whisky  is  never  mentioned." 


458  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Fighting  is  the  only  other  national  pastime.  It  must  be  in 
praise  of  sudden  death  ? " 

"  You're  out  again  ;  but  sure  you'd  never  guess  it,  "  said 
Mike.  "  Well,  ye  see,  here's  what  it  is.  It's  the  praise  and 
glory  of  ould  Ireland  in  the  great  days  that's  gone,  when  we 
were  all  Phenayceans  and  Armenians,  and  when  we  worked  all 
manner  of  beautiful  contrivances  in  goold  and  silver  ;  bracelets, 
and  collars,  and  teapots,  illegant  to  look  at ;  and  read  Roosian 
and  Latin,  and  played  the  harp  and  the  barrel-organ  ;  and  ate 
and  drank  of  the  best,  for  nothing  but  asking." 

"  Blessed  times,  upon  my  life  !  "  quoth  the  Major  ;  "  I  wish 
we  had  them  back  again." 

"  There's  more  of  your  mind,"  said  Mike,  steadying  himself. 
"  My  ancesthors  was  great  people  in  them  days ;  and  sure  it 
isn't  in  my  present  situation  I'd  be  av  we  had  them  back  again 
— sorra  bit,  faith  !  It  isn't,  '  Come  here,  INIickey,  bad  luck  to 
you,  Mike  ! '  or,  '  That  blackguard,  Mickey  Free  ! '  people  'd 
be  calling  me.  But  no  matter  ;  here's  your  health  again,  Major 
Monsoon ' 

"  Never  mind  vain  regrets,  Mike.  Let  us  hear  your  song  ; 
the  Major  has  taken  a  great  fancy  to  it." 

"Ah,  then,  it's  joking  you  are.  Mister  Charles,"  said  Mike, 
affecting  an  air  of  most  bashful  coyness. 

"  By  no  means ;  we  want  to  hear  you  sing  it." 

"  To  be  sure  we  do.  Sing  it  by  all  means  ;  never  be  ashamed. 
King  David  was  very  fond  of  singing — upon  my  life  he 
was." 

"  But  you'd  never  understand  a  word  of  it,  sir." 

"  No  matter  ;  we  know  what  it's  about.  That's  the  way  with 
the  Legion ;  they  don't  know  much  English,  but  they  generally 
guess  what  I'm  at." 

This  argument  seemed  to  satisfy  all  Mike's  remaining 
scruples,  so,  placing  himself  in  an  attitude  of  considerable 
pretension  as  to  grace,  he  began,  with  a  voice  of  no  very 
measured   compass,  an    air,  of   which,  neither  by  name   nor 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  459 

Otherwise,  can  I  give  any  conception  ;  my  principal  amusement 
being  derived  from  a  tol-de-rol  chorus  of  the  Major,  which  con- 
cluded each  verse  and,  indeed,  in  a  lower  key,  accompanied 
the  singer  throughout. 

Since  that  I  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  free-and-easy 
translation  of  the  lyric  ;  but  in  my  anxiety  to  preserve  the  metre 
and  something  of  the  spirit  of  the  original,  I  have  made  sever- 
al blunders  and  many  anachronisms.  Mr.  Free,  however,  pro- 
nounces my  version  a  good  one  ;  and  the  world  must  take  his 
word  till  some  more  worthy  translator  shall  have  consigned  it 
to  immortal  verse. 

With  this  apology,  therefore,  I  present   Mr.    Free's  song : — 

Air — '  N'a  GiiillocJi  y'  Goidcn? 

"  Oh !  once  we  were  illigiiit  people, 

Though  we  now  live  in  cabins  of  mud; 
And  the  land  that  ye  see  from  the  steeple, 

Belonged  to  us  all  from  the  Flood. 
My  father  was  then  King  of  Connaught, 

My  grand-aunt  Viceroy  of  Tralee ; 
But  the  Sassenach  came,  and,  signs  on  it. 

The  devil  an  acre  have  we. 

"The  least  of  us  then  were  all  earls. 

And  jewels  we  wore  without  name ; 
We  drank  punch  out  of  rubies  and  pearls — 

Mr.  Petrie  can  tell  you  the  same. 
But,  except  some  turf  mould  and  potatoes. 

There's  nothing  our  own  we  can  call ; 
And  the  English — bad  luck  to  them  ! — hate  us, 

Because  we've  more  fun  than  them  all ! 

"  My  grand-aunt  was  niece  to  St.  Kevin, 

That's  the  reason  my  name's  Mickey  Free  I 
Priest's  nieces — but  sure  he's  in  heaven. 

And  his  failins  is  nothin'  to  me. 
And  we  still  might  get  on  without  doctors. 

If  tliey'd  let  the  ould  Island  alone : 
And  if  purple-men,  priests,  and  titlic-proctors. 

Were  crammed  down  the  great  gun  of  Atliloue." 

As  Mike's  melody  proceeded,  the  Major's  thorough  bass 
waxed  beautifully  less — now  and  then,  it's  true,  roused  by  some 


46o  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

momentary  strain,  it  swelled  upwards  in  full  chorus,  but  gradu- 
ally these  passing  flights  grew  rarer,  and  finally  all  ceasedj 
save  a  long,  low,  droning  sound,  like  the  expiring  sigh  of  a 
wearied  bagpipe.  His  fingers  still  continued  mechanically  to 
beat  time  upon  the  table,  and  still  his  head  nodded  sympathet- 
ically to  the  music  ;  his  eyelids  closed  in  sleep,  and,  as  the 
last  verse  concluded,  a  full-drawn  snore  announced  that  Mon- 
soon, if  not  in  the  land  of  dreams,  was,  at  least,  in  a  happy 
oblivion  of  all  terrestrial  concerns,  and  caring  as  little  for  the 
woes  of  green  Erin,  and  the  altered  fortunes  of  the  Free  fam- 
ily, as  any  Saxon  that  ever  oppressed  them. 

There  he  sat,  the  finished  decanter  and  empty  goblet  testi- 
fying that  his  labors  had  only  ceased  from  the  pressure  of 
necessity ;  but  the  broken,  half-uttered  words  that  fell  from 
his  lips  evinced  that  he  reposed  on  the  last  bottle  of  the 
series. 

"  Oh,  thin  !  he's  a  fine  ould  gentleman,"  said  Mike,  after  a 
pause  of  some  minutes,  during  which  he  had  been  contemplat- 
ing the  Major  with  all  the  critical  acumen  Chantrey  or  Canova 
would  have  bestowed  upon  an  antique  statue — "  a  fine  ould 
gentleman,  every  inch  of  him  ;  and  it's  the  master  would  like  to 
have  him  up  at  the  castle." 

"Quite  true,  Mike ;  but  let  us  not  forget  the  road.  Look  to 
the  cattle,  and  be  ready  to  start  within  an  hour." 

When  he  left  the  room  for  this  purpose,  I  endeavored  to  shake 
the  Major  into  momentary  consciousness  ere  we  parted. 

"  Major,  Major,''  said  I,  "  time  is  up.     I  must  start." 

"  Yes,  it's  all  true,  your  Excellency ;  they  pillaged  a  little ; 
and,  if  they  did  change  their  facings  there  was  a  great  tempta- 
tion.    All  the  red  velvet  they  found  in  the  churches " 

"  Good-bye,  old  fellow,  good-bye  !  " 

"  Stand  at  ease  !  " 

"Can't,  unfortunately,  yet  awhile  :  so  farewell.  I'll  make  a 
capital  report  of  the  Legion  to  Sir  Arthur ;  shall  I  add  any- 
thing particularly  from  yourself  ?  " 


riJE  IRISH  DliA  C  0  OX.  46  J 

This,  and  the  shake  that  accompanied  it,  aroused  him  :  he 
started  up,  and  looked  about  him  for  a  few  seconds. 

"  Eh,  Charley  !  You  didn't  say  Sir  Arthur  was  here,  did 
you  ?  " 

"  No,  Major ;  don't  be  frightened  ;  he's  many  a  league  off. 
I  asked  if  you  had  anything  to  say  when  I  met  him  ?  " 

"Oh  yes,  Charley.  Tell  him  we're  capital  troops  in  our  own 
little  way  in  the  mountains  ;  would  never  do  in  pitched  battles  ; 
skirmishing's  our  forte  ;  and,  for  cutting  off  stragglers,  or  sack- 
ing a  town,  back  them  at  any  odds." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  all  that :  you've  nothing  more  ?  " 

"  Nothing,"  said  he,  once  more  closing  his  eyes  and  cross- 
ing his  hands  before  him,  while  his  lips  continued  to  mutter 
on,  "  Nothing  more,  except  you  may  say  from  me, — he  knows 
me,  Sir  Arthur  does.  Tell  him  to  guard  himself  from  intem- 
perance :  a  fine  fellow  if  he  wouldn't  drink." 

"  You  horrid  old  humbug,  what  nonsense  are  you  muttering 
there  t  " 

"Yes,  yes;  Solomon  says,  'Who  hath  red  eyes  and  carbun- 
cles?'— they  that  mix  their  lush.  Pure  6'//(?>y/  never  injured 
anyone.  Tell  him  so  from  me  ;  its  an  old  man's  advice,  and  I 
have  drunk  some  hogsheads  of  it." 

With  these  words  he  ceased  to  speak,  while  his  head,  falling 
gently  forward  upon  his  chest,  proclaimed  him  sound  asleep. 

"  Adieu !  then,  for  the  last  time,"  said  I,  slapping  him 
gently  on  the  shoulder.     "  And  now  for  the  road." 


CHAPTER  LVII. 

CUESTA. 


The  second  day  of  our  journey  was  drawing  to  a  close  as  we 
came  in  view  of  the  Spanish  army. 

The  position  they  occupied  was  an  undulating  plain  beside 


463  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  Teitar  river  :  the  country  presented  no  striking  feature  of 
picturesque  beauty  ;  but  the  scene  before  us  needed  no  such 
aid  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  interesting  kind.  From  the 
Httle  mountain  path  we  travelled,  we  beheld  beneath  a  force  of 
thirty  thousand  men  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  dense  columns 
of  infantry  alternating  with  squadrons  of  horse,  or  dark  masses 
of  artillery  dotted  the  wide  plain,  the  bright  steel  glittering  in 
the  rich  sunset  of  a  July  evening,  when  not  a  breath  of  air  was 
stirring  :  the  very  banners  hung  down  listlessly,  and  not  a  sound 
broke  the  solemn  stillness  of  the  hour.  All  was  silent :  so  im- 
pressive and  so  strange  was  the  spectacle  of  a  vast  army  thus 
resting  mutely  under  arms,  that  I  reined  in  my  horse,  and 
almost  doubted  the  reality  of  the  scene  as  I  gazed  upon  it. 
The  dark  shadows  of  the  tall  mountain  were  falling  across  the 
valley,  and  a  starry  sky  was  already  replacing  the  ruddy  glow 
of  sunset  as  we  reached  the  plain  ;  but  still  no  change  took  place 
in  the  position  of  the  Spanish  army. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  cried  a  hoarse  voice  as  we  issued 
from  the  mountain  gorge,  and  in  a  moment  we  found  our- 
selves surrounded  by  an  outpost  party.  Having  explained, 
as  well  as  I  was  able,  who  I  was,  and  for  what  reason  I 
was  there,  I  proceeded  to  accompany  the  officer  towards  the 
camp. 

On  my  way  thither  I  learned  the  reason  of  the  singular  dis- 
play of  troops  which  had  been  so  puzzling  to  me.  From  an 
early  hour  of  that  day  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley's  arrival  had  been 
expected,  and  old  Cuesta  had  drawn  up  his  men  for  inspection, 
and  remained  thus  for  several  hours  patiently  awaiting  his  com- 
ing ;  he  himself,  overwhelmed  with  years  and  infirmity,  sitting 
upon  his  horse  the  entire  time. 

As  it  was  not  necessary  that  I  should  be  presented  to  the 
General,  my  report  being  for  the  ear  of  Sir  Arthur  himself,  I 
willingly  availed  myself  of  the  hospitality  proffered  by  a 
Spanish  officer  of  cavalry;  and  having  provided  for  the  com- 
forts of  my  tired  cattle,  and  taken  a  hasty  supper,  issued  forth 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  463 

to  look  at  the  troops,  which  although  it  was  now  growing  late, 
were  still  in  the  same  attitude. 

Scarcely  had  I  been  half-an-hour  thus  occupied,  when  the 
stillness  of  the  scene  was  suddenly  interrupted  by  the  loud  re- 
port of  a  large  gun,  immediately  followed  by  a  long  roll  of 
musketry,  while,  at  the  same  moment,  the  bands  of  the  differ- 
ent regiments  struck  up,  and,  as  if  by  magic,  a  blaze  of  red 
light  streamed  across  the  dark  ranks  :  this  was  effected  by  pine- 
torches  held  aloft  at  intervals,  throwing  a  lurid  glare  upon  the 
grim  and  swarthy  features  of  the  Spaniards,  whose  brown  uni- 
forms and  slouching  hats  presented  a  most  picturesque  effect 
as  the  red  light  fell  upon  them. 

The  swell  of  the  thundering  cannon  grew  louder  and  nearer ; 
the  shouldering  of  muskets,  the  clash  of  sabres,  and  the  hoarse 
roll  of  the  drum,  mingling  in  one  common  din.  I  at  once 
guessed  that  Sir  Arthur  had  arrived,  and  as  I  turned  the  flank 
of  a  battalion,  I  saw  the  staff  approaching. 

Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  striking  than  their  advance. 
In  the  front  rode  old  Cuesta  himself,  clad  in  the  costume 
of  a  past  century,  his  slashed  doublet  and  trunk  hose  remind- 
ing one  of  a  more  chivalrous  period ;  his  heavy,  unwieldy 
figure,  looming  from  side  to  side,  and  threatening  at  each 
moment  to  fall  from  his  saddle.  On  each  side  of  him  walked 
two  figures  gorgeously  dressed,  whose  duty  appeared  to  be  to 
sustain  the  chief  in  his  seat.  At  his  side  rode  a  far  different 
figure.  Mounted  upon  a  slight-made,  active  thorough-bred, 
whose  drawn  flanks  bespoke  a  long  and  weary  journey,  sat  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley,  a  plain  blue  frock  and  gray  trousers  being 
his  unpretending  costume  ;  but  the  eagle  glance  which  he  threw 
around  on  every  side,  the  quick  motion  of  his  hand  as  he 
pointed  hither  and  thither  among  the  dense  battalions,  bespoke 
him  every  inch  a  soldier.  Behind  them  came  a  brilliant  staff, 
glittering  in  aiguilettes  and  golden  trappings,  among  whom  I 
recognized  some  well-remembered  faces;  our  gallant  leader  at 
the  Douro.  Sir  Charles  Stewart,  among  the  number. 


464  CHARLES  0\MALLE\\ 

As  they  passed  the  spot  where  1  was  standing,  the  torch  of 
a  foot  soldier  behind  me  flared  suddenly  up,  and  threw  a  strong 
flash  upon  the  party.  Cuesta's  horse  grew  frightened,  and 
plunged  so  fearfully  for  a  minute,  that  the  poor  old  man  could 
scarcely  keep  his  seat.  A  smile  shot  across  Sir  Arthur's 
features  at  the  moment,  but  the  next  instant  he  was  grave  and 
steadfast  as  before. 

A  wretched  hovel,  thatched  and  in  ruins,  formed  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Spanish  army,  and  thither  the  staff  now  bent 
their  steps  ;  a  supper  being  provided  there  for  our  Commander- 
in-Chief,  and  the  oflicers  of  his  suite.  Although  not  of  the 
privileged  party,  I  lingered  round  the  spot  for  some  time, 
anxiously  expecting  to  find  some  friend  or  acquaintance,  who 
might  tell  me  the  news  of  our  people,  and  what  events  had 
occurred  in  my  absence. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

THE  LETTER. 

The  hours  passed  slowly  over,  and  I  at  length  grew  weary  of 
waiting.  For  some  time  I  had  amused  myself  with  observing 
the  slouching  gait  and  unsoldier-like  air  of  the  Spaniards  as 
they  lounged  carelessly  about ;  looking,  in  dress,  gesture,  and 
appointment,  far  more  like  a  guerilla  than  a  regular  force. 
Then,  again,  the  strange  contrast  of  the  miserable  hut,  with 
falling  chimney  and  ruined  walls,  to  the  glitter  of  the  mounted 
guard  of  honor  who  sat  motionless  beside  it,  served  to  pass 
the  time  ;  but,  as  the  night  was  already  far  advanced,  I  turned 
towards  my  quarters,  hoping  that  the  next  morning  might 
gratify  my  curiosity  about  my  friends. 

Beside  the  tent  where  I  was  billeted,  I  found  Mike  in  waiting, 
who,  the  moment  he  saw  me,  came  hastily  forward  with  a 
letter  in  his  hand.     An  officer  of  Sir  Arthur's  staff  had  left  it 


rilE  JRISII  DRAGOON.  465 

while  I  was  absent,  desiring  Mike  on  no  account  to  omit  its 
delivery  the  first  instant  he  met  me.  The  hand — not  a  very 
legible  one — was  perfectly  unknown  to  me,  and  the  appearance 
of  the  billet  such  as  betrayed  no  over-scrupulous  care  in  the 
writer. 

I  trimmed  my  lamp  leisurely,  threw  a  fresh  log  upon  the  fire, 
disposed  myself  completely  at  full  length  beside  it,  and  then 
proceeded  to  form  acquaintance  with  my  unknown  correspond- 
ent. I  will  not  attempt  any  description  of  the  feelings  which 
gradually  filled  me  as  I  read  on  ;  the  letter  itself  will  suggest 
them  to  those  who  know  my  story.     It  ran  thus  : — 

Placetitia,JiilyZ,  1809. 

"  Dear  O'Malley, — 

"  Although  I'd  rather  march  to  Lisbon  barefoot  than  write  three 
lines,  Fred  Power  insists  upon  my  turning  scribe,  as  he  has  a  notion  you'll 
be  up  at  Cuesta's  head-quarters  about  this  tune.  You're  in  a  nice  scrape, 
devil  a  lie  in  it !  Here  has  Fred  been  fighting  that  fellow  Trevyllian  for 
you — all  because  you  would  not  have  patience  and  fight  him  yourself  the 
morning  you  left  the  Douro — so  much  for  haste !  Let  it  be  a  lesson  to 
you,  for  life. 

"  Poor  Fred  got  the  ball  in  his  hip,  and  the  devil  a  one  of  the  doctors 
can  find  it.  But  he's  getting  better,  any\vay,  and  going  to  Lisbon  for  change 
of  air.  Meanwhile,  since  Power's  been  wounded,  Trevyllian's  speaking 
very  hardly  of  you,  and  they  all  say  here  you  must  come  back — no  matter 
how — and  put  matters  to  rights.  Fred  has  placed  the  thing  in  my  hands, 
and  I'm  thinking  we'd  better  call  out  the  'heavies'  by  turns;  for  most  of 
them  stand  by  Trevyllian.  Maurice  Quill  and  myself  sat  up  considering 
it  last  night ;  but,  somehow,  we  don't  clearly  remember  to-day  a  beautiful 
plan  we  hit  upon.  However,  well  have  at  it  again  this  evening.  Mean- 
while, come  over  here,  and  let  us  be  doing  something.  We  hear  that  old 
Monsoon  has  blown  up  a  town,  a  bridge,  and  a  big  convent.  They  must 
have  been  hiding  the  plunder  very  closely  or  he'd  never  have  been  reduced 
to  such  extremities.     We'll  have  a  brush  with  the  French  soon. 

"  Yours  most  eagerly, 

"  D.     O'Shaugh.messy." 

My  first  thought,  as  I  ran  my  eye   over  these  lines,   was  to 
geek  for   Power's  note,   written  on  the   morning  we  parted.     I 
opened  it,   and  to  my  horror  found  that  it  only  related  to   my 
50 


466  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

quarrel  with  Hammersley.  My  meeting  with  Trevyllian  had 
been  during  Fred's  absence,  and  when  he  assured  me  that  all 
was  satisfactorily  arranged,  and  a  full  explanation  tendered, 
that  nothing  interfered  with  my  departure  :  I  utterly  forgot 
that  he  was  only  aware  of  one  half  my  troubles  ;  and,  in  the 
haste  and  bustle  of  my  departure,  had  not  a  moment  left  me 
to  collect  myself  and  think  calmly  on  the  matter.  The  two 
letters  lay  before  me,  and,  as  I  thought  over  the  stain  upon 
my  character  thus  unwittingly  incurred, — the  blast  I  had 
thrown  upon  my  reputation,  the  wound  of  my  poor  friend,  who 
exposed  himself  for  my  sake, — I  grew  sick  at  heart,  and  the 
bitter  tears  of  agony  burst  from  my  eyes. 

That  weary  night  passed  slowly  over  ;  the  blight  of  all  my 
prospects,  when  they  seemed  fairest  and  brightest,  presented 
itself  to  me  in  a  hundred  shapes  ;  and  when,  overcome  by  fatigue 
and  exhaustion,  I  closed  my  eyes  to  sleep,  it  was  only  to  follow 
up  in  my  dreams  my  waking  thoughts.  Morning  came  at 
length  :  but  its  bright  sunshine  and  balmy  air  brought  no  com- 
fort to  me  :  I  absolutely  dreaded  to  meet  my  brother  officers  ; 
I  felt  that,  in  such  a  position  as  I  stood,  no  half  or  partial 
explanation  could  suffice  to  set  me  right  in  their  estimation ; 
and  yet,  what  opportunity  had  I  for  aught  else  ?  Irresolute 
how  to  act,  I  sat  leaning  my  head  upon  my  hands,  when  I 
heard  a  footstep  approach  ;  I  looked  up  and  saw  before  me 
no  other  than  my  poor  friend  Sparks,  from  whom  I  had  been 
separated  so  long.  Any  other  adviser  at  such  a  moment 
would,  I  acknowledge,  have  been  as  welcome ;  for  the  poor 
fellow  knew  but  little  of  the  world,  and  still  less  of  the 
service.  However,  one  glance  convinced  me  that  his  heart 
at  least  was  true,  and  I  shook  his  outstretched  hand  with 
delight.  In  a  few  words  he  informed  me  that  Merivale  had 
secretly  commissioned  him  to  come  over  in  the  hope  of  meeting 
me;  that  although  all  the  14th  men  were  persuaded  that  I  was 
not  to  blame  in  what  had  occurred,  yet  that  reports  so  injurious 
had  gone  abroad,  so  many  partial  and  imperfect  statements 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  467 

were  circulated,  that  nothing  but  my  return  to  head-quarters 
would  avail,  and  that  I  must  not  lose  a  moment  in  having 
Trevyllian  out,  with  whom  all  the  misrepresentation  had 
originated. 

"  This,  of  course,"  said  Sparks,  "  is  to  be  a  secret ;  Merivale, 
being  our  Colonel " 

"  Of  course,"  said  I,  "  he  cannot  countenance,  much  less 
counsel,  such  a  proceeding.     Now,  then,  for  the  road." 

"Yes;  but  you  cannot  leave  before  making  your  report. 
Gordon  expects  to  see  you  at  eleven  ;  he  told  me  so  last  night." 

"  I  cannot  help  it ;  I  shall  not  wait ;  my  mind  is  made  up. 
My  career  here  matters  but  little  in  comparison  with  this  horrid 
charge.     I  shall  be  broke,  but  I  shall  be  avenged." 

"Come,  come,  O'Malley;  you  are  in  our  hands  now,  and 
you  must  be  guided.  You  shall  v^tvA.  ;  you  shall  see  Gordon  : 
half-an-hour  will  make  your  report,  and  I  have  relays  of  horses 
along  the  road,  and  we  shall  reach  Placentia  by  nightfall." 

There  was  a  tone  of  firmness  in  this,  so  unlike  anything  I 
ever  looked  for  in  the  speaker,  and  withal  so  much  of  foresight 
and  precaution,  that  I  could  scarcely  credit  my  senses  as  he 
spoke.  Having,  at  length,  agreed  to  his  proposal,  Sparks  left 
me  to  think  over  my  return  of  the  Legion,  promising  that, 
immediately  after  my  interview  with  the  Military  Secretary, 
we  should  start  together  for  head-quarters. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

MAJOR    O'SHAUGHNESSV. 

"This  is  Major  O'Shaughnessy's  quarters,  sir,"  said  a 
sergeant,  as  he  stopped  short  at  the  door  of  a  small  low  iiouse 
in  the  midst  of  an  olivi-  ]:)lantati()n  ;  an  Irish  wolf  dog — the 
well-known  companion  of  the  Major — lay  stretched  across  the 


468  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

entrance,  watching  with  eager  and  bloodshot  eyes  the  process 
of  cutting  up  a  bullock,  which  two  soldiers  in  undress  jackets 
were  performing  within  a  few  yards  of  the  spot. 

Stepping  cautiously  across  the  savage-looking  sentinel,  I 
entered  the  little  hall,  and  finding  no  one  near,  passed  into  a 
small  room,  the  door  of  which  lay  half  open. 

A  very  palpable  odor  of  cigars  and  brandy  proclaimed,  even 
without  his  presence,  that  this  was  O'Shaughnessy's  sitting- 
room  ;  so  I  sat  myself  down  upon  an  old-fashioned  sofa  to  wait 
patiently  for  his  return,  which  I  heard  would  be  immediately 
after  the  evening  parade.  Sparks  had  become  knocked  up 
during  our  ride,  so  that  for  the  last  three  leagues  I  was 
alone ;  and,  like  most  men  in  such  circumstances,  pressed  on 
only  the  harder.  Completely  worn  out  for  want  of  rest,  I  had 
scarcely  placed  myself  on  the  sofa  when  I  fell  sound  asleep. 
When  I  awoke,  all  was  dark  around  me,  save  the  faint  flickerings 
of  the  wood  embers  on  the  hearth,  and  for  some  moments  I 
could  not  remember  where  I  was ;  but  by  degrees  recollection 
came,  and  as  I  thought  over  my  position  and  its  possible  con- 
sequences, I  was  again  nearly  dropping  to  sleep,  when  the 
door  suddenly  opened,  and  a  heavy  step  sounded  on  the 
floor. 

I  lay  still  and  spoke  not,  as  a  large  figure  in  a  cloak  ap- 
proached the  fireplace,  and  stooping  down  endeavored  to 
light  a  candle  at  the  fast  expiring  fire. 

I  had  little  difficulty  in  detecting  the  Major  even  by  the  half- 
light  ;  a  muttered  execration  upon  the  candle,  given  with  an 
energy  that  only  an  Irishman  ever  bestows  upon  slight  matters, 
soon  satisfied  me  on  this  head. 

"  May  the  devil  fly  away  with  the  commissary  and  the 
chandler  to  the  forces  !     Ah  !  you've  lit  at  last." 

With  these  words  he  stood  up,  and  his  eyes  falling  on  me  at 
the  moment,  he  sprang  a  yard  or  two  backwards,  exclaiming, 
as  he  did  so,  "  The  blessed  Virgin  be  near  us,  what's  this?  "  a 
most  energetic  crossing  of  himself  accompanying  his  words. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  469 

My  pale  and  haggard  face,  thus  suddenly  presented,  having 
suggested  to  the  worthy  Major  the  impression  of  a  super- 
natural visitor,  a  hearty  burst  of  laughter,  which  I  could  not 
resist,  was  my  only  answer ;  and  the  next  moment  O'Shaughnessy 
was  wrenching  my  hand  in  a  grasp  like  a  steel  vice. 

"  Upon  my  conscience,  I  thought  it  was  your  ghost ;  and,  if 
you  kept  quiet  a  little  longer,  I  was  going  to  promise  you 
Christian  burial,  and  as  many  masses  for  your  soul  as  my 
uncle  the  bishop  could  say  between  this  and  Easter.  How 
are  you,  my  boy  ?  a  little  thin,  and  something  paler,  I  think, 
than  v/hen  you  left  us." 

Having  assured  him  that  fatigue  and  hunger  were  in  a  great 
measure  the  cause  of  my  sickly  looks,  the  Major  proceeded  to 
place  before  me  the  debris  of  his  day's  dinner,  with  a  sufficiency 
of  bottles  to  satisfy  a  mess-table,  keeping  up  as  he  went  a 
running  fire  of  conversation. 

"  I'm  as  glad  as  if  the  Lord  took  the  senior  Major  to  see 
you  here  this  night.  With  the  blessing  of  Providence  we'll 
shoot  Trevyllian  in  the  morning,  and  any  more  of  the  heavies 
that  like  it.  You  are  an  ill-treated  man,  that's  what  it  is,  and 
Dan  O'Shaughnessy  says  it.  Help  yourself,  my  boy:  crusty 
old  port  in  that  bottle  as  ever  you  touched  your  lips  to.  Power's 
getting  all  right ;  it  was  contract  powder,  warranted  not  to  kill. 
Bad  luck  to  the  commissaries  once  more  !  With  such  ammuni- 
tion Sir  Arthur  does  right  to  trust  most  to  the  bayonet.  And 
how  is  Monsoon,  the  old  rogue  ?  " 

"Gloriously  ;  living  in  the  midst  of  wine  and  olives." 

"  No  fear  of  him,  the  old  sinner ;  but  he  is  a  fine  fellow, 
after  all.     Charley,  you  are  eating  nothing,  boy." 

"To  tell  you  the  truth,  I'm  far  more  anxious  to  talkwith  you 
at  this  moment  than  aught  else." 

"  So  you  shall :  the  night's  young.  Meanwhile,  I  had  better 
not  delay  matters.  You  want  to  have  Trevyllian  out — is  not 
that  so  ?  " 

"Of  course  ;  you  are  aware  how  it  happened  ?  " 


47 o  CHARLES    O'M ALLEY, 

"  I  know  everything.  Go  on  with  your  supper,  and  don't 
mind  me ;  I'll  be  back  in  twenty  minutes  or  less." 

Without  waiting  for  any  reply,  he  threw  his  cloak  around  him, 
and  strode  out  of  the  room.  Once  more  I  was  alone  ;  but 
already  my  frame  of  mind  was  altered — the  cheering  tone  of  my 
reckless,  gallant  countryman  had  raised  my  spirits,  and  I  felt 
animated  by  his  very  manner. 

An  hour  elapsed  before  the  Major  returned,  and  when  he  did 
come,  his  appearance  and  gestures  bespoke  anger  and  disap- 
pointment. He  threw  himself  hurriedly  into  a  seat,  and  for 
some  minutes  never  spoke. 

"  The  world's  beautifully  changed,  anyhow,  since  I  began  it, 
O'Malley — when  you  thanked  a  man  civilly  that  asked  you  to 
fight  him.     The  devil  take  the  cowards  !  say  I." 

"  What  has  happened  ?     Tell  me,  I  beseech  you  ?" 

"  He  won't  fight,"  said  the  Major,  blurting  out  the  words  as 
if  they  would  choke  him. 

•'  He'll  not  fight !     And  why  ?  " 

The  Major  was  silent :  he  seemed  confused  and  embarrassed ; 
he  turned  from  the  fire  to  the  table,  from  the  table  to  the  fire, 
poured  out  a  glass  of  wine,  drank  it  hastily  off,  and,  springing 
from  his  chair,  paced  the  room  with  long,  impatient  strides. 

"  My  dear  O'Shaughnessy,  explain,  I  beg  of  you.  Does  he 
refuse  to  meet  me  for  any  reason " 

"  He  does,"  said  the  Major,  turning  on  me  a  look  of  deep 
feeling  as  he  spoke  ;  "  and  he  does  it  to  ruin  you,  my  boy ; 
but,  as  sure  as  my  name  is  Dan,  he'll  fail  this  time.  He  was 
sitting  with  his  friend  Beaufort  when  I  reached  his  quarters, 
and  received  me  with  all  the  ceremonious  politeness  he  well 
knows  how  to  assume,  I  told  him  in  a  few  words  the  object 
of  my  visit ;  upon  which  Trevyllian,  standing  up,  referred  me 
to  his  friend  for  a  reply,  and  left  the  room.  I  thought  that  all 
was  right,  and  sat  down  to  discuss,  as  I  believed,  preliminaries, 
when  the  cool  puppj-,  with  his  back  to  the  fire,  carelessly  lisped 
out,  '  It  can't  be,  Major :  your  friend  is  too  late.' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  471 

"  *  Too  late  !  too  late  ? '  said  I. 

"'Yes,  precisely  so.  Not  up  to  time  ;  the  affair  should  have 
come  off  some  weeks  since.     We  won't  meet  him  now.' 

"  '  This  is  really  your  answer  ? ' 

"'  This  is  really  my  answer;  and  not  only  so,  but  the  decis- 
ion of  our  mess.' 

"  What  I  said  after  this  he  may  remember.  Devil  take  me 
if  /  can  ;  but  I  have  a  vague  recollection  of  saying  something 
that  the  aforesaid  mess  will  never  petition  the  Horse  Guards 
to  put  on  their  regimental  colors  ;  and  here  I  am " 

With  these  words  the  Major  gulped  down  a  full  goblet  of 
wine,  and  once  more  resumed  his  walk  through  the  room.  I 
shall  not  attempt  to  record  the  feelings  which  agitated  me  dur- 
ing the  Major's  recital.  In  one  rapid  glance  I  saw  the  aim  of 
my  vindictive  enemy.  My  honor,  not  my  life,  was  the  object 
he  sought  for;  and  ten  thousand  times  more  than  ever  did  I 
pant  for  the  opportunity  to  confront  him  in  a  deadly  com- 
bat. 

"  Charley,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  at  length,  placing  his  hand 
upon  my  shoulder,  "  you  must  get  to  bed  now — nothing  more 
can  be  done  to-night  in  any  way.  Be  assured  of  one  thing, 
my  boy — I'll  not  desert  you ;  and,  if  that  assurance  can  give 
you  a  sound  sleep,  you'll  not  need  a  lullaby." 


CHAPTER  LX. 

PRELIMINARIES. 

I  AWOKE  refreshed  on  the  following  morning,  and  came  down 
to  breakfast  with  a  lighter  heart  than  I  had  even  hoped  for ; 
a  secret  feeling  that  all  would  go  well  had  somehow  taken  pos- 
session of  me,  and  I  longed  for  O'.Shaughnessy's  coming,  trust' 
ing  that  he  might  be  able  to  confirm    my  hopes.     His  servant 


472  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

informed  me  that  the  Major  had  been  absent  since  daybreak, 
and  left  orders  that  he  was  not  to  be  waited  for  at  breakfast. 

I  was  not  destined,  however,  to  pass  a  solitary  time  in  his 
absence,  for  every  moment  brought  some  new  arrival  to  visit 
me,  and  during  the  morning  the  Colonel  and  every  officer  of 
the  regiment  not  on  actual  duty  came  over.  I  soon  learned 
that  the  feeling  respecting  Trevyllian's  conduct  was  one  of  un- 
mixed condemnation  among  my  own  corps ;  but  that  a  kind  of 
party  spirit,  which  had  subsisted  for  some  months  between 
the  regiment  he  belonged  to  and  the  14th,  had  given  a  graver 
character  to  the  affair,  and  induced  many  men  to  take  up  his 
views  of  the  transaction  ;  and,  although  I  heard  of  none  who 
attributed  my  absence  to  any  dislike  to  a  meeting,  yet  there 
were  several  who  conceived  that,  by  my  going  at  the  time,  I 
had  forfeited  all  claim  to  satisfaction  at  his  hands. 

"  Now  that  Merivale  is  gone,"  said  an  officer  to  me,  as  the 
Colonel  left  the  room,  "  I  may  confess  to  you  that  he  sees  noth- 
ing to  blame  in  your  conduct  throughout ;  and,  even  had  you 
been  aware  of  how  matters  were  circumstanced,  your  duty  was 
too  imperative  to  have  preferred  your  personal  considerations 
to  it ! " 

"  Does  any  one  know  where  Conyers  is  ?  "  said  Baker. 

"  The  story  goes  that  Conyers  can  assist  us  here.  Conyers 
is  at  Zarza  la  Mayor,  with  the  28th — but  what  can  he  do  ? " 

"  That  I'm  not  able  to  tell  you  ;  but  I  know  O'Shaughnessy 
heard  something  at  parade  this  morning,  and  has  set  off  in 
search  of  him  on  every  side." 

"  Was  Conyers  ever  out  with  Trevyllian  ?  " 

"  Not  as  a  principal,  I  believe.  The  report  is,  however,  that 
he  knows  more  about  him  than  other  people,  as  Tom  certainly 
does  of  everybody." 

"  It  is  rather  a  new  thing  for  Trevyllian  to  refuse  a  meeting. 
They  say,  O'Malley,  he  has  heard  of  your  shooting!  " 

"  No,  no,"  said  another,  "  he  cares  very  little  for  any  man's 
pistol.     If  the  story  be  true,  he  fires  a  second  or  two  before 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  473 

his  adversary  ;  at  least,  it  was  in  that  way  he  killed  Carys- 
fort." 

"  Here  comes  the  great  O'Shaughnessy  !  "  cried  some  one  at 
the  window ;  and  the  next  moment  the  heavy  gallop  of  a  horse 
was  heard  along  the  causeway. 

In  an  instant  we  all  rushed  to  the  door  to  receive  him. 

**  It's  all  right,  lads,"  cried  he,  as  he  came  up :  "  we  have 
him  this  time." 

"How?  when?  why?  in  what  way  have  you  managed?"  fell 
from  a  dozen  voices,  as  the  Major  elbowed  his  way  through  the 
crowd  to  the  sitting-room. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  drawing  a  long 
breath,  "  I  have  promised  secrecy  as  to  the  steps  of  this  trans- 
action ;  secondly,  if  I  hadn't,  it  would  puzzle  me  to  break  it, 
for  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  know  more  than  yourselves.  Tom 
Conyers  wrote  me  a  few  lines  for  Trevyllian  ;  and  Trevyllian 
pledges  himself  to  meet  our  friend  ;  and  that's  all  we  need  know 
or  care  for." 

"Then  you  have  seen  Trevyllian  this  morning?" 

"  No,  Beaufort  met  me  at  the  village  :  but  even  now  it  seems 
.lis  affair  is  never  to  come  off.  Trevyllian  has  been  sent  with 
^  forage  party  towards  Lesco ;  however,  that  can't  be  a  long 
absence.  But,  for  Heaven's  sake  !  let  me  have  some  break- 
fast." 

While  O'Shaughnessy  proceeded  to  the  attack  of  the  viands 
before  him,  the  others  chatted  about  in  little  groups ;  but  all 
wore  the  pleased  and  happy  looks  of  men  who  had  rescued 
their  friend  from  a  menaced  danger.  As  for  myself,  my  heart 
swelled  with  gratitude  to  the  kind  fellows  around  me. 

"How  has  Conyers  assisted  us  at  this  juncture  ?"  was  my 
first  question  to  O'Shaughnessy,  when  we  were  once  more 
alone. 

"  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  speak  on  that  subject,  Charley.  But 
be  satisfied  the  reasons  forw'hich  Trevyllian  meets  you  are  fair 
and  honorable." 


474 


CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 


"  I  am  content." 

"  The  only  thing  now  to  be  done  is,  to  have  the  meeting  as 
soon  as  possible." 

"  We  are  all  agreed  upon  that  point,"  said  I ;  "  and  the  more 
so  as  the  matter  had  better  be  decided  before  Sir  Arthur's 
return." 

"  Quite  true  ;  and  now,  O'Malley,  you  had  better  join  your 
people  as  soon  as  may  be,  and  it  will  put  a  stop  to  all  talking 
about  the  matter." 

The  advice  was  good,  and  I  lost  no  time  in  complying  with 
it,  and,  when  I  joined  the  regiment  that  day  at  mess,  it  was 
with  a  light  heart  and  a  cheerful  spirit ;  for,  come  what  might 
of  the  affair,  one  thing  I  was  certain — my  character  was  now 
put  above  any  reach  of  aspersion,  and  my  reputation  beyond 
attack. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

ALL   RIGHT. 

Some  days  after  coming  back  to  head-quarters,  I  was  return- 
ing from  a  visit  I  had  been  making  to  a  friend  at  one  of  the 
outposts,  when  an  officer,  whom  I  knew  slightly,  overtook  me 
and  informed  me  that  Major  O'Shaughnessy  had  been  to  my 
quarters  in  search  of  me,  and  had  sent  persons  in  different 
directions  to  find  me. 

Suspecting  the  object  of  the  Major's  haste,  I  hurried  on  at 
once,  and,  as  I  rode  up  to  the  spot,  found  him  in  the  midst  of 
a  group  of  officers,  engaged,  to  all  appearance,  m  most  eager 
conversation.  "  O,  here  he  comes  !  "  cried  he,  as  I  cantered 
up.  "  Come,  my  boy,  doff  the  blue  frock,  as  soon  as  you  can, 
and  turn  out  in  your  best  fitting  black.  Everything  has  been 
settled  for  this  evening  at  seven  o'clock,  and  we  have  no  time 
to  lose." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  4^5 

"  I  understand  you,"  said  I,  "  and  shall  not  keep  you  waiting." 
So  saying,  I  sprang  from  my  saddle  and  hastened  to  my 
quarters  ;  as  I  entered  the  room  I  was  followed  by  O'Shaugh- 
nessy,  who  closed  the  door  after  him  as  he  came  in,  and  having 
turned  the  key  in  it,  sat  down  beside  the  table,  and,  folding 
his  arms,  seemed  buried  in  reflection.  As  I  proceeded  with 
my  toilet  he  returned  no  answers  to  the  numerous  questions  I 
put  to  him,  either  as  to  the  time  of  Trevyllian's  return,  the 
place  of  the  meeting,  or  any  other  part  of  the  transaction. 

His  attention  seemed  to  wander  far  from  all  around  and 
about  him  ;  and,  as  he  muttered  indistinctly  to  himself,  the  few 
words  I  could  catch  bore  not  in  the  remotest  degree  upon  the 
matter  before  us. 

"  I  have  written  a  letter  or  two  here.  Major,"  said  I,  opening 
my  writing  desk ;  "  in  case  anything  happens,  you  will  look  to 
a  few  things  I  have  mentioned  here.  Somehow,  I  could  not 
write  to  poor  Fred  Power ;  but  you  must  tell  him  from  me  that 
his  noble  conduct  towards  me  was  the  last  thing  I  spoke  of." 

"  What  confounded  nonsense  you  are  talking  !  "  said 
O'Shaughnessy,  springing  from  his  seat  and  crossing  the  room 
with  tremendous  strides ;  "  croaking  away  there  as  if  the  bullet 
was  in  your  thorax.     Hang  it,  man,  bear  up  !  " 

"  But,  Major,  my  dear  friend,  what  the  deuce  are  you  think- 
ing of  ?     The  few  things  I  mentioned " 

"  The  devil  !  you  are  not  going  over  it  all  again,  are  you  ?  " 
said  he,  in  a  voice  of  no  measured  tone. 

I  now  began  to  feel  irritated  in  turn,  and  really  looked  at 
him  for  some  seconds  in  considerable  amazement.  That  he 
should  have  mistaken  the  directions  I  was  giving  him  and 
attributed  them  to  any  cowardice,  was  too  insulting  a  thought 
to  bear ;  and  yet  how  otherwise  was  I  to  understand  the  very 
coarse  style  of  his  interruption  ? 

At  length,  my  temper  got  the  victory,  and,  with  a  voice  of 
most  measured  calmness,  I  said,  "  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  I  am 
grateful,  most  deeply  grateful,  for  the  part  you   have  acted 


47^  '  CHARLES  CPM ALLEY, 

towards  me  in  this  difficult  business  ;  at  the  same  time,  as  you 
now  appear  to  disapprove  of  my  conduct  and  bearing,  when  I 
am  most  firmly  determined  to  alter  nothing,  I  shall  beg  to 
relieve  you  of  the  unpleasant  office  of  my  friend." 

"  Heaven  grant  that  you  could  do  so  !  "  said  he,  interrupting 
me,  while  his  clasped  hands  and  eager  look  attested  the  vehe- 
mence of  the  wish.  He  paused  for  a  moment  ;  then,  springing 
from  his  chair,  rushed  towards  me,  and  threw  his  arms  around 
me.  "  No,  my  boy,  I  can't  do  it— I  can't  do  it.  I  have  tried 
to  bully  myself  into  insensibility  for  this  evening's  work — I 
have  endeavored  to  be  rude  to  you,  that  you  might  insult  me, 
and  steel  my  heart  against  what  might  happen  :  but  it  won't 
do,  Charley  ;  it  won't  do." 

With  these  words  the  big  tears  rolled  down  his  stern  cheeks, 
and  his  voice  became  thick  with  emotion. 

"  But  for  me,  all  this  need  not  have  happened.  I  know  it — 
I  feel  it.  I  hurried  on  this  meeting  ;  your  character  stood  fair 
and  unblemished  without  that — at  least  they  tell  me  so  now  ; 
and  I  still  have  to  assure  you " 

"  Come,  my  dear,  kind  friend,  don't  give  way  in  this  fashion. 
You  have  stood  manfully  by  me  through  every  step  of  the  road ; 
don't  desert  me  on  the  threshold  of " 

"  The  grave,  O'Malley  ?  " 

"  I  don't  think  so.  Major  ;  but  see,  half-past  six  !  Look  to 
these  pistols  for  me.  Are  they  likely  to  object  to  hair- 
triggers  ?  " 

A  knocking  at  the  door  turned  off  our  attention,  and  the 
next  moment  Baker's  voice  was  heard. 

"  O'Malley,  you'll  be  close  run  for  time  ;  the  meeting  place 
is  full  three  miles  from  this." 

I  seized  the  key  and  opened  the  door.  At  the  same  instant, 
O'Shaughnessy  rose  and  turned  towards  the  window,  holding 
one  of  the  pistols  in  his  hand. 

"  Look  at  that.  Baker — what  a  sweet  tool  it  is  !  "  said  he, 
in  a  voice  that  actually  made  me  start.     Not  a  trace  of  his 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  47  7 

late  excitement  remained  ;  his  usually  dry,  half-humorous  man- 
ner had  returned,  and  his  droll  features  were  as  full  of  their 
own  easy  devil-may-care  fun  as  ever. 

"  Here  comes  the  drag,"  said  Baker.  "  We  can  drive  nearly 
all  the  way,  unless  you  prefer  riding." 

"  Of  course  not.  Keep  your  hand  steady,  Charley,  and  if 
you  don't  bring  him  down  with  that  saw-handle,  you're  not 
your  uncle's  nephew." 

With  these  words  we  mounted  into  the  tax-cart,  and  set  off 
for  the  meeting  place. 


CHAPTER  LXH. 

THE   DUEL. 

A  SMALL  and  narrow  ravine  between  the  two  furze-covered 
dells  led  to  the  open  space  where  the  meeting  had  been  ar- 
ranged for.  As  we  reached  this,  therefore,  we  were  obliged  to 
descend  from  the  drag,  and  proceed  the  remainder  of  the  way 
afoot.  We  had  not  gone  many  yards  when  a  step  was  heard 
approaching,  and  the  next  moment  Beaufort  appeared.  His 
usually  easy  and  tfegage  air  was  certainly  tinged  with  somewhat 
of  constraint ;  and,  though  his  soft  voice  and  half  smile  were  as 
perfect  as  ever,  a  slightly  flurried  expression  about  the  lip,  and 
a  quick  and  nervous  motion  of  his  eyebrow,  bespoke  a  heart 
not  completely  at  ease.  He  lifted  his  foraging  cap  most  cere- 
moniously to  salute  us  as  we  came  up,  and,  casting  an  anxious 
look  to  see  if  any  others  were  following,  stood  quite  still. 

"  I  think  it  right  to  mention.  Major  O'Shaughnessy,"  said 
ho,  in  a  voice  of  most  dulcet  sweetness,  "  that  I  am  the  only 
friend  of  Captain  'IVevyllian  on  the  ground  ;  and,  though  I  have 
not  the  slightest  objection  to  Captain  Baker  being  present,  1 
hope  you  will  see  the  propriety  of  limiting  the  witnesses  to  the 
three  persons  now  here." 


478  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  Upon  my  conscience,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  or  my 
friend  either,  we  are  perfectly  indifferent  if  we  fight  before  three 
or  three  thousand.     In  Ireland  we  rather  like  a  crowd." 

"Of  course,  then,  as  you  see  no  objection  to  my  proposition, 
I  may  count  upon  your  co-operation  in  the  event  of  any  in- 
trusion ;  I  mean,  that  while  we,  upon  our  sides,  will  not  per- 
mit any  of  our  friends  to  come  forward,  you  will  equally  exert 
yourself  with  yours." 

"  Here  we  are — Baker  and  myself — neither  more  nor  less  : 
we  expect  no  one,  and  want  no  one  ;  so  that  I  humbly  con- 
ceive all  the  preliminaries  you  are  talking  of  will  never  be 
required." 

Beaufort  tried  to  smile,  and  bit  his  lips,  while  a  small  red 
spot  upon  his  cheek  spoke  that  some  deeper  feeling  of  irrita- 
tion than  the  mere  careless  manner  of  the  Major  could  account 
for,  still  rankled  in  his  bosom.  We  now  walked  on  without 
speaking,  except  when  occasionally  some  passing  observation 
of  Beaufort  upon  the  fineness  of  the  evening,  or  the  rugged  nature 
of  the  road,  broke  the  silence.  As  we  emerged  from  the  little 
mountain  pass  into  the  open  meadow  land,  the  tall  and  soldier- 
like figure  of  Trevyllian  was  the  first  object  that  presented  it- 
self. He  was  standing  beside  a  little  stone  cross  that  stood 
above  a  holy  well,  and  seemed  occupied  in  deciphering  the 
inscription.  He  turned  at  the  noise  of  our  approach,  and 
calmly  waited  our  coming.  His  eye  glanced  quickly  from  the 
features  of  O'Shaughnessy  to  those  of  Baker  ;  but,  seeming 
rapidly  reassured  as  he  walked  forward,  his  face  at  once  re- 
covered its  usual  severity  and  its  cold,  impassive  look  of  stern- 
ness. 

"  All  right !  "  said  Beaufort  in  a  whisper,  the  tones  of  which 
I  overheard  as  he  drew  near  to  his  friend.  Trevyllian  smiled  in 
return,  but  did  not  speak.  During  the  few  moments  which 
passed  in  conversation  between  the  seconds,  I  turned  from  the 
spot  with  Baker,  and  had  scarcely  time  to  address  a  question  to 
him,  when  O'Shaughnessy  called  out,  "  Hollo,  Baker  ! — come 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


479 


here  a  moment  !  "  The  three  seemed  now  in  eager  discus- 
sion for  some  minutes,  when  Baker  walked  towards  Trevyllian, 
and  saying  something,  appeared  to  wait  for  his  reply.  This 
being  obtained,  he  joined  the  others,  and  the  moment  after- 
wards came  to  where  I  was  standing.  "  You  are  to  toss  for 
first  shot,  O'Malley.  O'Shaughnessy  has  made  that  proposition, 
and  the  others  agree  that  with  two  crack  marksmen,  it  is  per- 
haps the  fairest  way.     I  suppose  you  have  no  objection  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  I  shall  make  none.  Whatever  O'Shaughnessy 
decides  for  me  I  am  ready  to  abide  by." 

"  Well,  then,  as  to  the  distance  "i  "  said  Beaufort,  loud  enough 
to  be  heard  by  me  where  I  was  standing.  O'Shaughnessy's 
reply  I  could  not  catch,  but  it  was  evident,  from  the  tone  of 
both  parties,  that  some  difference  existed  on  the  point. 

"  Captain  Baker  shall  decide  between  us,"  said  Beaufort  at 
length,  and  they  all  walked  away  to  some  distance.  During 
all  the  while  I  could  perceive  that  Trevyllian's  uneasiness  and 
impatience  seemed  extreme — he  looked  from  the  speakers  to 
the  little  mountain  pass,  and  strained  his  eyes  in  every  direc- 
tion. It  was  clear  that  he  dreaded  some  interruption.  At  last, 
unable  any  longer  to  control  his  feelings,  he  called  out,  "  Beau- 
fort, I  say,  what  the  devil  are  we  waiting  for  now  ? " 

"  Nothing  at  present,"  said  Beaufort,  as  he  came  forward 
with  a  dollar  in  his  hand.  "  Come,  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  you 
shall  call  for  your  friend." 

He  pitched  the  piece  of  money  as  he  spoke  high  into  the 
air,  and  watched  it  as  it  fell  on  the  soft  grass  beneath. 

"  Head  !  for  a  thousand,"  cried  O'Shaughnessy,  running  over 
and  stooping  down  ;  "  and  head  it  is  !  " 

"  You've  won  the  first  shot,"  whispered  Baker ;  "for  Heaven's 
sake  be  cool  !  " 

Beaufort  grew  deadly  pale  as  he  bent  over  the  crown  piece, 
and  seemed  scarcely  to  have  courage  to  look  his  friend  in  his 
face.  Not  so  Trevyllian  ;  he  pulled  off  his  gloves  without  the 
slightest  semblance  of  emotion,  buttoned  up  his   well-fitting 


4So  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

black  frock  to  the  throat,  and  throwing  a  rapid  glance  around, 
seemed  only  eager  to  begin  the  combat. 

"  Fifteen  paces,  and  the  words  '  One — two  ! '  " 

*'  Exactly.     My  cane  shall  mark  the  spot." 

"  Devilish  long  paces  you  make  them,"  said  O'Shaughnessy, 
who  did  not  seem  to  approve  of  the  distance.  "  They  have 
some  confounded  advantage  in  this,  depend  upon  it,"  said  the 
Major,  in  a  whisper  to  Baker. 

"  Are  you  ready  ?  "  inquired  Beaufort. 

"  Ready — quite  ready  !  " 

"  Take  your  ground,  then  !  " 

As  Trevyllian  moved  forward  to  his  place,  he  muttered  some- 
thing to  his  friend.  I  did  not  hear  the  first  part,  but  the  latter 
words  which  met  me  were  ominous  enough, — "  for  as  I  intend 
to  shoot  him,  'tis  just  as  well  as  it  is." 

Whether  this  was  meant  to  be  overheard  and  intimidate  me 
I  knew  not ;  but  its  effect  proved  directly  opposite.  My  firm 
resolution  to  hit  my  antagonist  was  now  confirmed,  and  no 
compunctious  visitings  unnerved  my  arm.  As  we  took  our 
places  some  little  delay  again  took  place,  the  flint  of  my  pistol 
having  fallen  ;  and  thus  w^e  remained  full  ten  or  twelve  seconds 
steadily  regarding  each  other.  At  length,  O'Shaughnessy  came 
forward,  and,  putting  my  weapon  in  my  hand,  whispered  low^ 
"  Remember,  you  have  but  one  chance." 

"  You  are  both  ready  ?  "  cried  Beaufort. 

"  Ready  1  " 

"  Then,  One— two " 

The  last  word  was  lost  in  the  report  of  my  pistol,  which  went 
off  at  the  instant.  For  a  second,  the  flash  and  smoke  obstructed 
my  view  ;  but  the  moment  after  I  saw  Trevyllian  stretched  upon 
the  ground,  with  his  friend  kneeling  beside  him.  My  first  im- 
pulse was  to  rush  over,  for  now  all  feeling  of  enmity  was  buried 
in  most  heartfelt  anxiety  for  his  fate  ;  but  as  I  was  stepping 
forward,  O'Shaughnessy  called  out,  "  Stand  fast,  boy,  he's  only 
wounded  !  "   and  the  same  moment  he  rose   slowly  from  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  481 

ground,  with  the  assistance  of  his  friend,  and  looked  with  the 
same  wild  gaze  around  him.  Such  a  look  !  I  shall  never  for- 
get it ;  there  was  that  intense  expression  of  searching  anxiety, 
as  if  he  sought  to  trace  the  outlines  of  some  visionary  spirit  as 
it  receded  before  him  ;  quickly  reassured,  as  it  seemed  by  the 
glance  he  threw  on  all  sides,  his  countenance  lighted  up,  not 
with  pleasure,  but  with  a  fiendish  expression  of  revengeful 
triumph,  which  even  his  voice  evinced  as  he  called  out — "  It's 
my  turn  now." 

I  felt  the  words  in  their  full  force,  as  I  stood  silently  await- 
ing my  death  wound.  The  pause  was  a  long  one.  Twice  did 
he  interrupt  his  friend,  as  he  was  about  to  give  the  word,  by 
an  expression  of  suffering,  pressing  his  hand  upon  his  side, 
and  seeming  to  writhe  with  torture;  and  yet  this  was  mere 
counterfeit. 

O'Shaughnessy  was  now  coming  forward  to  interfere  and 
prevent  these  interruptions,  when  Trevyllian  called  out  in  a 
firm  tone,  "  I'm  ready  !  "  The  words  "  One — two!  "  the  pistol 
slowly  rose,  his  dark  eye  measured  me  coolly,  steadily ;  his  lip 
curled,  and  just  as  I  felt  that  my  last  moment  of  life  had  arrived, 
a  heavy  sound  of  a  horse  galloping  along  the  rocky  causeway 
seemed  to  take  off  his  attention.  His  frame  trembled,  his  hand 
shook,  and  jerking  upwards  his  weapon,  the  ball  passed  high 
above  my  head. 

"  You  bear  me  witness  I  fired  in  the  air,"  said  Trevyllian, 
while  the  large  drops  of  perspiration  rolled  from  his  forehead, 
and  his  features  worked,  as  if  in  a  fit. 

"  You  saw  it,  sir ;  and  you,  Beaufort,  my  friend,  you  also. 
Speak  !     Why  will  you  not  speak  ?  " 

"  Be  calm,  Trevyllian  ;  be  calm,  for  Heaven's  sake  !  What's 
the  matter  with  you  ?  " 

"  The  affair  is  then  ended,"  said  Baker,  "  and  most  happily 
so.     You  are,  I  hope,  not  dangerously  wounded." 

As  he  spoke,  Trevyllian's  features  grew  deadly  li\id  ;  his 
lialf-open  mouth  c|uivcrcd  slightly  ;  his  eyes  became  fixed,  anc^ 


482  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

his  arm  dropped  heavily  beside  him,  and  with  a  low  moan  he 
fell  fainting  to  the  ground. 

As  we  bent  over  him  I  now  perceived  that  another  person 
had  joined  our  party  ;  he  was  a  short,  determined-looking  man 
of  about  forty,  with  black  eyes  and  aquiline  features.  Before 
I  had  time  to  guess  who  it  might  be,  I  heard  O'Shaughnessy 
address  him  as  Colonel  Conyers. 

"  He  is  dying !  "  said  Beaufort,-  still  stooping  over  his  friend, 
whose  cold  hand  he  grasped  within  his  own.  "  Poor,  poor 
fellow !  " 

"  He  fired  in  the  air,"  said  Baker,  as  he  spoke  in  reply  to  a 
question  from  Conyers. 

What  he  answered  I  heard  not,  but  Baker  rejoined, — 

"  Yes,  I  am  certain  of  it.     We  all  saw  it." 

"  Had  you  not  better  examine  his  wounds  ?  "  said  Conyers, 
in  a  tone  of  sarcastic  irony  I  could  almost  have  struck  him  for. 
'*  Is  your  friend  not  hit  ?     Perhaps  he  is  bleeding  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  "  let  us  look  to  the  poor  fellow 
now."  So  saying,  with  Beaufort's  aid  he  unbuttoned  his  frock 
and  succeeded  in  opening  the  waistcoat.  There  was  no  trace 
of  blood  anywhere,  and  the  idea  of  internal  hemorrhage  at  once 
occurred  to  us ;  when  Conyers,  stooping  down,  pushed  me 
aside,  saying  at  the  same  time,  "  Your  fears  for  his  safety  need 
not  distress  you  much — look  here  ! "  As  he  spoke,  he  tore 
open  his  shirt,  and  disclosed  to  our  almost  doubting  senses  a 
vest  of  chain  mail  armor  fitting  close  next  the  skin  and  com 
pletely  pistol  proof. 

I  cannot  describe  the  effect  this  sight  produced  upon  us. 
Beaufort  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  bound  as  he  screamed 
out,  rather  than  spoke,  "  No  man  believes  me  to  have  been 
aware " 

"  No,  no,  Beaufort ;  your  reputation  is  very  far  removed  from 
such  a  stain,"  said    Conyers. 

O'Shaughnessy  was  perfectly  speechless.  He  looked  from 
one  to  the  other,  as  though   some   unexplained  mystery  still 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  483 

remained,  and  only  seemed  restored  to  any  sense  of  conscious- 
ness as  Baker  said,  "  I  can  feel  no  pulse  at  his  wrist — his  heart, 
too,  does  not  beat."  Conyers  placed  his  hand  upon  his  bosom, 
then  felt  along  his  throat,  lifted  up  an  arm,  and,  letting  it  fall 
heavily  upon  the  ground  he  muttered,  "  He  is  dead  !  " 

It  was  true.  No  wound  had  pierced  him — the  pistol  bullet 
was  found  within  his  clothes.  Some  tremendous  conflict  of 
the  spirit  within  had  snapped  the  cords  of  life,  and  the  strong 
man  had  perished  in  his  agony. 


CHAPTER  LXni. 

NEWS     FROM     GALWAY. 

I  HAVE  but  a  vague  and  most  imperfect  recollection  of  the 
events  which  followed  this  dreadful  scene  ;  for  some  days  my 
faculties  seemed  stunned  and  paralyzed,  and  my  thoughts  clung 
to  the  minute  detail  of  the  ground — the  persons  about — the 
mountain  path — and,  most  of-  all,  the  half-stifled  cry  that 
spoke  the  broken  heart,  with  a  tenacity  that  verged  upon 
madness. 

A  court-martial  was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  affair:  and 
although  I  have  been  since  told  that  my  deportment  was  calm, 
and  my  answers  were  firm  and  collected,  yet  I  remember  noth- 
ing of  the  proceedings. 

The  inquiry,  through  a  feeling  of  delicacy  for  the  friends  of 
him  who  was  no  more,  was  made  as  brief  and  as  private  as 
possible.  Beaufort  proved  the  facts  which  exonerated  me  from 
any  imputation  in  the  matter  ;  and  upon  the  same  day  the  court 
delivered  the  decision,  "  That  Lieutenant  O'Malley  was  not 
guilty  of  the  charges  preferred  against  him,  and  that  he  should 
be  released  from  arrest,  and  join  his  regiment." 

Nothing  could  be  more  kind  and  considerate  than  the  con- 


484  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

duct  of  my  brother  officers ;  a  hundred  little  plans  and  devices 
for  making  me  forget  the  late  unhappy  event  were  suggested 
and  practised  ;  and  I  look  back  to  that  melancholy  period, 
marked,  as  it  was,  by  the  saddest  circumstance  of  my  life,  as 
one  in  which  I  received  more  of  truly  friendly  companionship 
than  even  my  pahniest  days  of  prosperity  boasted. 

While,  therefore,  I  deeply  felt  the  good  part  my  friends  were 
performing  towards  me,  I  was  still  totally  unsuited  to  join  in 
the  happy  current  of  their  daily  pleasures  and  amusements. 
The  gay  and  unreflecting  character  of  O'Shaughnessy — the 
careless  merriment  of  my  brother  officers — jarred  upon  my 
nerves,  and  rendered  me  irritable  and  excited:  and  I  sought, 
in  lonely  rides  and  unfrequented  walks,  the  peace  of  spirit 
that  calm  reflection,  and  a  firm  purpose  for  the  future,  rarely 
fail  to  lead  to. 

There  is  in  deep  sorrow  a  touch  of  the  prophetic.  It  is  at 
seasons  when  the  heart  is  bowed  down  with  grief,  and  the 
spirit  wasted  with  suffering,  that  the  veil  which  conceals  the 
future  seems  to  be  removed,  and  a  glance,  short  and  fleeting 
as  the  lightning  flash,  is  permitted  us  into  the  gloomy  valley 
before  us. 

Misfortunes,  too,  come  not  singly — the  seared  heart  is  not 
suffered  to  heal  from  one  affliction,  ere  another  succeeds  it ; 
and  this  anticipation  of  the  coming  evil  is,  perhaps,  one  of 
the  most  poignant  features  of  grief — the  ever  watchful  appre- 
hension— the  ever  rising  question,  "  What  next  ?  "  is  a  torture 
that  never  sleeps. 

This  was  the  frame  of  my  mind  for  several  days  after  I  re- 
turned to  my  duty, — a  morbid  sense  of  some  threatened  danger 
being  my  last  thought  at  night,  and  my  first  on  awakening.  I 
had  not  heard  from  home  since  my  arrival  in  the  Peninsula  ;  a 
thousand  vague  fancies  haunted  me  now  that  some  brooding 
misfortune  awaited  me.  My  poor  uncle  never  left  my  thoughts. 
Was  he  well, — was  he  happy  t  Was  he,  as  he  ever  used  to  be, 
surrounded   by  the  friends  he  loved, — the  old  familiar  faces, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  48c; 

around  the  hospitable  hearth  his  kindliness  had  hallowed  in  my 
memory  as  something  sacred  ?  Oh  !  could  I  but  see  his  manly 
smile,  or  hear  his  voice  !  Could  I  but  feel  his  hand  upon  my 
head,  as  he  was  wont  to  press  it,  while  words  of  comfort  fell 
from  his  lips,  and  sunk  into  my  heart ! 

Such  were  my  thoughts  one  morning  as  I  sauntered,  unaccom- 
panied, from  my  quarters.  I  had  not  gone  far,  when  my  atten- 
tion was  aroused  by  the  noise  of  a  mule-cart,  whose  jingling 
bells  and  clattering  timbers  announced  its  approach  by  the 
road  I  was  walking.  Another  turn  of  the  way  brought  it  into 
view  ;  and  I  saw  from  the  gay  costume  of  the  driver,  as  well  as 
a  small  orange  flag  which  decorated  the  conveyance,  that  it 
was  the  mail-cart,  with  letters  from  Lisbon. 

Full  as  my  mind  was  with  thoughts  of  home,  I  turned  hastily 
back,  and  retraced  my  steps  towards  the  camp.  When  I 
reached  the  Adjutant-General's  quarters,  I  found  a  consider- 
able number  of  ofificers  assembled  ;  the  report  that  the  post  had 
come  was  a  rumor  of  interest  to  all,  and,  accordingly,  every 
moment  brought  fresh  arrivals,  pouring  in  from  all  sides,  and 
eagerly  inquiring,  "  if  the  bags  had  been  opened  ?  "  The  scene 
of  riot,  confusion,  and  excitement,  when  that  event  did  take 
place,  exceeded  all  belief,  each  man  reading  his  letter  half 
aloud,  as  if  his  private  affairs  and  domestic  concerns  must  in- 
terest his  neighbors,  amid  a  volley  of  exclamations  of  surprise, 
pleasure,  or  occasional  anger,  as  the  intelligence  severally  sug- 
gested,— the  disappointed  expectants  cursing  their  idle  corre- 
spondents, bemoaning  their  fate  about  remittances  that  never 
arrived,  or  drafts  never  honored  ;  while  here  and  there  some 
public  benefactor,  with  an  outspread  Times  or  Chronicle,  was 
retailing  the  narrative  of  our  own  exploits  in  the  Peninsula,  or 
the  more  novel  changes  in  the  world  of  politics,  since  we  left 
England.  A  cross-fire  of  news  and  London  gossip  ringing  on 
every  side,  made  up  a  perfect  Babel,  most  difficult  to  form  an 
idea  of.  The  jargon  partook  of  every  accent  and  intonation 
the  empire  boasts  of,  and,  from  the  sharp  precision  of  the  North 


486  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

Tweeder  to  the  broad  doric  of  Kerry,  every  portion,  almost 
every  county  of  Great  Britain,  had  its  representative.  Here 
was  a  Scotch  Paymaster,  in  a  lugubrious  tone,  detailing  to  his 
friend  the  apparently  not  over-welcome  news,  that  Mistress 
M'Elwain  had  just  been  safely  delivered  of  twins,  which,  with 
their  mother,  were  doing  as  well  as  possible.  Here  an  eager 
Irishman,  turning  over  the  pages  rather  than  reading  his  letter, 
while  he  exclaimed  to  his  friend, — 

"  Oh,  the  devil  a  rap  she's  sent  me.  The  old  story  about 
runaway  tenants  and  distress  notices — sorrow  else  tenants 
seem  to  do  in  Ireland  than  run  away  every  half-year." 

A  little  apart  some  sentimental-looking  cockney  was  devour- 
ing' a  very  crossed  epistle,  which  he  pressed  to  his  lips  when- 
ever any  one  looked  at  him  ;  while  a  host  of  others  satisfied 
themselves  by  reading  in  a  kind  of  buzzing  undertone,  every 
now  and  then  interrupting  themselves  with  some  broken 
exclamation  as  commentary — such  as  "  Of  course  she  will ! " — 
"  Never  knew  him  better  !  " — "  That's  the  girl  for  my 
money  !  " — "  Fifty  per  cent. — the  devil !  " — and  so  on.  At 
last  I  was  beginning  to  weary  of  the  scene,  and  finding  that 
there  appeared  to  be  nothing  for  me,  was  turning  to  leave  the 
place,  when  I  saw  a  group  of  two  or  three  endeavoring  to  spell 
out  the  address  of  a  letter. 

"That's  an  Irish  post-mark,  I'll  swear,"  said  one;  "but 
who  can  make  anything  of  the  name  ?  It's  devilish  like 
Otaheite — isn't  it  .>  " 

"  I  wish  my  tailor  wrote  as  illegibly,"  said  another  ;  "  I'd 
keep  up  a  most  animated  correspondence  with  him." 

"  Here,  O'Shaughnessy,  you  know  something  of  savage  life 
— spell  us  this  word  here." 

"  Show  it  here — what  nonsense — it's  as  plain  as  the  nose 
on  my  face  ! — '  Master  Charles  O'Malley,  in  foreign  parts  ! '  " 

A  roar  of  laughter  followed  this  announcement,  which,  at 
any  other  time,  perhaps,  I  should  have  joined  in,  but  which 
now  grated  sadly  on  my  ruffled  feelings. 


rilE  IKISH  DRAGOOh'.  4S7 

"  Here,  Charley,  this  is  for  you,"  said  the  Major  ,  and  added, 
in  a  whisper — "  and  upon  my  conscience,  between  ourselves, 
your  friend,  whoever  he  is,  has  a  strong  action  against  his 
writing-master — devil  such  a  fist  ever  I  looked  at  !  " 

One  glance  satisfied  me  as  to  my  correspondent.  It  was 
from  Father  Rush,  my  old  tutor.  I  hurried  eagerly  from  the 
spot, — and,  regaining  my  quarters,  locked  the  door,  and  with  a 
beating  heart  broke  the  seal  and  began,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  to 
decipher  his  letter.  The  hand  was  cramped  and  stiffened  with 
age,  and  the  bold,  upright  letters  were  gnarled  and  twisted 
like  a  rustic  fence,  and  demanded  great  patience  and  much 
time  in  unravelling.     It  ran  thus  : — 

"  The  Priory,  Lady -day,  1809. 

"  My  Dear  Master  Charles, — 

"  Your  uncle's  feet  are  so  big  and  so  uneasy  that  he  can't  write,  and  I  am 
obliged  to  take  up  the  pen  myself,  to  tell  you  how  we  are  doing  here  since 
you  left  us.  And,  first  of  all,  the  master  lost  the  lawsuit  in  Dublin,  all  for 
the  want  of  a  Galway  jury  ;  but  they  don't  go  up  to  town  for  strong  reasons 
they  had  ;  and  the  Curranolick  property  is  gone  to  Ned  M'Manus,  and 
may  the  devil  do  him  good  with  it  !  Peggy  Maher  left  this  on  Tuesday  ; 
she  was  complaining  of  a  weakness ;  she's  gone  to  consult  the  doctors. 
I'm  sorry  for  poor  Peggy. 

"  Owen  M'Neil  beat  the  Slatterys  out  of  Portumna  on  Saturday,  and 
Jem,  they  say,  is  fractured.  I  trust  it's  true,  for  he  never  was  good,  root 
nor  branch,  and  we've  strong  reasons  to  suspect  him  for  drawing  the 
river  with  a  net  at  night.  Sir  Harry  Boyle  sprained  his  wrist,  breaking 
open  his  bedroom,  that  he  locked  when  he  was  inside.  The  Count  and 
the  master  were  laughing  all  the  evening  at  him.  Matters  are  going  very 
hard  in  the  country;  the  people  paying  their  rents  regularly,  and  not 
caring  half  as  much  as  they  used  about  the  real  gentry  and  the  old 
families. 

"  We  kept  your  birthday  at  the  Castle  in  great  style,  had  the  militia 
band  from  the  town,  and  all  the  tenants,  Mr.  James  Daly  danced  with 
your  old  friend  Mary  Green,  and  sang  a  beautiful  song,  and  was  going  to 
raise  the  devil,  but  I  interfered ;  he  burnt  down  half  the  blue  drawing- 
room  the  last  night  with  his  tricks  ;  not  that  your  uncle  cares,  God  pre- 
serve him  to  us ! — it's  little  anything  like  that  would  fret  him.  The  Count 
quarrelled  with  a  young  gentleman  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  but  found 
out  he  was  only  an  attorney  from  Dublin,  so  he  didn't  shoot  him,  but  he 


488  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

was  ducked  in  the  pond  by  the  people,  and  your  uncle  says  he  hopes  they 
have  a  true  copy  of  him  at  home,  as  they'll  never  know  the  original. 

"  Peter  died  soon  after  you  went  away,  but  Tim  hunts  the  dogs  just  as 
well ;  they  had  a  beautiful  run  last  Wednesday,  and  the  Lord  *  sent  for 
him  and  gave  him  a  five-pound  note  ;  but  he  says  he'd  rather  see  yourself 
back  again  than  twice  as  much.  They  killed  near  the  big  turnip  field,  and 
all  went  down  to  see  where  you  leaped  Badger  over  the  sunk  fence ;  they 
call  it  '  Hammersley's  Nose '  ever  since.  Bodkin  was  at  Ballinasloe  the 
last  fair,  limping  about  with  a  stick  ;  he's  twice  as  quiet  as  he  used  to  be, 
and  never  beat  any  one  since  that  morning. 

"  Nelly  Guire,  at  the  cross-roads,  wants  to  send  you  four  pair  of  stock- 
ings she  knitted  for  you  ;  and  I  have  a  keg  of  poteen  of  Barney's  own 
making  this  two  months,  not  knowing  how  to  send  it ;  maybe  Sir  Arthur 
himself  would  like  a  taste  ;  he's  an  Irishman  himself,  and  one  we're  proud 
of,  too !  The  Maynooth  chaps  are  flying  all  about  the  country,  and 
making  us  all  uncomfortable — God's  will  be  done,  but  we  used  to  think 
ourselves  good  enough !  Your  foster-sister,  Kitty  Doolan,  had  a  fine 
boy;  it's  to  be  called  after  you,  and  your  uncle's  to  give  a  christening. 
He  bids  me  tell  you  to  draw  on  him  when  you  want  money,  and  that 
there's  ;f  400  ready  for  you  now  somewhere  in  Dublin,  I  forget  the  name, 
and,  as  he's  asleep,  I  don't  like  asking  him.  There  was  a  droll  devil 
down  here  in  the  summer  that  knew  you  well — a  Mr.  Webber.  The  master 
treated  him  like  the  Lord  Lieutenant;  had  dinner  parties  for  him,  and 
gave  him  Oliver  Cromwell  to  ride  over  to  Meelish.  He  is  expected  again 
for  the  cock-shooting,  for  the  master  likes  him  greatly.  I'm  done  at  last, 
for  my  paper  is  finished  and  the  candle  just  out ;  so  with  every  good  wish 
and  every  good  thought,  remember  your  own  old  friend, 

"  Peter  Rush. 

"P.S. — It's  Smart  and  Sykes,  Fleet  Street,  has  the  money.  Father 
O'Shaughnessy,  of  Ennis  bids  me  ask  if  you  ever  met  his  nephew.  If  you 
do,  make  him  sing  '  Larry  M'Hale.'     I  hear  it's  a  treat. 

"  How  is  Mickey  Free  going  on  .'  There  are  three  decent  young  women 
in  the  parish  he  promised  to  marry,  and  I  suppose  he's  pursuing  the  same 
game  with  the  Portuguese.  But  he  was  never  remarkable  for  minding  his 
duties.     Tell  him  I  am  keeping  my  eye  on  him. 

"  P.  R."   ' 

Here  concluded  this  long  epistle,  and,  though  there  were 
many  parts  I  could  not  help  smiling  at,  yet,  upon  the  whole,  I 

*  To  excuse  Father  Rush  for  any  apparent  impiety,  I  must  add,  that,  by  the  "Lord,'' 
he  means  "  Lord  Clanricarde." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  489 

felt  sad  and  dispirited.  What  I  had  long  foreseen  and  antici- 
pated was  gradually  accomplishing — the  wreck  of  an  old  and 
honored  house — the  fall  of  a  name  once  the  watchword  for  all 
that  was  benevolent  and  hospitable  in  the  land.  The  termina- 
tion of  the  lawsuit  I  knew  must  have  been  a  heavy  blow  to 
my  poor  uncle,  who,  every  consideration  of  money  apart,  felt 
in  a  legal  combat  all  the  enthusiasm  and  excitement  of  a  per- 
sonal conflict.  With  him,  there  was  less  a  question  of  to 
whom  the  broad  acres  reverted,  so  much  as  whether  that 
"  scoundrel  Tom  Basset,  the  attorney  at  Athlone,  should  tri- 
umph over  us ;  "  or,  "  M'Manus  live  in  the  house  as  master, 
where  his  father  had  officiated  as  butler."  It  was  at  this  his 
Irish  pride  took  offence ;  and  straitened  circumstances  and 
narrowed  fortunes  bore  little  upon  him  in  comparison  with  this 
feeling. 

I  could  see,  too,  that  with  breaking  fortunes,  bad  health  was 
making  heavy  inroads  upon  him  ;  and  while,  with  the  reckless 
desperation  of  ruin,  he  still  kept  open  house,  I  could  picture 
to  myself  his  cheerful  eye  and  handsome  smile,  but  ill  con- 
cealing the  slow  but  certain  march  of  a  broken  heart. 

My  position  was  doubly  painful ;  for  any  advice,  had  I  been 
calculated  to  give  it,  would  have  seemed  an  act  of  indelicate 
interference  from  one  who  was  to  benefit  by  his  own  counsel ; 
and,  although  I  had  been  reared  and  educated  as  my  uncle's 
heir,  I  had  no  title  nor  pretension  to  succeed  him  other  than 
his  kind  feelings  respecting  me,  I  could,  therefore,  only  look 
on  in  silence,  and  watch  the  painful  progress  of  our  downfall, 
without  a  power  to  arrest  it. 

These  w-ere  sad  thoughts,  and  came  when  my  heart  was 
already  bowed  down  with  its  affliction.  That  my  poor  uncle 
might  be  spared  the  misery  which  sooner  or  later  seemed  in- 
evitable, was  now  my  only  wish  ;  that  he  might  go  down  to  the 
grave  without  the  embittering  feelings  which  a  ruined  fortune 
and  a  fallen  house  bring  home  to  the  heart,  was  all  my  prayer. 
Let  him  but  close  his  eyes   in  the  old   wainscoted  bedroom, 


490  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

beneath  the  old  roof  where  his  fathers  and  grandfathers  have 
done  so  for  centuries.  Let  the  faithful  followers  he  has  known 
since  his  childhood  stand  round  his  bed ;  while  his  fast-failing 
sight  recognizes  each  old  and  well  remembered  object,  and 
the  same  bell  which  rang  its  farewell  to  the  spirit  of  his  an- 
cestors, toll  for  him,  the  last  of  his  race — and,  as  for  me,  there 
was  the  wide  world  before  me,  and  a  narrow  resting-place 
would  suffice  for  a  soldier's  sepulchre. 

As  the  mail-cart  was  returning  the  next  day  to  Lisbon,  I 
immediately  sat  down  and  replied  to  the  worthy  Father's  letter, 
speaking  as  encouragingly  as  I  could  of  my  own  prospects.  I 
dwelt  much  upon  what  was  nearest  my  heart,  and  begged  of 
the  good  priest  to  watch  over  my  uncle's  health,  to  cheer  his 
spirits,  and  support  his  courage  ;  and  that  I  trusted  the  day 
was  not  far  distant  when  I  should  be  once  more  amongst  them, 
with  many  a  story  of  fray  and  battle-field  to  enliven  their  fire- 
sides. Pressing  him  to  write  frequently  to  me,  I  closed  my 
hurried  letter  ;  and,  having  despatched  it,  sat  sorrowfully  down 
to  muse  over  my  fortunes. 


CHAPTER    LXIV. 

AN  ADVENTURE  WITH  SIR  ARTHUR. 

The  events  of  the  last  few  days  had  impressed  me  with  a 
weight  of  years.  The  awful  circumstances  of  that  evening  lay 
heavily  at  my  heart,  and  though  guiltless  of  Trevyllian's  blood, 
the  reproach  that  conscience  ever  carries,  when  one  has  been 
involved  in  a  death-scene,  never  left  my  thoughts. 

For  some  time  previously  I  had  been  depressed  and  dis- 
pirited, and  the  awful  shock  I  had  sustained  broke  my  nerve 
and  unmanned  me  greatly. 

There  are  times  when  our  sorrows  tinge  all  the  colorings  of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  491 

our  thoughts,  and  one  pervading  hue  of  melancholy  spreads 
like  a  pall  upon  what  we  have  of  fairest  and  brightest  on  earth. 
So  was  it  now  ;  I  had  lost  hope  and  ambition — a  sad  feeling 
that  my  career  was  destined  to  misfortune  and  mishap  gained 
hourly  upon  me ;  and  all  the  bright  aspirations  of  a  soldier's 
glory,  all  my  enthusiasm  for  the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  glo- 
rious war,  fell  coldly  upon  my  heart ;  and  I  looked  upon 
the  chivalry  of  a  soldier's  life  as  the  empty  pageant  of  a 
dream. 

In  this  sad  frame  of  mind  I  avoided  all  intercourse  with  my 
brother  officers — their  gay  and  joyous  spirits  only  jarred  upon 
my  brooding  thoughts,  and,  feigning  illness,  I  kept  almost  en- 
tirely to  my  quarters. 

The  inactivity  of  our  present  life  weighed  also  heavily  upon 
me.  The  stirring  events  of  a  campaign — the  march,  the 
bivouac,  the  picket — call  forth  a  certain  physical  exertion  that 
never  fails  to  react  upon  the  torpid  mind. 

Forgetting  all  around  me,  I  thought  of  home ;  I  thought  of 
those  whose  hearts  I  felt  were  now  turning  towards  me,  and 
considered  within  myself  how  I  could  have  exchanged  the 
home — the  days  of  peaceful  happiness  there,  for  the  life  of 
misery  and  disappointment  I  now  endured. 

A  brooding  melancholy  gained  daily  more  and  more  upon 
me.  A  wish  to  return  to  Ireland,  a  vague  and  indistinct  feeling 
that  my  career  was  not  destined  for  aught  of  great  and  good, 
crept  upon  me,  and  I  longed  to  sink  into  oblivion,  forgotten 
and  forgot. 

I  record  this  painful  feeling  here,  while  it  is  still  a  painful 
memory  as  one  of  the  dark  shadows  that  cross  the  bright  sky 
of  our  happiest  days. 

Happy,  indeed,  are  they,  as  we  look  back  to  them,  and  re- 
member the  times  we  have  pronounced  ourselves  "  the  most 
miserable  of  mankind."  This,  somehow,  is  a  confession  we 
never  make  later  on  in  life,  when  real  troubles,  and  true  afflic- 
tions assail  us,     Whether  we  call  in  more  philosophy  to  our 


492  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

aid,  or  that  our  senses  become  less   acute  and  discerning,  I'm 
sure  I  know  not. 

As  for  me,  I  confess  b\'  far  the  greater  portion  of  my  sorrows 
seemed  to  come  in  that  budding  period  of  existence  when  life 
is  ever  fairest  and  most  captivating.  Not,  perhaps,  that  the 
fact  was  really  so,  but  the  spoiled  and  humored  child,  whose 
caprices  were  a  law,  felt  heavily  the  threatening  difficulties  of 
his  first  voyage.  While,  as  he  continued  to  sail  over  the  ocean 
of  life,  he  braved  the  storm  and  the  squall,  and  felt  only 
gratitude  for  the  favoring  breeze  that  wafted  him  upon  his 
course. 

What  an  admirable  remedy  for  misanthropy  is  the  being 
placed  in  a  subordinate  condition  in  life  !  Had  I,  at  the  period 
that  I  write,  been  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley— had  I  even  been 
Marshal  Beresford,  to  all  certainty  I'd  have  played  the  very 
devil  with  his  Majesty's  forces— I'd  have  brought  my  rascals 
to  where  they'd  have  been  well  peppered— that's  certain. 

But  as,  luckily  for  the  sake  of  humanity  in  general,  and  the 
well-being  of  the  service  in  particular,  I  was  merely  Lieutenant 
O'Malley,  14th  Light  Dragoons,  the  case  was  very  different. 
With  what  heavy  censure  did  I  condemn  the  Commander  of 
the  Forces  in  my  own  mind  for  his  want  of  daring  and  enter- 
prise !  Whole  nights  did  I  pass  in  endeavoring  to  account  for 
his  inactivity  and  lethargy.  Why  he  did  not  seriatim  fall  upon 
Soult,  Ney,  and  Victor,  annihilate  the  French  forces,  and  sack 
Madrid,  I  looked  upon  as  little  less  than  a  riddle  ;  and  yet 
there  he  waited,  drilling,  exercising,  and  foraging,  as  if  he  were 
at  Hounslow.  Now  most  fortunately  here  again  I  was  not  Sir 
Arthur. 

Something  in  this  frame  of  mind,  I  was  taking  one  evening  a 
solitary  ride  some  miles  from  the  camp.  Without  noticing  the 
circumstance,  I  had  entered  a  little  mountain  tract,  when,  the 
ground  being  broken  and  uneven,  I  dismounted  and  proceeded 
afoot,  with  the  bridle  within  my  arm.  I  had  not  gone  far 
when  the  clatter  of  a  horse's  hoofs  came  rapidly  towards  me, 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOX.  493 

and,  though  there  was  something  startling  in  the  pace,  over 
such  a  piece  of  road.  I  never  lifted  my  eyes  as  the  horseman 
came  up,  but  continued  my  slow  progress  onwards,  my  head 
sunk  upon  my  bosom. 

"  Holloa,  sir  ! "  cried  a  sharp  voice,  whose  tones  seemed 
somehow  not  heard  for  the  first  time.  I  looked  up,  saw  a  slight 
figure  closely  buttoned  up  in  a  blue  horseman's  cloak,  the  collar 
of  which  almost  entirely  hid  his  features  ;  he  wore  a  plain 
cocked  hat  without  a  feather,  and  was  mounted  upon  a  sharp, 
wiry-looking  hack. 

"  Holloa,  sir  !     What  regiment  do  you  belong  to  ?  " 

As  I  had  nothing  of  the  soldier  about  me,  save  a  blue  for- 
aging cap,  to  denote  my  corps,  the  tone  of  the  demand  was 
little  calculated  to  elicit  a  very  polished  reply ;  but  preferring 
as  most  impertinent  to  make  no  answer,  I  passed  on  without 
speaking. 

"  Did  you  hear,  sir  ?  "  cried  the  same  voice  in  a  still  louder 
key.     "  What's  your  regiment  "i  " 

I  now  turned  round,  resolved  to  question  the  other  in 
turn  ;  when,  to  my  inexpressible  shame  and  confusion,  he  had 
lowered  the  collar  of  his  cloak,  and  I  saw  the  features  of  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley. 

*'  Fourteenth  Light  Dragoons,  sir,"  said  I,  blushing  as  I  spoke. 

"  Have  you  not  read  the  general  order,  sir  .''  Why  have  you 
left  the  camp  ?  " 

Now  I  had  not  read  a  general  order  nor  even  heard  one  for 
above  a  fortnight.     So  I  stammered  out  some  bungling  answer. 

"  To  your  quarters,  sir,  and  report  yourself  under  arrest. 
What's  your  name  ?  " 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malle}',  sir." 

"Well,  sir,  your  passion  for  rambling  shall  be  indulged. 
You  shall  be  sent  to  the  rear  witii  despatches  ;  and,  as  the 
army  is  in  advance,  probably  the  lesson  may  be  serviceable." 
So  saying,  he  pressed  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  was  out  of  sight 
in  a  moment. 


494  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 


CHAPTER    LXV. 

TALAVERA. 

Having  been  despatched  to  the  rear  with  orders  for  General 
Craufurd,  I  did  not  reach  Talavera  till  the  morning  of  the 
28th.  Two  days'  hard  fighting  had  left  the  contending  armies 
still  face  to  face,  and  without  any  decided  advantage  on  either 
side. 

When  I  arrived  upon  the  battle-field  the  combat  of  the 
morning  was  over.  It  was  then  ten  o'clock,  and  the  troops 
were  at  breakfast,  if  the  few  ounces  of  wheat,  sparingly  dealt 
out  amongst  them,  could  be  dignified  by  that  name.  All  was, 
however,  life  and  animation  on  every  side  ;  the  merry  laugh, 
the  passing  jest,  the  careless  look,  bespoke  the  free  and  daring 
character  of  the  soldiery,  as  they  sit  in  groups  upon  the  grass ; 
and,  except  when  a  fatigue  party  passed  by,  bearing  some 
wounded  comrade  to  the  rear,  no  touch  of  seriousness  rested 
upon  their  hardy  features.  The  morning  was  indeed  a  glorious 
one  ;  a  sky  of  unclouded  blue  stretched  above  a  landscape  un- 
surpassed in  loveliness.  Far  to  the  right  rolled  on  in  placid 
stream  the  broad  Tagus,  bathing  in  its  eddies  the  very  walls 
of  Talavera,  the  ground  from  which,  to  our  position,  gently 
undulated  across  a  plain  of  most  fertile  richness,  and  termi- 
nated on  our  extreme  left  in  a  bold  height,  protected  in  front  by 
a  ravine,  and  flanked  by  a  deep  and  rugged  valley. 

The  Spaniards  occupied  the  right  of  the  line,  connecting 
with  our  troops  at  a  rising  ground,  upon  which  a  strong  redoubt 
had  been  hastily  thrown  up.  The  fourth  division  and  the 
Guards  were  stationed  here,  next  to  whom  came  Cameron's 
brigade  and  the  Germans  ;  Mackenzie  and  Hill  holding  the 
extreme  left  of  all,  which  might  be  called  the  key  of  our  posi- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  49^ 

tion.  In  the  valley  beneath  the  latter  were  picketed  three 
cavalry  regiments,  among  which  I  was  not  long  in  detecting 
my  gallant  friends  of  the  Twenty-third. 

As  I  rode  rapidly  past,  saluting  some  old  familiar  face  at 
each  moment,  I  could  not  help  feeling  struck  at  the  evidence 
of  the  desperate  battle  that  so  lately  had  raged  there.  The 
whole  surface  of  the  hill  was  one  mass  of  dead  and  dying,  the 
bearskin  of  the  French  grenadier  lying  side  by  side  with  the 
tartan  of  the  Highlander.  Deep  furrows  in  the  soil  showed 
the  track  of  the  furious  cannonade,  and  the  terrible  evidences 
of  a  bayonet  charge  were  written  in  the  mangled  corpses 
around. 

The  fight  had  been  maintained  without  any  intermission  from 
daybreak  till  near  nine  o'clock  that  morning,  and  the  slaughter 
on  both  sides  was  dreadful ;  the  mounds  of  fresh  earth  on  every 
side  told  of  the  soldier's  sepulchre  ;  and  the  unceasing 
tramp  of  the  pioneers  struck  sadly  upon  the  ear,  as  the  groans 
of  the  wounded  blended  with  the  funeral  sounds  around  them. 

In  front  were  drawn  up  the  dark  legions  of  France  ;  massive 
columns  of  infantry,  with  dense  bodies  of  artillery  alternating 
along  the  line.  They,  too,  occupied  a  gently  rising  ground  ; 
the  valley  between  the  two  armies  being  crossed  half  way  by  a 
little  rivulet,  and  here,  during  the  sultry  heat  of  the  morning, 
the  troops  on  both  sides  met  and  mingled  to  quench  their  thirst 
ere  the  trumpet  again  called  them  to  the  slaughter. 

In  a  small  ravine,  near  the  centre  of  our  line,  were  drawn  up 
Cotton's  brigade,  of  whom  the  Fusiliers  formed  a  part.  Directly 
in  front  of  this  were  Campbell's  brigade,  to  the  left  of  which, 
upon  a  gentle  slope,  the  staff  were  now  assembled.  Thither, 
accordingly,  I  bent  my  steps,  and,  as  I  came  up  the  little  scarp, 
found  myself  among  the  generals  of  division,  hastily  summoned 
by  Sir  Arthur  to  deliberate  upon  a  forward  movement.  The 
council  lasted  scarcely  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  when  I  pre- 
sented myself  to  deliver  my  report,  all  the  dispositions  for  the 
battle   had  been  decided  upon,    and  the   Commander  of  the 


496  CHARLES    O'MALLHy, 

Forces,  seated  upon  the  grass  at  his  breakfast,  looked  by  far 
the  most  unconcerned  and  uninterested  man  I  had  seen  that 
morning. 

He  turned  his  head  rapidly  as  I  came  up,  and,  before  the 
qide-de-camp  could  announce  me,  called  out : — ■ 

"  Well,  sir,  what  news  of  the  reinforcements  ?  " 

"  They  cannot  reach  Talavera  before  to-morrow,  sir." 

"  Then,  before  that,  we  shall  not  want  them.  That  will  do, 
sir." 

So  saying,  he  resumed  his  breakfast,  and  I  retired,  more  than 
ever  struck  with  the  surprising  coolness  of  the  man  upon  whom 
no  disappointment  seemed  to  have  the  slightest  influence. 

I  had  scarcely  rejoined  my  regiment,  and  was  giving  an 
account  to  my  brother  officers  of  my  journey,  when  an  aide-de- 
camp came  galloping  at  full  speed  down  the  line,  and  com- 
municating with  the  several  commanding  officers  as  he  passed. 

What  might  be  the  nature  of  the  orders  we  could  not  guess 
at ;  for  no  word  to  fall  in  followed,  and  yet  it  was  evident  some- 
thing of  importance  was  at  hand.  Upon  the  hill  where  the 
staff  were  assembled  no  unusual  bustle  appeared,  and  we  could 
see  the  bay  cob  of  Sir  Arthur  still  being  led  up  and  down  by 
the  groom,  with  a  dragoon's  mantle  thrown  over  him.  The 
soldiers,  overcome  by  the  heat  and  fatigue  of  the  morning,  lay 
stretched  around  upon  the  grass,  and  everything  bespoke  a 
period  of  rest  and  refreshment. 

"We  are  going  to  advance,  depend  upon  it  !  "  said  a  young 
officer  beside  me ;  "  the  repulse  of  this  morning  has  been  a 
smart  lesson  to  the  French,  and  Sir  Arthur  won't  leave  them 
without  impressing  it  upon  them." 

"Hark,  what's  that?"  cried  Baker;  "listen." 

Ashe  spoke,  a  strain  of  most  delicious  music  came  wafted 
across  the  plain.  It  was  from  the  band  of  a  French  regiment, 
and,  mellowed  by  the  distance,  it  seemed,  in  the  calm  stillness 
of  the  morning  air,  like  something  less  of  earth  than  heaven. 
As  we  listened,  the  notes  swelled  upwards  yet  fuller ;  and  one 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON'.  497 

by  one  the  different  bands  seemed  to  join,  till  at  last  the  whole 
air  seemed  full  of  the  rich  flood  of  melody. 

We  could  now  perceive  the  stragglers  were  rapidly  falling 
back,  while  high  above  all  other  sounds  the  clanging  notes  of 
the  trumpet  were  heard  along  the  line.  The  hoarse  drum  now 
beat  to  arms,  and  soon  after  a  brilliant  staff  rode  slowly  from 
between  two  dense  bodies  of  infantry,  and  advancing  some 
distance  into  the  plain,  seemed  to  reconnoitre  us.  A  cloud  of 
Polish  cavalry,  distinguished  by  their  long  lances  and  floating 
banners,  loitered  in  their  rear. 

We  had  not  time  for  further  observation,  when  the  drums  on 
our  side  beat  to  arms,  and  the  hoarse  cry,  "  Fall  in — fall  in 
there,  lads  !  "  resounded  along  the  line. 

It  was  now  one  o'clock,  and  before  half-an-hour  the  troops 
had  resumed  the  position  of  the  morning,  and  stood  silent  and 
anxious  spectators  of  the  scene  before  them. 

Upon  the  table  land,  to  the  rear  of  the  French  position,  we 
could  descry  the  gorgeous  tent  of  King  Joseph,  around  which 
a  large  and  splendidly-accoutred  staff  were  seen  standing. 
Here,  too,  the  bustle  and  excitement  seemed  considerable,  for 
to  this  point  the  dark  masses  of  the  infantry  seemed  converging 
from  the  extreme  right ;  and  here  we  could  perceive  the 
royal  guards  and  the  reserve  now  forming  in  column  of  attack. 

From  the  crest  of  the  hill  down  to  the  very  valley,  the  dark, 
dense  ranks  extended,  the  flanks  protected  by  a  powerful 
artillery  and  deep  masses  of  heavy  cavalry.  It  was  evident 
Ihat  the  attack  was  not  to  commence  on  our  side,  and  the 
greatest  and  most  intense  anxiety  pervaded  us  as  to  what  part 
of  our  line  was  first  to  be  assailed. 

Meanwhile,  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley,  who  from  the  height  had 
been  patiently  observing  the  field  of  battle,  despatched  an 
aide-de-camp  at  full  gallop  towards  Campbell's  brigade,  posted 
directly  in  advance  of  us.  As  he  passed  swiftly  along  he  called 
out,  "  Your'reinfor  it,  Fourteenth ;  you'll  have  to  open  the  ball 
to-day." 
32 


49^"^  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  when  a  signal  gun  from  the 
French  boomed  heavily  through  the  still  air.  The  last  echo 
was  growing  fainter,  and  the  heavy  smoke  breaking  into  mist, 
when  the  most  deafening  thunder  ever  my  ears  heard  came 
pealing  around  us ;  eighty  pieces  of  artillery  had  opened  upon 
us,  sending  a  very  tempest  of  balls  upon  our  line,  while  midst  the 
smoke  and  dust  we  could  see  the  light  troops  advancing  at  a 
run,  followed  by  the  broad  and  massive  columns  in  all  the 
terror  and  majesty  of  war. 

"  What  a  splendid  attack  !  How  gallantly  they  come  on  !  " 
cried  an  old  veteran  officer  beside  me,  forgetting  all  rivalry  in 
his  noble  admiration  of  our  enemy. 

The  intervening  space  was  soon  passed,  and  the  tirailleurs 
falling  back  as  the  columns  came  on,  the  towering  masses 
bore  down  upon  Campbell's  division  with  a  loud  cry  of  de- 
fiance. Silently  and  steadily  the  English  infantry  awaited  the 
attack,  and,  returning  the  fire  with  one  withering  volley,  were 
ordered  to  charge.  Scarcely  were  the  bayonets  lowered,  when 
the  head  of  the  advancing  column  broke  and  fled,  while 
Mackenzie's  brigade,  overlapping  the  flank,  pushed  boldly  for- 
ward, and  a  scene  of  frightful  carnage  followed  ;  for  a  moment 
a  hand  to  hand  combat  was  sustained,  but  the  unbroken  files 
and  impregnable  bayonets  of  the  English  conquered,  and  the 
French  fled,  leaving  six  guns  behind  them. 

The  gallant  enemy  were  troops  of  tried  and  proved  courage, 
and  scarcely  had  they  retreated  when  they  again  formed,  but 
just  as  they  prepared  to  come  forward,  a  tremendous  shower 
of  grape  opened  upon  them  from  our  batteries,  while  a  cloud 
of  Spanish  horse  assailed  them  in  flank,  and  nearly  cut  them 
in  pieces. 

While  this  was  passing  on  the  right,  a  tremendous  attack 
menaced  the  hill  upon  which  our  left  was  posted.  Two  power- 
ful columns  of  French  infantry,  supported  by  some  regiments 
of  light  cavalry,  came  steadily  forward  to  the  attack  ;  Anson's 
brigade  were  ordered  to  charge. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


499 


Away  they  went  at  top  speed,  but  had  not  gone  above  a 
hundred  yards  when  they  were  suddenly  arrested  by  a  deep 
chasm  ;  here  the  German  hussars  pulled  short  up,  but  the 
Twenty-third  dashing  impetuously  forward,  a  scene  of  terrific 
carnage  ensued,  men  and  horses  rolling  indiscriminately  to- 
gether under  a  withering  fire  from  the  French  squares.  Even 
here,  however,  British  valor  quailed  not,  for  Major  Francis 
Ponsonby,  forming  all  who  came  up,  rode  boldly  upon  a  brigade 
of  French  chasseurs  in  the  rear.  Victor,  who  from  the  first  had 
watched  the  movement,  at  once  despatched  a  lancer  regiment 
against  them,  and  then  these  brave  fellows  were  absolutely  cut 
to  atoms,  the  few  who  escaped  having  passed  through  the 
French  columns  and  reached  Bassecour's  Spanish  division  on 
the  far  right. 

During  this  time  the  hill  was  again  assailed,  and  even  more 
desperately  than  before,  while  Victor  himself  led  on  the  fourth 
corps  to  an  attack  upon  our  right  and  centre. 

The  Guards  waited  without  flinching  the  impetuous  rush  of 
the  advancing  columns,  and,  when  at  length  within  a  short 
distance,  dashed  forward  with  the  bayonet,  driving  everything 
before  them.  The  French  fell  back  upon  their  sustaining 
masses,  and,  rallying  in  an  instant,  again  came  forward,  sup- 
ported by  a  tremendous  fire  from  their  batteries.  The  Guards 
drew  back,  and  the  German  Legion,  suddenly  thrown  into  con- 
fusion, began  to  retire  in  disorder.  This  was  the  most  critical 
moment  of  the  day,  for,  although  successful  upon  the  extreme 
right  and  left  of  our  line,  our  centre  was  absolutely  broken. 
Just  at  this  moment  Gordon  rode  up  to  our  brigade ;  his  face 
was  palt,  and  his  look  flurried  and  excited. 

"  The  Forty-eighth  are  coming  ;  here  they  are — support  them. 
Fourteenth." 

These  few  words  were  all  he  spoke ;  and  the  next  moment 
the  measured  tread  of  a  column  was  heard  behind  us.  On 
they  came  like  one  man,  tht-ir  compact  and  dense  formation 
looking  like  some  massive  wall ;  wheeling  by  companies,  they 


500  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

suffered  the  Guards  and  Germans  to  retire  behind  them,  and 
then,  re-forming  into  line,  they  rushed  forward  with  the  bay- 
onet. Our  artillery  opened  with  a  deafening  thunder  behind 
them,  and  then  we  were  ordered  to  charge. 

We  came  on  at  a  trot ;  the  Guards,  who  had  now  recovered 
their  formation,  cheered  us  as  we  proceeded  ;  the  smoke  of  the 
cannonade  obscured  everything  until  we  had  advanced  some 
distance,  but  just  as  we  emerged  beyond  the  line  of  the  gallant 
Forty-eighth,  the  splendid  panorama  of  the  battle-field  broke 
suddenly  upon  us. 

"  Charge  !  forward  !  "  cried  the  hoarse  voice  of  our  Colonel ; 
and  we  were  upon  them.  The  French  infantry,  already  broken 
by  the  withering  musketry  of  our  people,  gave  way  before  us, 
and,  unable  to  form  a  square,  retired  fighting,  but  in  confusion, 
and  with  tremendous  loss,  to  their  position.  One  glorious 
cheer  from  left  to  right  of  our  line  proclaimed  the  victory, 
while  a  deafening  discharge  of  artillery  from  the  French  replied 
to  this  defiance,  and  the  battle  was  over.  Had  the  Spanish 
army  been  capable  of  a  forward  movement,  our  successes  at 
this  moment  would  have  been  much  more  considerable ;  but 
they  did  not  dare  to  change  their  position,  and  the  repulse  of 
our  enemy  was  destined  to  be  all  our  glory.  The  French,  how- 
ever, suffered  much  more  severely  than  we  did  ;  and,  retiring 
during  the  night,  fell  back  behind  the  Alberche,  leaving  us  the 
victory  and  the  battle-field. 


CHAPTER  LXVI. 

NIGHT  AFTER  TALAVERA. 

The  night  which  followed  the  battle  was  a  sad  one. 
Through  the  darkness,  and  under  a  fast-falling  rain,  the  hours 
were  spent  in  searching  for  our  wounded  comrades  amid  the 
heap  of  slain  upon   the  field  ;  and  the  glimmering  of  the  Ian- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


SOI 


terns,  as  they  flickered  far  and  near  across  the  wide  plain,  be- 
spoke the  track  of  the  fatigue  parties  in  their  mournful  round  ; 
while  the  groans  of  the  wounded  rose  amid  the  silence  with  an 
accent  of  heartrending  anguish  ;  so  true  was  it,  as  our  great 
commander  said,  ''  there  is  nothing  more  sad  than  a  victory, 
except  a  defeat." 

Around  our  bivouac  fires,  the  feeling  of  sorrowful  depression 
was  also  evident.  We  had  gained  a  great  victory,  it  was  true  ; 
we  had  beaten  the  far  famed  legions  of  France  upon  a  ground 
of  their  own  choosing,  led  by  the  most  celebrated  of  their 
Marshals  and  under  the  eyes  of  the  Emperor's  own  brother ; 
but  still  we  felt  all  the  hazardous  daring  of  our  position,  and 
had  no  confidence  whatever  in  the  courage  or  discipline  of  our 
allies  ;  and  we  saw  that  in  the  very  melee  of  the  battle  the  efforts 
of  the  enemy  were  directed  almost  exclusively  against  our  line, 
so  confidently  did  they  under-value  the  efforts  of  the  Spanish 
troops.  Morning  broke  at  length,  and  scarcely  was  the  heavy 
mist  clearing  away  before  the  red  sunlight,  when  the  sounds 
of  fife  and  drum  were  heard  from  a  distant  part  of  the  field. 
The  notes  swelled  or  sank  as  the  breeze  rose  or  fell,  and  many 
a  conjecture  was  hazarded  as  to  their  meaning,  for  no  object 
was  well  visible  for  more  than  a  few  hundred  yards  off  ; 
gradually,  however,  they  grew  nearer  and  nearer,  and  at  length, 
as  the  air  cleared,  and  the  hazy  vapor  evaporated,  the  bright 
scarlet  uniform  of  a  British  regiment  was  seen  advancing  at  a 
quick  step. 

As  they  came  nearer,  the  well-known  march  of  the  gallant 
Forty-third  was  recognized  by  some  of  our  people,  and  im- 
mediately the  rumor  fled  like  lightning, — "  It  is  Craufurd's 
brigade  ! "  and  so  it  was ;  the  noble  fellow  had  marched  his 
division  the  unparalleled  distance  of  sixty  English  miles  in 
twenty-seven  hours.  Over  a  burning  sandy  soil,  exposed  to  a 
raging  sun,  without  rations,  almost  without  water,  these  gallant 
troops  pressed  on  in  the  unwearied  hope  of  sharing  the  glory 
of  the  battle-field.     One  tremendous  cheer  welcomed  the  head 


502  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  the  column  as  they  marched  past,  and  continued  till  the  last 
file  had  deployed  before  us. 

As  these  splendid  regiments  moved  by  we  could  not  help 
feeling  what  signal  service  they  might  have  rendered  us  but 
a  few  hours  before  ;  their  soldierlike  bearing,  their  high  and 
effective  state  of  discipline,  their  well-known  reputation,  were 
in  every  mouth  ;  and  T  scarcely  think  that  any  corps  who 
stood  the  brunt  of  the  mighty  battle  were  the  subject  of 
more  encomium  than  the  brave  fellows  who  had  just  joined  us. 

The  mournful  duties  of  the  night  were  soon  forgotten  in  the 
gay  and  buoyant  sounds  on  every  side.  Congratulations,  shak- 
ing of  hands,  kind  inquiries  went  round  ;  -and,  as  we  looked  to 
the  hilly  ground  where  so  lately  were  drawn  up  in  battle  array 
the  dark  columns  of  our  enemy,  and  where  not  one  sentinel 
now  remained,  the  proud  feeling  of  our  victory  came  home  to 
our  hearts  with  the  ever-thrilling  thought,  "  What  will  they  say 
at  home  ? " 

I  was  standing  amid  a  group  of  my  brother  officers,  when  I 
received  an  order  from  the  Colonel  to  ride  down  to  Talavera 
for  the  return  of  our  wounded,  as  the  arrival  of  the  Comman- 
der-in-Chief was  momentarily  looked  for.  I  threw  myself  upon 
my  horse,  and  setting  out  at  a  brisk  pace,  soon  reached  the 
gates. 

On  entering  the  town,  I  was  obliged  to  dismount  and  pro- 
ceed on  foot.  The  streets  were  completely  filled  with  people, 
treading  their  way  among  wagons,  forage  carts,  and  sick- 
litters  :  here  was  a  booth  filled  with  all  imaginable  wares  for 
sale  ;  there  a  temporary  gin-shop  established  beneath  a  broken 
baggage-wagon  ;  here,  might  be  seen  a  merry  party  throwing 
dice  for  a  turkey  or  a  kid — there,  a  wounded  man,  with  blood- 
less cheek  and  tottering  step,  inquiring  the  road  to  the  hos- 
pital ;  the  accents  of  agony  mingled  with  the  drunken  chorus, 
and  the  sharp  crack  of  the  Provost-Marshal's  whip  was  heard 
above  the  boisterous  revelling  of  the  debauchee.  All  was  con- 
fusion,  bustle,    and  excitement.     The    staff-officer,   with   his 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  503 

flowing  plume  and  glittering  epaulettes,  wended  his  way  on  foot, 
amid  the  din  and  bustle,  unnoticed  and  uncared  for  ;  while 
the  little  drummer  amused  an  admiring  audience  of  simple 
country-folk  by  some  wondrous  tale  of  the  great  victory. 

My  passage  through  this  dense  mass  was  necessarily  a  slow 
one.  No  one  made  way  for  another  ;  discipline,  for  the  time, 
ivas  at  an  end,  and  with  it  all  respect  for  rank  or  position.  It 
was  what  nothing  of  mere  vicissitude  in  the  fortune  of  war  can 
equal — the  wild  orgie  of  an  army  the  day  after  a  battle. 

On  turning  the  corner  of  a  narrow  street,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  a  crowd  which,  gathered  round  a  small  fountain, 
seemed,  as  well  as  I  could  perceive,  to  witness  some  proceeding 
with  a  more  than  ordinary  interest.  Exclamations  in  Portu- 
guese, expressive  of  surprise  and  admiration,  were  mingled 
with  English  oaths  and  Irish  ejaculations,  while  high  above  all 
rose  other  sounds — the  cries  of  someone  in  pain  and  suffering; 
forcing  my  way  through  the  dense  group,  I  at  length  reached 
the  interior  of  the  crowd,  when,  to  my  astonishment,  I  perceived 
a  short,  fat,  punchy-looking  man,  stripped  of  his  coat  and 
waistcoat,  and  with  his  shirt-sleeves  rolled  up  to  his  shoulders, 
busily  employed  in  operating  upon  a  wounded  soldier.  Ampu- 
tation knives,  tourniquets,  bandages,  and  all  other  imaginable 
instruments  for  giving  or  alleviating  torture  were  strewed  about 
him,  and,  from  the  arrangement  and  preparation,  it  was  clear 
that  he  had  pitched  upon  this  spot  as  an  hospital  for  his 
patients.  While  he  continued  to  perform  his  functions  with  a 
singular  speed  and  dexterity,  he  never  for  a  moment  ceased 
a  running  fire  of  small  talk,  now  addressed  to  the  patient  in 
particular,  now  to  the  crowd  at  large — sometimes  a  soliloquy 
to  himself,  and  not  unfrequently,  abstractedly,  upon  things  in 
general.  These  little  specimens  of  oratory,  delivered  in  such 
a  place  at  such  a  time,  and,  not  least  of  all,  in  the  richest 
imaginable  Cork  accent,  were  sufficient  to  arrest  my  steps,  and 
I  stopped  for  some  time  to  observe  him. 

The  patient,  who  was  a  large,  powerfully-built  fellow,  had 


504  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

been  wounded  in  both  legs  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell,  but  yet 
not  so  severely  as  to  require  amputation. 

"  Does  that  plaze  you,  then  ?  "  said  the  doctor,  as  he  ap- 
plied some  powerful  caustic  to  a  wounded  vessel ;  "  there's 
no  satisfying  the  like  of  you.  Quite  warm  and  comfortable 
ye'll  be  this  morning  after  that.  I  saw  that  same  shell  com- 
ing, and  I  called  out  to  Maurice  Blake,  '  By  your  leave, 
Maurice,  let  that  fellow  pass,  he's  in  a  hurry  ! '  and  faith,  I 
said  to  myself,  *  there's  more  where  you  came  from — you're 
not  an  only  child,  and  I  never  liked  the  family.'  What  are  ye 
grinning  for,  ye  brown  thieves  ? "  This  was  addressed  to  the 
Portuguese.  "  There,  now,  keep  the  limb  quiet  and  easy. 
Upon  my  conscience,  if  that  shell  fell  into  ould  Lundy  Foot's 
shop  this  morning,  there'd  be  plenty  of  sneezing  in  Sackville 
Street.  Who's  next  ?  "  said  he,  looking  round  with  an  expres- 
sion that  seemed  to  threaten  that,  if  no  wounded  man  was  ready, 
he  was  quite  prepared  to  carve  out  a  patient  for  himself.  Not 
exactly  relishing  the  invitation  in  the  searching  that  accom- 
panied it,  I  backed  my  way  through  the  crowd,  and  continued 
my  path  towards  the  hospital. 

Here  the  scene  which  presented  itself  was  shocking  beyond 
belief — frightful  and  ghastly  wounds  from  shells  and  cannon- 
shot  were  seen  on  all  sides,  every  imaginable  species  of 
suffering  that  man  is  capable  of  was  presented  to  view,  while, 
amid  the  dead  and  dying,  operations  the  most  painful  were 
proceeding  with  a  haste  and  bustle  that  plainly  showed  how 
many  more  waited  their  turn  for  similar  offices.  The  stairs 
were  blocked  up  with  fresh  arrivals  of  wounded  men,  and 
even  upon  the  corridors  and  landing-places  the  sick  were 
strewn  on  all  sides. 

I  hurried  to  that  part  of  the  building  where  my  own  people 
were,  and  soon  learned  that  our  loss  was  confined  to  about 
fourteen  wounded  ;  five  of  them  were  officers  :  but,  fortunately, 
we  lost  not  a  man  of  our  gallant  fellows,  and  Talavera  brought 
us  no  mourning  for  a  comrade  to  damp  the  exultation  we  felt 
in  our  victory. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  505 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 


THE   OUTPOST. 


During  the  three  days  which  succeeded  the  battle,  all  things 
remained  as  they  were  before.  The  enemy  had  gradually  with- 
drawn all  his  forces,  and  our  most  advanced  pickets  never 
came  in  sight  of  a  French  detachment.  Still,  although  we  had 
gained  a  great  victory,  our  situation  was  anything  but  flatter- 
ing. The  most  strenuous  exertions  of  the  commissariat  were 
barely  sufficient  to  provision  the  troops  ;  and  we  had  even 
already  but  too  much  experience  of  how  little  trust  or  reliance 
could  be  reposed  in  the  most  lavish  promises  of  our  allies.  It 
was  true,  our  spirits  failed  us  not,  but  it  was  rather  from  an 
implicit  and  never-failing  confidence  in  the  resources  of  our 
great  leader,  than  that  any  amongst  us  could  see  his  way  through 
the  dense  cloud  of  difficulty  and  danger  that  seemed  to  envelop 
us  on  every  side. 

To  add  to  the  pressing  emergency  of  our  position,  we  learned 
on  the  evening  of  the  31st  that  Soult  was  advancing  from  the 
north,  and  at  the  head  of  fourteen  thousand  chosen  troops 
in  full  march  upon  Placentia ;  thus  threatening  our  rear,  at 
the  very  moment,  too,  when  any  further  advance  was  evidently 
impossible. 

On  the  morning  of  the  ist  of  August,  I  was  ordered,  with  a 
small  party,  to  push  forward  in  liic  direction  of  the  Alberche, 
upon  the  left  bank  of  whicii  it  was  reported  that  the  French 
were  again  concentrating  their  forces,  and,  if  possible,  to  obtain 
information  of  their  future  movements.  Meanwhile,  the  army 
was  about  to  fall  back  upon  Oropesa,  there  to  await  Soult's 
advance,  and,  if  necessary,  to  give  him  battle — Cuesta  engaging 


5o6  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

with   his    Spaniards  to    secure  Talavera,  with    its  stores  and 
hospitals,  against  any  present  movement  from  Victor. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast,  and  a  kind  "  Good-bye  !  "  from  my 
brother  officers,  I  set  out.  My  road  along  the  Tagus,  for 
several  miles  of  the  way,  was  a  narrow  path  scarped  from  the 
rocky  ledge  of  the  river,  shaded  by  rich  olive  plantations  that 
threw  a  friendly  shade  over  us  during  the  noonday  heat. 

We  travelled  along  silently,  sparing  our  cattle  from  time  to 
time,  but  endeavoring  ere  nightfall  to  reach  Torrijos,  in  which 
village  we  had  heard  several  French  soldiers  were  in  hospital. 
Our  information  leading  us  to  believe  them  very  inadequately 
guarded,  we  hoped  to  make  some  prisoners,  from  whom  the 
information  we  sought  could  in  all  likelihood  be  obtained. 
More  than  once  during  the  day  our  road  was  crossed  by  parties 
similar  to  our  own,  sent  forward  to  reconnoitre  ;  and  towards 
evening  a  party  of  the  Twenty-third  Light  Dragoons,  return- 
ing towards  Talavera,  informed  us  that  the  French  had  retired 
from  Torrijos,  which  was  now  occupied  by  an  English  detach- 
ment, under  my  old  friend  O'Shaughnessy. 

I  need  not  say  with  what  pleasure  I  heard  this  piece  of  news, 
and  eagerly  pressed  forward,  preferring  the  warm  shelter  and 
hospitable  board  the  Major  was  certain  of  possessing,  to  the 
cold  blast  and  dripping  grass  of  a  bivouac.  Night,  however,» 
fell  fast;  darkness,  without  an  intervening  twilight,  set  in,  and 
we  lost  our  way.  A  bleak  table-land,  with  here  and  there  a 
stunted,  leafless  tree,  was  all  that  we  could  discern  by  the  pale 
light  of  a  new  moon.  An  apparently  interminable  heath,  un- 
crossed by  path  or  foot-track,  was  before  us,  and  our  jaded 
cattle  seemed  to  feel  the  dreary  uncertainty  of  the  prospect 
as  sensitively  as  ourselves — stumbling  and  overreaching  at 
every  step. 

Cursing  my  ill-luck  for  such  a  misadventure,  and  once  more 
picturing  to  my  mind  the  bright  blazing  hearth  and  smoking 
supper  I  had  hoped  to  partake  of,  I  called  a  halt,  and  prepared 
to  pass  the  night.     My  decision  was  hastened  by  finding  my- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  507 

self  suddenly  in  a  little  grove  of  pine-trees,  whose  shelter  was 
not  to  be  despised  ;  besides  that,  our  bivouac  fires  were  now 
sure  of  being  supplied. 

It  was  fortunate  the  night  was  fine,  though  dark.  In  a  calm, 
still  atmosphere,  when  not  a  leaf  moved  nor  a  branch  stirred, 
we  picketed  our  tired  horses,  and,  shaking  out  their  forage, 
heaped  up  in  the  midst  a  blazing  fire  of  the  fir-tree.  Our 
humble  supper  was  produced,  and  even  with  the  still  lingering 
reverie  of  the  Major  and  his  happier  destiny,  I  began  to  feel 
comfortable. 

My  troopers,  who  probably  had  not  been  flattering  their  im- 
aginations with  such  gourmand  reflections  and  views,  sat 
happily  around  their  cheerful  blaze,  chatting  over  the  great 
battle  they  had  so  lately  witnessed,  and  mingling  their  stories 
of  some  comrade's  prowess  with  sorrows  for  the  dead  and  proud 
hopes  for  the  future.  In  the  midst,  upon  his  knees  beside  the 
flame,  was  Mike,  disputing,  detailing,  guessing,  and  occasion- 
ally inventing — all  his  arguments  only  tending  to  one  view  of 
the  late  victory — "  that  it  was  the  Lord's  mercy  the  most  of  the 
Forty-eighth  was  Irish,  or  we  wouldn't  be  sitting  there  now !  " 

Despite  Mr.  Free's  conversational  gifts,  however,  his  audi- 
ence one  by  one  dropped  off  in  sleep,  leaving  him  sole  monarch 
of  the  watch-fire,  and — what  he  thought  more  of — a  small 
brass  kettle  nearly  full  of  brandy-and-water.  This  latter,  I 
perceived,  he  produced  when  all  was  tranquil,  and  seemed,  as 
he  cast  a  furtive  glance  around,  to  assure  himself  that  he  was 
the  only  company  present. 

Lying  some  yards  off,  I  watched  him  for  about  an  hour,  as 
he  sat  rubbing  his  hands  before  the  blaze,  or  lifting  the  little 
vessel  to  his  lips  ;  his  droll  features  ever  and  anon  seeming 
acted  upon  by  some  passing  dream  of  former  devilment,  as  he 
smiled  and  muttered  some  sentences  in  an  under-voice.  Sleep 
at  length  overpowered  me  ;  but  my  last  waking  thoughts  were 
haunted  with  a  singular  ditty  by  which  Mike  accompanied  him- 
self as  he  kept  burnishing  the  buttons  of  my  jacket  before  the 


5o8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fire,  now  and  then  interrupting  the  melody  by  a  recourse  to  the 

copper. 

"  Well,  well ;  you're  clean  enough  now,  and  sure  it's  little 
good  brightening  you  up,  when  you'll  be  as  bad  to-morrow. 
Like  his  father's  son,  devil  a  lie  in  it !  Nothing  would  serve 
him  but  his  best  blue  jacket  to  fight  in,  as  if  the  French  was 
particular  what  they  killed  us  in.  Pleasant  trade,  upon  my 
conscience  !  Well,  never  mind.  That's  beautiful  sperets,  any- 
how. Your  health,  Mickey  Free  ;  it's  yourself  that  stands  to 
me. 

"  It's  little  for  glory  I  care ; 

Sure  ambition  is  only  a  fable  ; 
I'd  as  soon  be  myself  as  Lord  Mayor, 

With  lashings  of  drink  on  the  table. 
I  like  to  lie  down  in  the  sun 

And  dratne,  when  my /aytures  is  scorchin' 
That  when  I'm  too  07ild  for  more  fun. 

Why,  I'll  marry  a  wife  with  a  fortune. 

"  And,  in  winter  ;  with  bacon  and  eggs, 

And  a  place  at  the  turf-fire  basking, 
Sip  my  punch  as  I  roasted  my  legs, 

Oh  !  the  devil  a  more  I'd  be  asking! 
For  I  haven't  s.ja7!2Usiorwor\, — 

It  was  never  the  gift  of  the  Bradies, — 
But  I'd  make  a  most  illigant  Turk, 

For  I'm  fond  of  tobacco  and  ladies." 

This  confounded  refrain  kept  ringing  through  my  dream, 
and  "  tobacco  and  ladies  "  mingled  with  my  thoughts  of  storm 
and  battle-field,  long  after  their  very  gifted  author  had  com- 
posed himself  to  slumber. 

Sleep,  and  sound  sleep,  came  at  length,  and  many  hours 
elapsed  ere  I  awoke.  When  I  did  so,  my  fire  was  reduced  to 
its  last  embers.  Mike,  like  the  others,  had  sunk  in  slumber, 
and  mid  the  gray  dawn  that  precedes  the  morning,  I  could 
just  perceive  the  dark  shadows  of  my  troopers  as  they  lay  in 
groups  around. 

The  fatigues  of  the  previous  day  had  so  completely  over- 
come me,  that  it  was  with  difficulty  I  could  arouse  myself  so 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  509 

far  as  to  heap  fresh  logs  upon  the  fire.  This  I  did,  with  my 
eyes  half  closed,  and  in  that  listless,  dreamy  state  which  seems 
the  twilight  of  sleep. 

I  managed  so  much,  however,  and  was  returning  to  my  couch 
beneath  a  tree,  when  suddenly  an  object  presented  itself  to 
my  eyes  that  absolutely  rooted  me  to  the  spot.  At  about 
twenty  or  thirty  yards  distant,  where  but  the  moment  before  the 
long  line  of  horizon  terminated  the  view,  there  now  stood  a  huge 
figure  of  some  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  height ;  two  heads — which 
surmounted  this  colossal  personage — moved  alternately  from 
side  to  side,  while  several  arms  waved  loosely  to  and  fro  in  the 
most  strange  and  uncouth  manner.  My  first  impression  was 
tiiat  a  dream  had  conjured  up  this  distorted  image  ;  but  when 
I  had  assured  myself  by  repeated  pinchings  and  shakings  that 
I  was  really  awake,  still  it  remained  there.  I  was  never  much 
given  to  believe  in  ghosts ;  but  even  had  I  been  so,  this  strange 
apparition  must  have  puzzled  me  as  much  as  ever,  for  it  could 
not  have  been  the  representative  of  anything  I  ever  heard  of 
before. 

A  vague  suspicion  that  some  French  trickery  was  concerned, 
induced  me  to  challenge  it  in  French,  so,  without  advancing  a 
step,  I  halloed  out,  "  Qui  va  la  I  " 

My  voice  aroused  a  sleeping  soldier,  who,  springing  up  be- 
side me,  had  his  carbine  at  the  cock  ;  while,  equally  thunder- 
struck with  myself,  he  gazed  at  the  monster. 

"  Qiii  va  la  I  "  shouted  I  again,  and  no  answer  was  returned, 
when  suddenly  the  huge  object  wheeled  rapidly  around,  and 
without  waiting  for  any  further  parley,  made  for  the  thicket. 

The  tramp  of  a  horse's  feet  now  assured  me  as  to  the  nature 
of  at  least  part  of  the  spectacle,  when  click  went  the  trigger 
behind  me,  and  tlie  trooper's  ball  rushed  whistling  through 
the  brushwood.  In  a  moment  the  whole  party  were  up  and 
stirring. 

"  This  way,  lads  !  "  cried  I,  as,  drawing  my  sabre,  I  dashed 
into  the  pine  wood. 


5 1 0  CHA  RLES  O'MALLE  K, 

For  a  few  moments  all  was  dark  as  midnight ;  but,  as  we 
proceeded  further,  we  came  out  upon  a  little  open  space  which 
commanded  the  plain  beneath  for  a  great  extent. 

"  There  it  goes  !  "  said  one  of  the  men,  pointing  to  a  narrow, 
beaten  path,  in  which  the  tall  figure  moved  at  a  slow  and 
stately  pace,  while  still  the  same  wild  gestures  of  heads  and 
limbs  continued. 

"  Don't  fire,  men  !  don't  fire  ! "  I  cried,  "  but  follow  me,"  as 
I  set  forward  as  hard  as  I  could. 

As  we  neared  it,  the  frantic  gesticulations  grew  more  and 
more  remarkable,  while  some  stray  words  which  we  half  caught, 
sounded  like  English  in  our  ears.  We  were  now  within  pistol- 
shot  distance,  when  suddenly  the  horse — for  that  much  at 
least  we  were  assured  of — stumbled  and  fell  forward,  precipitat- 
ing the  remainder  of  the  object  headlong  into  the  road. 

In  a  second  we  were  upon  the  spot,  when  the  first  sounds 
which  greeted  me  were  the  following,  uttered  in  an  accent  by 
no  means  new  to  me  : — 

"  Oh,  blessed  Virgin  !  Wasn't  it  yourself  that  threw  me  in 
the  mud,  or  my  nose  was  done  for  ?  Shaugh,  Shaugh,  my  boy  ! 
since  we  are  taken,  tip  them  the  blarney,  and  say  we're  generals 
of  division  !  " 

I  need  not  say  with  what  a  burst  of  laughter  I  received  this 
very  original  declaration. 

"  I  ought  to  know  that  laugh,"  cried  a  voice  I  at  once  knew 
to  be  my  friend  O'Shaughnessy.  "  Are  you  Charles  O'Malley, 
by  any  chance  in  life  .''  " 

"  The  same.  Major,  and  delighted  to  meet  you  ;  though,  faith, 
we  were  near  giving  you  a  rather  warm  reception.  What,  in 
the  devil's  name,  did  you  represent  just  now .''  " 

"  Ask  Maurice,  there,  bad  luck  to  him  !  I  wish  the  devil  had 
him  when  he  persuaded  me  into  it." 

"  Introduce  me  to  your  friend,"  replied  the  other,  rubbing 
his  shins  as  he  spoke.  "  Mr.  O'Mealey," — so  he  called  me — 
"  I  think.     Happy  to  meet  you ;  my  mother  wa?  a  Ryan  Qf 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


511 


Killdooley,  married  to  a  first  cousin  of  your  father's,  before  she 
took  Mr.  Quill,  my  respected  progenitor.  I'm  Dr.  Quill,  of  the 
48th,  more  commonly  called  Maurice  Quill.  Tear  and  ages  ! 
how  sore  my  back  is  !  It  was  all  the  fault  of  the  baste,  Mr. 
O'Mealey.  We  set  out  in  search  of  you  this  morning,  to  bring 
you  back  with  us  to  Torrijos,  but  we  fell  in  with  a  very  pleas- 
ant funeral  at  Barcaventer,  and  joined  them  ;  they  invited  us,  I 
may  say,  to  spend  the  day;  and  a  very  jovial  day  it  was.  1 
was  the  chief  mourner,  and  carried  a  very  big  candle  through 
the  village,  in  consideration  of  as  fine  a  meat-pie,  and  as  much 
lush  as  my  grief  permitted  me  to  indulge  in  afterwards.  But, 
my  dear  sir,  when  it  was  all  finished,  we  found  ourselves  nine 
miles  from  our  quarters,  and  as  neither  of  us  were  in  a  very 
befitting  condition  for  pedestrian  exercise,  we  stole  one  of  the 
leaders  out  of  the  hearse — velvet,  plumes,  and  all — and  set  off 
home. 

"  When  we  came  upon  your  party,  we  were  not  over  clear 
whether  you  were  English,  Portuguese,  or  French,  and  that  was 
the  reason  I  called  out  to  you,  '  God  save  all  here  ! '  in  Irish, 
Your  polite  answer  was  a  shot,  which  struck  the  old  horse, 
in  the  knee,  and  although  we  wheeled  about  in  double  quick, 
we  never  could  get  him  out  of  his  professional  habits  on  the 
road.  He  had  a  strong  notion  he  was  engaged  in  another 
funeral — as  he  was  very  likely  to  be — and  the  devil  a  bit 
faster  than  a  dead  march  could  we  get  him  to,  with  all  our 
thrashing.  Orderly  time,  for  men  in  a  hurry,  with  a  whole 
platoon  blazing  away  behind  them  !  But  long  life  to  the 
cavalry,  they  never  hit  anything  !  " 

While  he  continued  to  run  on  in  this  manner,  we  reached 
our  watch-fire,  when  what  was  my  surprise  to  discover,  in  my 
newly-made  acquaintance,  the  worthy  Doctor  I  had  seen  a  day 
or  two  before,  operating  at  the  fountain  at  Talavera  ! 

"  Well,  Mr.  O'Mealey,"  said  he,  as  he  seated  himself  before 
the  blaze,  "  what  is  the  state  of  the  larder  ?  Anything  savory, 
anything  drink-inspiring  to  be  had?" 


512  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  I  fear,  Doctor,  my  fare  is  of  the  very  humblest  \  but, 
still " 

"What  are  the  fluids,  Charley?"  cried  the  Major;  "the 
cruel  performance  I  have  been  enacting  on  that  cursed  beast 
has  left  me  in  a  fever." 

"This  vi^as  a  pigeon-pie,  formerly,"  said  Dr.  Quill,  investigat- 
ing the  ruined  walls  of  a  pasty  ;  "  and — but  come,  here's  a 
duck ;  and  if  my  nose  deceive  me  not,  a  very  tolerable  ham. 
Peter — Larry — Patsy — What's  the  name  of  your  familiar 
there  .?  " 

"  Mickey — Mickey  Free." 

"  Mickey  Free,  then  ;  come  here,  avick  !  Devise  a  little 
drink,  my  son— none  of  the  weakest — no  lemon — hot  !  You 
understand,  hot !  That  chap  has  an  eye  for  punch  ;  there's 
no  mistaking  an  Irish  fellow,  nature  has  endowed  them  richly 
— fine  features,  and  a  beautiful  absorbent  system  !  That's  the 
gift !  Just  look  at  him,  blowing  up  the  fire — isn't  he  a  picture  ? 
Well,  O'Mealey,  I  was  fretting  that  we  hadn't  you  up  at 
Torrijos  ;  we  were  enjoying  life  very  respectably  ;  we  established 
a  little  system  of  small  tithes  upon  fowl — sheep— pigs'  heads 
and  wine  skins,  that  throve  remarkably  for  the  time.  Here's 
the  lush  !  Put  it  down  there,  Mickey,  in  the  middle ;  that's 
right.  Your  health,  Shaugh.  O'Mealey,  here's  a  troop  to  you ; 
and  in  the  mean  time  I'll  give  you  a  chant : — 

" '  Come,  ye  jovial  souls,  don't  over  the  bowl  be  sleeping. 
Nor  let  the  grog  go  round  like  a  cripple  creeping; 
If  your  care  comes  up — in  the  liquor  sink  it. 
Pass  along  the  lush — I'm  the  boy  can  drink  it. 

Isn't  that  so,  Mrs.  Mary  Callaghau  ? 

Isn't  that  so,  Mrs.  Mary  Callaghan  ? ' 

"  Shaugh,  my  hearty,  this  begins  to  feel  comfortable." 
'•  Your  man,  O'Mealey,  has  a  most  judicious  notion  of  punch 
for  a  small   party ;  and  though   one   has  prejudices  about  a 
table,  chairs,  and  that  sort  of  thing,  take  my   word  for  it,  it'§ 
better  than  fighting  the  French,  any  day," 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  5  1 3 

"  Well,  Charley,  it  certainly  did  look  quite  awkward  enougii 
the  other  day  towards  three  o'clock,  when  the  Legion  fell  back 
before  that  French  column,  and  broke  the  Guards  behind  them." 

"Yes,  you're  quite  right ;  but  I  think  every  one  felt  that  the 
confusion  was  but  momentary  ;  the  gallant  Forty-eighth  was 
up  in  an  instant." 

"  Faith  !  I  can  answer  for  their  alacrity,"  said  the  Doctor  ; 
"  I  was  making  my  way  to  the  rear  with  all  convenient  despatch, 
when  an  aide-de-camp  called  out, — 

"  '  Cavalry  coming  !  take  care,  Forty-eighth.' 

"  '  Left  face,  wheel !  Fall  in  there,  fall  in  there  ! '  I  heard  on 
every  side,  and  soon  found  myself  standing  in  a  square,  with  Sir 
Arthur  himself,  and  Hill,  and  the  rest  of  them  all  around  me. 

" '  Steady,  men  !  Steady,  now  !  '  said  Hill,  as  he  rode 
around  the  ranks,  while  we  saw  an  awful  column  of  cuirassiers 
forming  on  the  rising  ground  to  our  left. 

•' '  Here  they  come  ! '  said  Sir  Arthur,  as  the  French  came 
powdering  along,  making  the  very  earth  tremble  beneath  them. 

"  My  first  thought  was,  '  The  devils  are  mad  !  and  they'll 
ride  down  into  us,  before  they  know  they're  kilt ! '  And  sure 
enough,  smash  into  our  first  rank  they  pitched,  sabring  and 
cutting  all  before  them  ;  when  at  last  the  word  '  Fire  ! '  was 
given,  and  the  whole  head  of  the  column  broke  like  a  shell, 
and  rolled  horse  over  man  on  the  earth. 

"'Very  well  done!  very  well,  indeed!'  said  Sir  Arthur, 
turning  as  coolly  round  to  me  as  if  he  was  asking  for  more  gravy. 

" '  Mighty  well  done  ! '  said  I,  in  reply  ;  and  resolving  not 
to  be  outdone  in  coolness,  I  pulled  out  my  snuff-box  and 
offered  him  a  pinch,  saying,  'The  real  thing,  Sir  Arthur; 
our  own  countryman — blackguard.' 

"He  gave  a  little  grim  kind  of  a  smile,  took  a  pinch,  and 
then  called  out, 

"  '  Let  Sherbroke  advance  !  '  while  turning  again  towards 
me,  he  said,  'Where  are  your  people,  Colonel  ? ' 

"  '  Colonel  ! '  thought  I  ;  '  is  it  possible  he's  going  to  promote 


514  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

me  ? '  But  before  I  could  answer,  he  was  talking  to  another. 
Meanwhile,  Hill  came  up,  and,  looking  at  me  steadily,  burst  out 
with — 

"  '  Why  the  devil  are  you  here,  sir  ?  Why  ain't  you  at  the 
rear  ? ' 

"  '  Upon  my  conscience,'  said  I,  '  that's  the  very  thing  I'm 
puzzling  myself  about  this  minute  !  but  if  you  think  it's  pride 
in  me,  you're  greatly  mistaken,  for  I'd  rather  the  greatest 
scoundrel  in  Dublin  was  kicking  me  down  Sackville  Street, 
than  be  here  now  ! ' 

"  You'd  think  it  was  fun  I  was  making,  if  you  heard  how 
they  all  laughed.  Hill  and  Cameron  and  the  others  louder 
than  any, 

"  '  Who  is  he  ? '  said  Sir  Arthur,  quickly, 

"  '  Dr,  Quill,  surgeon  of  the  Thirty-third,  where  I  exchanged, 
to  be  near  my  brother,  sir,  in  the  Thirty-fourth.' 

"  '  A  doctor, — a  surgeon  !  That  fellow  a  surgeon  !  Damn 
him,  T  took  him  for  Colonel  Grosvenor !  I  say,  Gordon,  these 
medical  officers  must  be  docked  of  their  fine  feathers,  there's 
no  knowing  them  from  the  staff ;  look  to  that  in  the  next 
general  order.' 

*'  And  sure  enough  they  left  us  bare  and  naked  the  next 
morning;  and  if  the  French  sharpshooters  pick  us  down  now, 
devil  mend  them  for  wasting  powder,  for  if  they  look  in  the 
orderly  books,  they'll  find  their  mistake." 

"Ah,  Maurice,  Maurice  ?"  said  Shaugh,  with  a  sigh,  "you'll 
never  improve — you'll  never  improve  ! " 

"  Why  the  devil  would  I  ?  "  said  he  ;  "  ain't  I  at  the  top  of 
my  profession — full  surgeon — with  nothing  to  expect — nothing 
to  hope  for  ?  Oh,  if  I  only  remained  in  the  light  company,  what 
wouldn't  I  be  now  ?  " 

"  Then  you  were  not  always  a  doctor  ?  "  said  I, 

"  Upon  my  conscience  I  wasn't,"  said  he.  "  When  Shaugh 
knew  me  first,  I  was  the  Adonis  of  the  Roscommon  militia, 
with  more  heiresses  in  my  list  than  any  man  in  the  regiment ; 
but  Shaugh  and  myself  were  always  unlucky." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiY. 


5'S 


"  Poor  Mrs.  Rogers  !  "  said  the  Major,  pathetically,  drinking 
off  his  glass  and  heaving  a  profound  sigh. 

"  Ah,  the  darling  !  "  said  the  Doctor  ;  "  if  it  wasn't  for  a  jug 
of  punch  that  lay  on  the  hall  table,  our  fortune  in  life  would 
be  very  different." 

"  True  for  you,  Maurice  !  "  quoth  O'Shaughnessy. 

"  I  should  like  much  to  hear  that  story,"  said  I,  pushing  the 
jug  briskly  round. 

"  He'll  tell  it  you,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  lighting  his  cigar, 
and  leaning  pensively  back  against  a  tree, — "  he'll  tell  it  you." 

"  I  will  with  pleasure,"  said  Maurice.  "  Let  Mr.  Free 
meantime  amuse  himself  with  the  punch-bowl,  and  I'll  relate 
it." 


5l6  CHARLES  O'MALLEV^ 


CHAPTER  LXVIII. 

THE    doctor's     tale.* 

"  It  is  now  some  fifteen  years  since — if  it  wasn't  for 
O'Shaughnessy's  wrinkles,  I  could  not  believe  it  five — we  were 
quartered  in  Loughrea.  There  were,  besides  our  regiment, 
the  Fiftieth  and  the  Seventy-third,  and  a  troop  or  two  of 
horse  artillery,  and  the  whole  town  was  literally  a  barrack, 
and,  as  you  may  suppose,  the  pleasantest  place  imaginable. 
All  the  young  ladies,  and  indeed  all  those  that  had  got  their 
brevet  some  years  before,  came  flocking  into  the  town,  not 
knowing  but  the  devil  might  persuade  a  raw  ensign  or  so  to 
marry  some  of  them. 

"  Such  dinner  parties — such  routs  and  balls — never  were 
heard  of  west  of  Athlone.  The  gaieties  were  incessant ;  and 
if  good  feeding,  plenty  of  claret,  short  whist,  country  dances, 
and  kissing,  could  have  done  the  thing,  there  wouldn't  have 
been  a  bachelor  with  a  red  coat  for  six  miles  around. 

"You  know  the  west,  O'Mealey  ;  so  I  needn't  tell  you  what 
the  Galway  girls  are   like  ;  fine,  hearty,   free-and-easy,  talking, 

*I  cannot  permit  the  reader  to  fall  into  the  same  blunder  with  regard  to  the  worthy 
"  Maurice,"  as  my  friend  Charles  O'Malley  has  done.  It  is  only  fair  to  state  that  the 
Doctor  in  the  following  tale  was  hoaxing  the  "  Dragoon."  A  braver  and  a  better  fellow 
than  Quill  never  existed, equally  beloved  by  his  brother  officers,  as  delighted  in  for  his  convivial 
talents.  His  favorite  amusement  was  to  invent  some  story  or  adventure,  in  which,  mixing 
up  his  own  name  with  that  of  some  friend  or  companion,  the  veracity  of  the  whole  was 
never  questioned.     Of  this  nature  was  the  pedigree  he  devised  in  the  last  chapter. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  5  1  7 

laughing  devils ;  but  as  deep  and  as  'cute  as  a  Master  in 
Chancery — ready  for  any  fun  or  merriment ;  but  always  keep- 
ing a  sly  look-out  for  a  proposal  or  a  tender  acknowledgment, 
which — what  between  the  heat  of  a  ball-room,  whisky  negus, 
white  satin  shoes,  and  a  quarrel  with  your  guardian — it's  ten  to 
one  you  fall  into,  before  you're  a  week  in  the  same  town  with 
them. 

"  As  for  the  men,  I  don't  admire  them  so  much ;  pleasant 
and  cheerful  enough,  when  they're  handicapping  the  coat  off 
your  back,  and  your  new  tilbury  for  a  spavined  pony  and  a 
cotton  umbrella ;  but  regular  devils  if  you  come  to  cross  them 
the  least  in  life ;  nothing  but  ten  paces — three  shots  a-piece — 
to  begin  and  end  with  something  like  Roger  de  Coverley,  when 
every  one  has  a  pull  at  his  neighbor.  I'm  not  saying  they're 
not  agreeable,  well-informed,  and  mild  in  their  habits  ;  but 
they  lean  overmuch  to  corduroys  and  coroners'  inquests  for 
one's  taste  farther  south.  However,  they're  a  fine  people, 
take  them  all  in  all ;  and,  if  they  were  not  interfered  with, 
and  their  national  customs  invaded  with  road-making,  petty- 
sessions,  grand-jury  laws,  and  a  stray  commission  now  and  then, 
they  are  capable  of  great  things,  and  would  astonish  the  world. 

"  But,  as  I  was  saying,  we  were  ordered  to  Loughrea,  after 
being  fifteen  months  in  detachments  about  Birr,  Tullamore, 
Kilbeggan,  and  all  that  country  ;  the  change  was  indeed  a 
delightful  one ;  and  we  soon  found  ourselves  the  centre  of  the 
most  marked  and  determined  civilities.  I  told  you  they  were 
wise  people  in  the  west ;  this  was  their  calculation ;  the  line — 
ours  was  the  Roscommon  militia — are  here  to-day,  there  to- 
morrow ;  they  may  be  flirting  in  Tralee  this  week,  and  fighting 
on  the  Tagus  the  next ;  not  that  there  was  any  fighting  there 
in  those  times,  but  then  there  was  always  Nova  Scotia  and  St. 
John's,  and  a  hundred  other  places  that  a  Galway  young  lady 
knew  nothing  about,  except  that  people  never  came  back  from 
them.  Now,  what  good,  what  use  was  there  in  falling  in  love 
with  them  ?    mere  transitory  and  passing  pleasure  that  was. 


5i8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

But  as  for  us  :  there  we  were ;  if  not  in  Kilkenny  we  were  in 
Cork.  Safe  cut  and  come  again  ;  no  getting  away  under 
pretence  of  foreign  service  ;  no  excuse  for  not  marrying  by 
any  cruel  pictures  of  the  colonies,  where  they  make  spatch- 
cocks of  the  officers'  wives,  and  scrape  their  infant  families  to 
death  with  a  small  tooth-comb.  In  a  word,  my  dear  O'Mealey, 
we  were  at  a  high  premium  ;  and  even  O'Shaughnessy,  with 
his  red  head  and  the  legs  you  see,  had  his  admirers — there 
now,  don't  be  angry,  Dan — the  men,  at  least,  were  mighty 
partial  to  you. 

"  Loughrea,  if  it  was  a  pleasant,  was  a  very  expensive  place. 
White  gloves  and  car  hire — there  wasn't  a  chaise  in  the  town 
— short  whist  too  (God  forgive  me  if  I  wrong  them,  but  I 
wonder  were  they  honest  ?),  cost  money ;  and  as  our 
popularity  rose,  our  purses  fell,  till  at  length,  when  the  one 
was  at  the  flood,  the  other  was  something  very  like  low  water. 

"  Now,  the  Roscommon  was  a  beautiful  corps — no  petty 
jealousies,  no  little  squabbling  among  the  officers,  no  small 
spleen  between  the  Major's  wife  and  the  Paymaster's  sister — - 
all  was  amiable,  kind,  brotherly,  and  affectionate.  To  pro- 
ceed ;  I  need  only  mention  one  fine  trait  of  them — no  man 
ever  refused  to  endorse  a  brother  officer's  bill.  To  think  of 
asking  the  amount,  or  even  the  date,  would  be  taken  personally ; 
and  thus  we  went  on  mutually  aiding  and  assisting  each  other 
— the  Colonel  drawing  on  me,  I  on  the  Major,  the  senior  Cap- 
tain on  the  Surgeon,  and  so  on — a  regular  cross-fire  of  '  prom- 
ises to  pay,'  all  stamped  and  regular. 

"  Not  but  the  system  had  its  inconveniences  ;  for  sometimes 
an  obstinate  tailor  or  bootmaker  would  make  a  row  for  his 
money,  and  then  we'd  be  obliged  to  get  up  a  little  quarrel 
between  the  drawer  and  the  acceptor  of  the  bill ;  they  couldn't 
speak  for  some  days  ;  and  a  mutual  friend  to  both  would  tell 
the  creditor  that  the  slightest  imprudence  on  his  part  would 
lead  to  bloodshed  ;  '  and  the  Lord  help  him  !  if  there  was  a 
duel,  he'd  prove  the  whole  cause  of  it.'     This  and  twenty  other 


THE  IRISn  DRAGOON.  519 

plans  were  employed,  and,  finally,  the  matter  would  be  left  to 
arbitration  among  our  brother  officers.  And,  I  need  not  say, 
they  behaved  like  trumps.  But,  notwithstanding  all  this,  we 
were  frequently  hard-pressed  for  cash  ;  as  the  Colonel  said, 
'  It  s  a  mighty  expensive  corps.'  Our  dress  was  costly — not 
that  it  had  much  lace  and  gold  on  it,  but  that,  what  between 
falling  on  the  road  at  night,  shindies  at  mess,  and  other  devil- 
ment, a  coat  lasted  no  time.  Wine,  too,  was  heavy  on  us  ; 
for,  though  we  often  changed  our  wine-merchant,  and  rarely 
paid  him,  there  was  an  awful  consumption  at  the  mess  ! 

"  Now,  what  I  have  mentioned  may  prepare  you  for  the  fact, 
that  before  we  were  eight  weeks  in  garrison,  Shaugh  and  my- 
self, upon  an  accurate  calculation  of  our  conjoint  finances,  dis- 
covered that,  except  some  vague  promises  of  discounting  here 
and  there  through  the  town,  and  seven  and  fourpence  in  specie, 
we  were  innocent  of  any  pecuniary  treasures.  This  was  em- 
barrassing; we  had  both  embarked  in  several  small  schemes 
of  pleasurable  amusement ;  had  a  couple  of  hunters  each,  a 
tandem,  and  a  running  account — I  think  it  galloped — at  every 
shop  in  the  town. 

"  Let  me  pause  for  a  moment  here,  O'Mealey,  while  I  moralize 
a  little  in  a  strain,  I  hope,  may  benefit  you.  Have  you  ever 
considered — of  course  you  have  not,  you're  too  young  and  un- 
reflecting— how  beautifully  every  climate  and  every  soil  pos- 
sesses some  one  antidote  or  another  to  its  own  noxious  in- 
fluences? The  tropics  have  their  succulent  and  juicy  fruits, 
cooling  and  refreshing  ;  the  nortiiern  latitudes  have  their  beasts 
with  fur  and  warm  skin  to  keep  out  the  frost-bites  ;  and  so  it  is 
in  Ireland — nowhere  on  the  face  of  the  habitable  globe  does  a 
man  contract  such  habits  of  small  debt,  and  nowhere,  I'll  be 
sworn,  can  he  so  easily  get  out  of  any  scrape  concerning  them. 
They  have  their  tigers  in  the  east,  their  antelopes  in  the  south, 
their  white  bears  in  Norway,  their  buffaloes  in  America  ;  but 
we  have  an  animal  in  Ireland  that  beats  them  all  hollow — a 
country  attorney  ! 


520  CHARLES  aMALLEY, 

"  Now,  let  hie  introduce  you  to  Mr.  Matthew  Donevan.  Mat, 
as  he  was  familiarly  called  by  his  numerous  acquaintances,  was 
a  short,  florid,  rosy  little  gentleman  of  some  four  or  five-and- 
forty,  with  a  well-curled  wig  of  the  fairest  imaginable  auburn, 
the  gentle  wave  of  the  front  locks,  which  played  in  infantine 
loveliness  upon  his  little  bullet  forehead,  contrasting  strongly 
enough  with  a  cunning  leer  of  his  eye,  and  a  certain  nisi priiis 
laugh  that,  however,  it  might  please  a  client,  rarely  brought 
pleasurable  feelings  to  his  opponent  in  a  cause. 

"  Mat  was  a  character  in  his  way ;  deep,  double,  and  tricky 
in  everything  that  concerned  his  profession,  he  affected  the  gay 
fellow  ;  liked  a  jolly  dinner  at  Brown's  Hotel — would  go  twenty 
miles  to  see  a  steeple-chase  and  a  coursing  match — bet  with  any 
one,  when  the  odds  were  strong  in  his  favor,  with  an  easy  in- 
difference about  .money  that  made  him  seem,  when  winning, 
rather  the  victim  of  good  luck  than  anything  else.  As  he  kept 
a  rather  pleasaint  bachelor's  house,  and  liked  the  military  much, 
we  soon  became  acquainted.  Upon  him,  therefore,  for  reasons 
I  can't  explain,  both  our  hopes  reposed  ;  and  Shaugh  and  my- 
self at  once  agreed,  that,  if  Mat  could  not  assist  us  in  our  dis- 
tresses, the  case  was  a  bad  one. 

"A  pretty  little  epistle  was  accordingly  concocted,  invit- 
ing the  worthy  attorney  to  a  small  dinner  at  five  o'clock  the 
next  day,  intimating  that  we  were  to  be  perfectly  alone, 
and  had  a  little  business  to  discuss.  True  to  the  hour, 
Mat  was  there  ;  and,  as  if  instantly  guessing  that  ours  was 
no  regular  party  of  pleasure,  his  look,  dress,  and  manner 
were  all  in  keeping  with  the  occasion — quiet,  subdued,  and 
searching. 

"  When  the  claret  had  been  superseded  by  the  whisky,  and 
the  confidential  hours  were  approaching,  by  an  adroit  allusion 
to  some  heavy  wager  then  pending,  we  brought  our  finances 
upon  the  tapis.  The  thing  was  done  beautifully ;  an  easy 
adagio  movement — no  violent  transition  ;  but  hang  me  if  old 
Mat  didn't  catch  the  matter  at  once. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  5  2 1 

"  *  Oh  !  it's  there  ye  are,  Captain,'  said  he,  with  his  peculiar 
grin;  '  two-and-sixpence  in  the  pound,  and  no  assets.' 

"  'The  last  is  nearer  the  mark,  my  old  boy,'  said  Shaugh, 
blurting  out  the  whole  truth  at  once.  The  wily  attorney  fin- 
ished his  tumbler  slowly,  as  if  giving  himself  time  for  reflection, 
and  then,  smacking  his  lips  in  a  preparatory  manner,  took  a 
quick  survey  of  the  room  with  his  piercing  green  eye. 

"  *  A  very  sweet  mare  of  yours  that  little  mouse-colored  one 
is,  with  the  dip  in  the  back  ;  and  she  has  a  trifling  curb — maybe 
it's  a  spavin,  indeed — in  the  near  hind-leg.  You  gave  five-and- 
twenty  for  her,  now,  I'll  be  bound  } ' 

"  '  Sixty  guineas,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Dan,'  said  Shaugh, 
not  at  all  pleased  at  the  value  put  upon  his  hackney ;  '  and,  as 
to  spavin  and  curb,  I'll  wager  double  the  sum  she  has  neither 
the  slightest  trace  of  one  nor  the  other.' 

"  '  I'll  not  take  the  bet,'  said  Mat,  dryly  ;  '  money's  scarce 
in  these  parts.' 

"This  hit  silenced  us  both  ;  and  our  friend  continued  : — 

"  'Then  there's  the  bay  horse — a  great  strapping,  laggy  beast 
he  is  for  a  tilbury  ;  and  the  hunters — worth  nothing  here,  they 
don't  know  this  country ;  them's  neat  pistols  ;  and  the  tilbury 
is  not  bad ' 

"  '  Confound  you  !  '  said  I,  losing  all  patience,  '  we  didn't  ask 
you  here  to  appraise  our  movables ;  we  want  to  raise  the  wind 
without  that.' 

" '  I  see — I  perceive,'  said  Mat,  taking  a  pinch  of  snulT  very 
leisurely  as  he  spoke  ;  '  I  see.  Well,  that  is  difficult — very 
difficult,  just  now.  I've  mortgaged  every  acre  of  ground  in  the 
two  counties  near  us,  and  a  sixpence  more  is  not  to  be  had  that 
way.     Are  you  lucky  at  the  races  .'' ' 

"  '  Never  win  a  sixpence.' 

"  '  What  can  you  do  at  whist  ? ' 

"  '  Revoke,  and  get  cursed  by  my  partner  ;  devil  a  more  ! ' 

"  '  That's  mighty  bad,  for,  otherwise,  we  miglit  arrange  some- 
thing for  you.     Well,  I  only  see  one  thing  for  it — you  must 


522 


CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 


marry  ;  a  wife  with  some  money  will  get  you  out  of  your  pres- 
ent difificulties,  and  we'll  manage  that  easily  enough.' 

"  '  Come,  Dan,'  said  I — for  Shaugh  was  dropping  asleep— 
'  cheer  up,  old  fellow.  Donevan  has  found  the  way  to  pull  us 
through  our  misfortunes  ;  a  girl  with  forty  thousand  pounds,  the 
best  cock  shooting  in  Ireland  ;  an  old  family,  a  capital  cellar, 
all  await  ye — rouse  up,  there  ! ' 

"  '  I'm  convaniant,'  said  Shaugh,  with  a  look  intended  to  be 
knowing,  but  really  very  tipsy. 

"  'I  didn't  say  much  for  her  personal  attractions,  Captain,' 
said  Mat ;  '  nor,  indeed,  did  I  specify  the  exact  sum  ;  but  Mrs. 
Rogers  Dooley,  of  Clonakilty,  might  be  a  princess ' 

"  '  And  so  she  shall  be.  Mat ;  the  O'Shaughnessys  were 
Kings  of  Ennis  in  the  time  of  Nero  ;  and  I'm  only  waiting  for 
a  trifle  of  money  to  revive  the  title.     What's  her  name  ? ' 

"  '  Mrs.  Rogers  Dooley.' 

"  *  Here's  her  health,  and  long  life  to  her — 

'  And  may  the  devil  cut  the  toes 
Of  all  her  foes, 
That  we  may  know  them  by  their  limping.* 

"  This  benevolent  wish  uttered,  Dan  fell  flat  upon  the 
hearth-rug,  and  was  soon  sound  asleep.  I  must  hasten  on  ; 
so  need  only  say  that,  before  we  parted  that  night.  Mat  and 
myself  had  finished  the  half-gallon  bottle  of  I,oughrea  whiskey, 
and  concluded  a  treaty  for  the  hand  and  fortune  of  Mrs. 
Rogers  Dooley ;  he  being  guaranteed  a  very  handsome  per- 
centage on  the  property,  and  the  lady  being  reserved— for 
choice  between  Dan  and  myself,  which,  however,  I  was  deter- 
mined should  fall  upon  my  more  fortunate  friend. 

"  The  first  object  which  presented  itself  to  my  aching  senses 
the  following  morning,  was  a  very  spacious  card  of  invitation 
from  Mr.  Jonas  Malone,  requesting  me  to  favor  him  with  the 
seductions  of  my  society  the  next  evening  to  a  ball ;  at  the 
bottom  of  which,  in  Mr.  Donevan's  hand,  I  read,— 

"  •  Don't  fail ;  you  know  who  is  to  be  there.     I've  not  been 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  523 

idle  since  I  saw  you.  Would  the  Captain  take  twenty-five  for 
the  mare  ? ' 

"  '  So  far  so  good,'  thought  I,  as,  entering  O'Shaughnessy's 
quarters,  I  discovered  him  endeavoring  to  spell  out  his  card, 
which,  however,  had  no  postscript.  We  soon  agreed  that  Mat 
should  have  his  price  ;  so,  sending  a  polite  answer  to  the  in- 
vitation, we  despatched  a  still  more  civil  note  to  the  attorney, 
and  begged  of  him,  as  a  weak  mark  of  esteem,  to  accept  the 
mouse-colored  mare  as  a  present." 

Here  O'Shaughnessy  sighed  deeply,  and  ev^en  seemed  affected 
by  the  souvenir. 

"  Come,  Dan,  we  did  it  all  for  the  best.  Oh  !  O'Mealey,  he 
was  a  cunning  fellow  ;  but  no  matter.  We  went  to  the  ball, 
and,  to  be  sure,  it  was  a  great  sight.  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
souls,  where  there  was  not  good  room  for  the  odd  fifty  ;  such 
laughing,  such  squeezing,  such  pressing  of  hands  and  waists  in 
the  staircase !  and  then  such  a  row  and  riot  at  the  top, 
— four  fiddles,  a  key  bugle,  and  a  bagpipe,  playing  '  Haste  to 
the  wedding,'  amid  the  crash  of  refreshment-trays,  the  tramp 
of  feet,  and  the  sounds  of  merriment  on  all  sides  ! 

"  It's  only  in  Ireland,  after  all,  people  have  fun  ;  old  and 
young,  merry  and  morose,  the  gay  and  cross-grained,  are 
crammed  into  a  lively  country-dance ;  and,  ill-matched,  ill- 
suited,  go  jigging  away  together  to  the  blast  of  a  bad  band, 
till  their  heads,  half  turned  by  the  noise,  the  heat,  the  novelty, 
and  the  hubbub,  they  all  get  as  tipsy  as  if  they  were  really  deep 
in  liquor. 

"  Then  there  is  that  particularly  free-and-easy  tone  in  every 
one  about ;  here  go  a  couple  capering  daintily  out  of  the  ball- 
room to  take  a  little  fresh  air  on  the  stairs,  where  every  step 
has  its  own  separate  flirtation  party ;  there,  a  riotous  old  gen- 
tleman, with  a  boarding-school  girl  for  his  partner,  has  plunged 
smack  into  a  party  at  loo,  upsetting  cards  and  counters,  and 
drawing  down  curses  innumerable.  Here  are  a  merry  knot 
round  the  refreshments,  and  well  they  may  be  ;  for  the  negus 


C34  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

is  Strong  punch,  and  the  biscuit  is  tipsy  cake— and  all  this 
with  a  running  fire  of  good  stories,  jokes,  and  witticisms  on  all 
sides,  in  the  laughter  for  which  even  the  droll-looking  servants 
join  as  heartily  as  the  rest. 

"We  were  not  long  in  finding  out  Mrs.  Rogers,  who  sat  in 
the  middle  of  a  very  high  sofa,  with  her  feet  just  touching  the 
floor.  She  was  short,  fat,  wore  her  hair  in  a  crop,  had  a 
species  of  shining  yellow  skin,  and  a  turned-up  nose,  all  of 
which  were  by  no  means  prepossessing.  Shaugh  and  myself 
were  too  hard-up  to  be  particular,  and  so  we  invited  her  to  dance 
alternately  for  two  consecutive  hours,  plying  her  assiduously 
with  negus  during  the  lulls  in  the  music. 

"  Supper  was  at  last  announced,  and  enabled  us  to  recruit 
for  new  efforts ;  and  so,  after  an  awful  consumption  of  fowl, 
pigeon-pie,  ham,  and  brandy  cherries,  Mrs.  Rogers  brightened 
up  considerably,  and  professed  her  willingness  to  join  the 
dancers.  As  for  us,  partly  from  exhaustion,  partly  to  stimu- 
late our  energies,  and  in  some  degree  to  drown  reflection,  we 
drank  deep,  and  when  we  reached  the  drawing-room,  not  only 
the  agreeable  guests  themselves,  but  even  the  furniture,  the 
venerable  chairs  and  the  stiff  old  sofa,  seemed  performing 
'  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley.'  How  we  conducted  ourselves  till 
five  in  the  morning,,  let  our  cramps  confess,  for  we  were  both 
bed-ridden  for  ten  days  after.  However,  at  last,  Mrs.  Rogers 
gave  in ;  and,  reclining  gracefully  upon  a  window-seat,  pro- 
nounced it  a  most  elegant  party,  and  asked  me  to  look  for  her 
shawl.  While  I  perambulated  the  staircase  with  her  bonnet 
on  my  head,  and  more  wearing  apparel  than  would  stock  a 
magazine,  Shaugh  was  roaring  himself  hoarse  in  the  street, 
calling    Mrs.  Rogers's  coach. 

"  '  Sure,  Captain,'  said  the  lady,  with  a  tender  leer,  '  it's  only 
a  chair.' 

"  '  And  here  it  is,'  said  I,  surveying  a  very  portly-looking  old 
sedan,  newly  painted  and  varnished,  that  blocked  up  half  the 
hall. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOO.V.  525 

"  '  You'll  catch  cold,  my  angel,'  said  Shaugh,  in  a  whisper, 
for  he  was  coming  it  very  strong  by  this  ;  'get  into  the  chair. 
Maurice,  can't  you  find  those  fellows  ? '  said  he  to  me ;  for  the 
chairmen  had  gone  downstairs,  and  were  making  very  merry 
among  the  servants. 

" '  She's  fast  now,'  said  I,  shutting  the  door  to.  '  Let 
us  do  the  gallant  thing,  and  carry  her  home  ourselves.' 
Shaugh  thought  this  a  great  notion  ;  and,  in  a  minute,  we 
mounted  the  poles,  and  sallied  forth,  amid  a  great  chorus  of 
laughing  from  all  the  footmen,  maids,  and  teaboys  that  filled 
the  passage. 

"  '  The  big  house,  with  the  bow-window  and  the  pillars.  Cap- 
tain,' said  a  fellow,  as  we  issued  upon  our  journey, 

"  *  I  know  it,'  said  I.  *  Turn  to  the  left  after  you  pass  the 
square.' 

"  '  Isn't  she  heavy  ? '  said  Shaugh,  as  he  meandered  across 
the  narrow  streets  with  a  sidelong  motion,  that  must  have  sug- 
gested to  our  fair  inside  passenger  some  notions  of  a  sea  voy- 
age. In  truth,  I  must  confess  our  progress  was  rather  a 
devious  one ;  now  zig-zagging  from  side  to  side,  now  getting 
into  a  sharp  trot,  and  then  suddenly  pulling  up  at  a  dead  stop, 
or  running  the  machine  chuck  against  a  wall,  to  enable  us  to 
stand  still  and  gain  breath. 

"  '  Which  way  now  ?  '  cried  he,  as  we  swung  round  the 
angle  of  a  street,  and  entered  the  large  market-place  ;  '  I'm 
getting  terribly  tired.' 

"  '  Never  give  in,  Dan  !  think  of  Clonakilty,  and  the  old 
lady  herself  ;  '  and  here  I  gave  the  chair  a  hoist  that  evi- 
dently astonished  our  fair  friend,  for  a  very  imploring  cry 
issued  forth  immediately  after. 

"  '  To  the  right,  quick  step,  forward — charge  !  '  cried  I  ; 
and  we  set  off  at  a  brisk  trot  down  a  steep  narrow  lane. 

"  '  Here  it  is  now  :  the  light  in  the  window  ;  cheer  up  !  ' 

"  As  I  said  this,  we  came  short  up  to  a  fine,  portly-looking 
doorway,  with  great  stone  pillars  and  cornice. 


526  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  *  Make  yourself  at  home,  Maurice,'  said  he  ;  '  bring  her 
in  ;  '  and  so  saying  we  pushed  forward — for  the  door  was  open 
— and  passed  boldly  into  a  great  flagged  hall,  silent  and  cold, 
and  dark  as  the  night  itself. 

"  '  Are  you  sure  we're  right  ?  '  said  he. 

"  '  All  right,'  said  I  ;  '  go  ahead.' 

"  And  so  we  did,  till  we  came  in  sight  of  a  small  candle  that 
burned  dimly  at  a  distance  from  us. 

"  '  Make  for  the  light,'  said  I  :  but  just  as  I  said  so,  Shaugh 
slipped  and  fell  flat  on  the  flagway.  The  noise  of  his  fall  sent 
up  a  hundred  echoes  in  the  silent  building  and  terrified  us 
both  dreadfully  ;  and,  after  a  minute's  pause,  by  one  consent, 
we  turned  and  made  for  the  door,  falling  almost  at  every  step  ; 
and,  frightened  out  of  our  senses,  we  came  tumbling  together 
into  the  porch,  and  out  in  the  street,  and  never  drew  breath 
till  we  reached  the  barracks.  Meanwhile  let  me  return  to  Mrs. 
Rogers.  The  dear  old  lady,  who  had  passed  an  awful  time 
since  she  left  the  ball,  had  just  rallied  out  of  a  fainting  fit 
when  we  took  to  our  heels  ;  so,  after  screaming  and  crying  her 
best,  she  at  last  managed  to  open  the  top  of  the  chair,  and  by 
dint  of  great  exertions  succeeded  in  forcing  the  door,  and  at 
length  freed  herself  from  bondage.  She  was  leisurely  groping 
her  way  round  it  in  the  dark,  when  her  lamentations  being  heard 
without,  woke  up  the  old  sexton  of  the  chapel — for  it  was  there 
we  placed  her — who,  entering  cautiously  with  a  light,  no  sooner 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  great  black  sedan  and  the  figure  beside 
it,  than  he  also  took  to  his  heels,  and  ran  like  a  madman  to  the 
priest's  house. 

"  '  Come,  your  reverance,  come,  for  the  love  of  marcy  !  sure 
didn't  I  see  him  myself  !     O  wirra,  wirra  !  ' 

"  '  What  is  it,  ye  ould  fool  ?  '  said  M'Kenny, 

"  '  It's  Father  Con  Doran,  your  reverance,  that  was  buried 
last  week,  and  there  he  is  up  now,  coffin  and  all  !  saying  a  mid- 
night mass  as  lively  as  ever." 

"  Poor  Mrs.  Rogers,  God  help  her  !     It  was  a  trying  sight 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  52^ 

for  her,  when  the  priest  and  the  two  coadjutors,  and  three  Httle 
boys  and  the  sexton,  all  came  in  to  lay  her  spirit  ;  and  the 
shock  she  received  that  night,  they  say,  she  never  got  over. 

"  Need  I  say,  my  dear  O'Mealey,  that  our  acquaintance  with 
Mrs.  Rogers  was  closed  .''  The  dear  woman  had  a  hard 
struggle  for  it  afterwards.  Her  character  was  assailed  by  all 
the  elderly  ladies  in  Loughrea  for  going  off  in  our  company, 
and  her  blue  satin,  piped  with  scarlet,  utterly  ruined  by  a  del- 
uge of  holy  water  bestowed  on  her  by  the  pious  sexton.  It  was 
in  vain  that  she  originated  twenty  different  reports  to  mystify 
the  world  ;  and  even  ten  pounds  spent  in  masses  for  the  eternal 
repose  of  Father  Con  Doran  only  increased  the  laughter  this 
unfortunate  affair  gave  rise  to.  As  for  us,  we  exchanged  into 
the  line,  and  foreign  service  took  us  out  of  the  road  of  duns, 
debts,  and  devilment,  and  we  soon  reformed,  and  eschewed 
such  low  company." 

******* 
******* 

The  day  was  breaking  ere  we  separated,  and  amid  the  rich 

,nd   fragrant  vapors  that  exhaled  from   the  earth,    the  faint 

aaces  of  sunlight,  dimly  stealing,  told  of  the  morning.     My 

two  friends  set  out  for  Torrijos,  and  I  pushed  boldly  forward 

in  the  direction  of  the  Alberche. 

It  was  a  strange  thing,  that  although  but  two  days  before  the 
i'oads  we  were  then  travelling  had  been  the  line  of  retreat  of  the 
whole  French  army,  not  a  vestige  of  their  equipment  nor  a 
trace  of  their  materiel  had  been  left  behind.  In  vain  we  searched 
each  thicket  by  the  wayside  for  some  straggling  soldier,  some 
wounded  or  wearied  man — nothing  of  the  kind  was  to  be  seen. 
Except  the  deeply-rutted  road,  torn  by  the  heavy  wheels  of  the 
artillery,  and  the  white  ashes  of  a  wood  fire,  nothing  marked 
their  progress. 

Our  journey  was  a  lonely  one.  Not  a  man  was  to  be  met  with. 
The  houses  stood  untenanted,  the  doors  lay  open,  no  smoke 
wreathed  from  their  deserted  hearths,  the  peasantry  had  taken 


528  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

to  the  mountains,  and  although  the  plains  were  yellow  with  the 
ripe  harvest,  and  the  peaches  hung  temptingly  upon  the  trees, 
all  was  deserted  and  forsaken.  I  had  often  seen  the  black- 
ened walls  and  broken  rafters,  the  traces  of  the  wild  revenge 
and  reckless  pillage  of  a  retiring  army — the  ruined  castle,  and 
the  desecrated  altar,  are  sad  things  to  look  upon  ;  but,  somehow, 
a  far  heavier  depression  sunk  into  my  heart  as  my  eye  ranged 
over  the  wide  valleys  and  broad  hills,  all  redolent  of  comfort, 
of  beauty,  and  of  happiness,  and  yet  not  one  man  to  say,  "  This 
is  my  home  ;  these  are  my  household  gods  !  "  The  birds 
carolled  gaily  in  each  leafy  thicket,  the  bright  stream  sung 
merrily  as  it  rippled  through  the  rocks,  the  tall  corn,  gently 
stirred  by  the  breeze,  seemed  to  swell  the  concert  of  sweet 
sounds  ;  but  no  human  voice  awoke  the  echoes  there.  It  was 
as  if  the  earth  was  speaking  in  thankfulness  to  its  Maker  ; 
while  man,  ungrateful  and  unworthy  man,  pursuing  his  ruth- 
less path  of  devastation  and  destruction,  had  left  no  being  to 
say,  "  I  thank  Thee  for  all  these." 

The  day  was  closing  as  we  drew  near  the  Alberche,  and 
came  in  sight  of  the  watch-fires  of  the  enemy.  Far  as  the  eye 
could  reach  their  column  extended  ;  but  in  the  dim  twilight 
nothing  could  be  seen  with  accuracy.  Yet,  from  the  position 
their  artillery  occupied,  and  the  unceasing  din  of  baggage- 
wagons  and  heavy  carriages  towards  the  rear,  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  a  still  further  retreat  was  meditated.  A  picket 
of  light  cavalry  was  posted  upon  the  river's  bank,  and  seemed 
to  watch  with  vigilance  the  approaches  to  the  stream. 

Our  bivouac  was  a  dense  copse  of  pine-trees,  exactly  opposite 
to  the  French  advanced  posts,  and  there  we  passed  the  night 
' — fortunately,  a  calm  and  starlight  one — for  we  dared  not 
light  fires,  fearful  of  attracting  attention. 

During  the  long  hours,  I  lay  patiently  watching  the  move- 
ments of  the  enemy  till  the  dark  shadows  hid  all  from  sight  ; 
and  even  then,  as  my  ears  caught  the  challenge  of  a  sentry,  or 
the  footsteps  of  some  officer  in  his  round,  my  thoughts  were 


THE  IRISH  DRA  G  0  ON.  529 

riveted  upon  them,  and  a  hundred  vague  fancies  as  to  the 
future  were  based  upon  no  stronger  foundation  than  the  clink 
of  a  firelock  or  the  low-muttered  song  of  a  patrol. 

Towards  morning  I  slept,  and  when  day  broke  my  first 
glance  was  towards  the  river-side ;  but  the  French  were  gone 
— noiselessly — rapidly.  Like  one  man,  that  vast  army  had 
departed ;  and  a  dense  column  of  dust  towards  the  horizon 
alone  marked  the  long  line  of  march  where  the  martial  legions 
were  retreating. 

My  mission  was  thus  ended  ;  and,  hastily  partaking  of  the 
humble  breakfast  my  friend  Mike  provided  for  me,  I  once  more 
set  out,  and  took  the  road  towards  head-quarters. 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 

THE  SKIRMISH. 

For  several  months  after  the  battle  of  Talavera  my  life 
presented  nothing  which  I  feel  worth  recording.  Our  good 
fortune  seemed  to  have  deserted  us  when  our  hopes  were 
highest ;  for,  from  the  day  of  that  splendid  victory,  we  began 
our  retrograde  movement  upon  Portugal.  Pressed  hard  by 
overwhelming  masses  of  the  enemy,  we  saw  the  fortresses 
of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  and  Almeida  fall  successively  into  their 
hands.  The  Spaniards  were  defeated  wherever  they  ventured 
upon  a  battle ;  and  our  own  troops,  thinned  by  sickness  and 
desertion,  presented  but  a  shadow  of  that  brilliant  army  which 
only  a  few  months  previous  had  followed  the  retiring  French 
beyond  the  frontiers  of  Portugal. 

However  willing  I  now  am — and  who  is.  not  ? — to  recognize 

the  genius  and  foresight  of  that  great  man  who   then  held  the 

destinies  of  the  Peninsula  within   his  hands,    I  confess,  at  the 

time  I  speak  of,  I  could  ill  comprehend  and  still  less  feel  con- 

24 


SS'^  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

tented  with  the  successive  retreats  our  forces  made  ;  and  while 
the  words  Torres  Vedras  brought  nothing  to  my  mind  but  the 
last  resting  place  before  embarkation,  the  sad  fortunes  of 
Corunna  were  now  before  me,  and  it  was  with  a  gloomy  and 
desponding  spirit  I  followed  the  routine  of  my  daily  duty. 

During  these  weary  months,  if  my  life  was  devoid  of  stirring 
interest  or  adventure,  it  was  not  profitless.  Constantly  em- 
ployed at  the  outposts,  I  became  thoroughly  inured  to  all  the 
roughing  of  a  soldier's  life,  and  learned  in  the  bes>:  of  schools 
that  tacit  obedience  which  alone  can  form  the  subordinate,  or 
ultimately  fit  its  possessor  for  command  himself. 

Humble  and  unobtrusive  as  such  a  career  must  ever  be,  it 
was  not  without  its  occasional  rewards.  From  General  Crau- 
furd  I  more  than  once  obtained  most  kind  mention  in  his  de- 
spatches, and  felt  that  I  was  not  unknown  or  unnoticed  by  Sir 
Arthur  Wellesley  himself.  At  that  time,  these  testimonies, 
slight  and  passing  as  they  were,  contributed  to  the  pride  and 
glory  of  my  existence  ;  and  even  now — shall  I  confess  it  1 — 
when  some  gray  hairs  are  mingling  with  the  brown,  and  when 
my  old  dragoon  swagger  is  taming  down  into  a  kind  of  half-pay 
shamble,  I  feel  my  heart  warm  at  the  recollection  of  them. 

Be  it  so  :  I  care  not  who  smiles  at  the  avowal.  I  know  of 
little  better  worth  remembering  as  we  grow  old  than  what 
pleased  us  while  we  were  young.  With  the  memory  of  the 
kind  words  once  spoken,  come  back  the  still  kinder  looks  of 
those  who  spoke  them  ;  and,  better  than  all,  that  early  feeling 
of  budding  manhood,  when  there  was  neither  fear  nor  dis- 
trust. Alas !  these  are  the  things,  and  not  weak  eyes  and 
tottering  limbs,  which  form  the  burden  of  old  age.  Oh  !  if  we 
could  only  go  on  believing,  go  on  trusting,  go  on  hoping  to  the 
last,  who  would  shed  tears  for  the  bygone  feats  of  his  youth- 
ful days,  when  the  spirit  that  evoked  them  lived  young  and 
vivid  as  before  ? 

But  to  my  story.  While  Ciudad  Rodrigo  still  held  out 
against  the  besieging  French,  its  battered  walls  and  breached 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  53 1 

ramparts  sadly  foretelling  the  fate  inevitably  impending,  we 
were  ordered,  together  with  the  16th  Light  Dragoons,  to  pro- 
ceed to  Gallegos,  to  reinforce  Craufurd's  division,  then  forming 
a  corps  of  observation  upon  Massena's  movements. 

The  position  he  occupied  was  a  most  commanding  one — the 
crown  of  a  long  mountain  ridge,  studded  with  pine  copse  and 
cork-trees,  presenting  every  facility  for  light  infantry  move- 
ments ;  and  here  and  there,  gently  sloping  towards  the  plain, 
offering  a  field  for  cavalry  manoeuvres.  Beneath,  in  the  vast 
plain,  were  encamped  the  dark  legions  of  France,  their  heavy 
siege-artillery  planted  against  the  doomed  fortress,  while  clouds 
of  their  cavalry  caracoled  proudly  before  us,  as  if  in  taunting 
sarcasm  at  our  inactivity. 

Every  artifice  which  his  natural  cunning  could  suggest,  every 
taunt  a  Frenchman's  vocabulary  contains,  had  been  used  by 
Massena  to  induce  Sir  Arthur  Wellesley  to  come  to  the  assist- 
ance of  the  beleagured  fortress  ;  but  in  vain.  In  vain  he  re- 
laxed the  energy  of  the  siege,  and  affected  carelessness.  In 
vain  he  asserted  that  the  English  were  either  afraid,  or  else 
traitors  to  their  allies.  The  mind  of  him  he  thus  assailed  was 
neither  accessible  to  menace  nor  to  sarcasm.  Patiently  abid- 
ing his  time,  he  watched  the  progress  of  events,  and  provided 
for  that  future,  which  was  to  crown  his  country's  arms  with  suc- 
cess, and  himself  with  undying  glory. 

Of  a  far  different  mettle  was  the  general  formed  under  whose 
orders  we  were  now  placed.  Hot,  passionate,  and  impetuous, 
relying  upon  bold  and  headlong  heroism,  rather  than  upon 
cool  judgment  and  well-matured  plans,  Craufurd  felt  in  war 
all  the  asperity  and  bitterness  of  a  personal  conflict.  Ill 
brooking  the  insulting  tone  of  the  wily  Frenchman,  he  thirsted 
for  any  occasion  of  a  battle  ;  and  his  proud  spirit  chafed  against 
the  colder  counsels  of  his  superior. 

On  the  very  morning  we  joined,  the  pickets  brought  in  the 
intelligence  that  the  French  patrols  were  nightly  in  the  habit  of 
visiting  the  villages  at  tlic  outpost,  and  com  mil  ling  every  species 


532  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  cruel  indignity  upon  the  wretched  inhabitants.  Fired  at 
this  daring  insult,  our  General  resolved  to  cut  them  off,  and 
formed  two  ambuscades  for  the  purpose. 

Six  squadrons  of  the  14th  were  despatched  to  Villa  del  Puerco, 
three  of  the  i6th  to  Baguetto,  while  some  companies  of  the 
95th,  and  the  cagadores,  supported  by  artillery,  were  ordered 
to  hold  themselves  in  reserve,  for  the  enemy  were  in  force  at 
no  great  distance  from  us. 

The  morning  was  just  breaking  as  an  aide-de-camp  galloped 
up  with  the  intelligence  that  the  French  had  been  seen  near  the 
Villa  del  Puerco,  a  body  of  infantry  and  some  cavalry  having 
crossed  the  plain,  and  disappeared  in  that  direction.  While 
our  Colonel  was  forming  us,  with  the  intention  of  getting  be- 
tween them  and  their  main  body,  the  tramp  of  horses  was 
heard  in  the  wood  behind,  and  in  a  few  moments  two  officers 
rode  up.  The  foremost,  who  was  a  short,  stoutly-built  man  of 
about  forty,  with  a  bronzed  face  and  eye  of  piercing  black, 
shouted  out  as  we  wheeled  into  column  : — 

"Halt,  there!  Why,  where  the  devil  are  you  going? 
That's  your  ground ! "  So  saying,  and  pointing  straight  to- 
wards the  village  with  his  hand,  he  would  not  listen  to  our 
Colonel's  explanation  that  several  stone  fences,  and  enclosures 
would  interfere  with  cavalry  movements,  but  added,  "  Forward, 
I  say  !     Proceed!" 

Unfortunately,  the  nature  of  the  ground  separated  our  squad- 
ron, as  the  Colonel  anticipated  ;  and  although  we  came  on  at 
a  topping  pace,  the  French  had  time  to  form  in  square  upon  a 
hill  to  await  us,  and  when  we  charged,  they  stood  firmly,  and 
firing  with  a  low  and  steady  aim,  several  of  our  troopers  fell. 
As  we  wheeled  round,  we  found  ourselves  exactly  in  front  of 
their  cavalry  coming  out  of  Baguilles  ;  so,  dashing  straight  at 
them,  we  revenged  ourselves  for  our  first  repulse  by  capturing 
twenty-nine  prisoners,  and  wounding  several  others. 

The  French  infantry  were,  however,  still  unbroken ;  and 
Colonel  Talbot  rode  boldly  up  with  five  squadrons  of  the  14th; 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  533 

but  the  charge,  pressed  home  with  all  its  gallantry,  failed  also, 
and  the  Colonel  fell  mortally  wounded,  and  fourteen  of  his 
troopers  around  him,  Twice  we  rode  round  the  square,  seek- 
ing for  a  weak  point,  but  in  vain  ;  the  gallant  Frenchman  who 
commanded,  Captain  Guache,  stood  fearlessly  amid  his  brave 
followers,  and  we  could  hear  him,  as  he  called  out  from  time 
to  time, — 

"  Cest  fa  mes  eiifans  I  tres  Men  fait.,  mes  braves  /" 
And  at  length  they  made  good  their  retreat,  while  we  returned 
to  the  camp,  leaving  thirty-two  troopers  and  our  brave  Colonel 
dead  upon  the  field  in  this  disastrous  affair. 

******** 

The  repulse  we  had  met  with,  so  contrary  to  all  our  hopes 
and  expectations,  made  that  a  most  gloomy  day  to  all  of  us. 
The  brave  fellows  we  had  left  behind  us,  the  taunting  cheer  of 
the  French  infantry,  the  unbroken  ranks  against  which  we  rode 
time  after  time  in  vain,  never  left  our  minds ;  and  a  sense  of 
shame  of  what  might  be  thought  of  us  at  head-quarters,  ren- 
dered the  reflection  still    more  painful. 

Our  bivouac,  notwithstanding  all  our  efforts,  was  a  sad  one, 
and,  when  the  moon  rose,  some  drops  of  heavy  rain  falling  at 
intervals  in  the  still,  unruffled  air,  threatened  a  night  of  storm  ; 
gradually  the  sky  grew  darker  and  darker,  the  clouds  hung 
nearer  to  the  earth,  and  a  dense,  thick  mass  of  dark  mist 
shrouded  every  object ;  the  heavy  cannonade  of  the  siege  was 
stilled,  nothing  betrayed  tiiat  a  vast  army  was  encamped  near  us, 
their  bivouac  fires  were  even  imperceptible,  and  the  only  sound 
we  heard  was  the  great  bell  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  as  it  struck  the 
hour,  and  seemed,  in  the  mournful  cadence  of  its  chime,  like 
the  kneli  of  the  doomed  citadel. 

The  patrol  which  I  commanded  had  to  visit  on  its  rounds 
tlie  most  advanced  post  of  our  position.  This  was  a  small  farm- 
JKiiisc,    which,  standing  upon  a    little  rising  ledge  of  ground, 


534  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

was  separated  from  the  French  lines  by  a  little  stream  tributary 
to  the  Aguda.  A  party  of  the  Fourteenth  were  picketed  here, 
and  beneath  them,  in  the  valley,  scarce  five  hundred  yards 
distant,  was  the  detachment  of  cuirassiers  which  formed  the 
French  outpost.  As  we  neared  our  picket,  the  deep  voice  of 
the  sentry  challenged  us,  and,  while  all  else  was  silent  as  the 
grave,  we  could  hear  from  the  opposite  side  the  merry  chorus 
of  a  French  chanson  a  boire,  with  its  clattering  accompaniment 
of  glasses,  as  some  gay  companions  were  making  merry  to- 
gether. 

Within  the  little  hut  which  contained  our  fellows,  the  scene 
was  a  different  one;  the  three  officers  who  commanded  sat 
moodily  over  a  wretched  fire  of  wet  wood  ;  a  solitary  candle 
dimly  lighted  the  dismantled  room,  where  a  table  but  ill-sup- 
plied with  cheer  stood  unminded  and  uncared  for. 

"Well,  O'Malley,"  cried  Baker,  as  I  came  in,  "what  is  the 
night  about  ?  and  what's  Craufurd  for  next  ?  " 

"  We  hear,"  cried  another,  "  that  he  means  to  give  battle  to- 
morrow ;  but  surely  Sir  Arthur's  orders  are  positive  enough. 
Gordon  himself  told  me  that  he  was  forbid  to  fight  beyond  the 
Coa,  but  to  retreat  at  the  first  advance  of  the  enemy." 

"  Pm  afraid,"  replied  I,  "that  retreating  is  his  last  thought 
just  now.  Ammunition  has  just  been  served  out,  and  I  know 
the  horse  artillery  have  orders  to  be  in  readiness  by  day- 
break." 

"  All  right,"  said  Hampden,  with  a  half-bitter  tone.  "  Noth- 
ing like  going  through  with  it.  If  he  is  to  be  brought  to  court- 
martial  for  disobedience,  he'll  take  good  care  we  shan't  be 
there  to  see  it." 

"  Why,  the  French  are  fifty  thousand  strong !  "  said  Baker, 
"  Look  there.  What  does  that  mean,  now  ?  That's  a  signal 
from  the  town," 

As  he  spoke,  a  rocket  of  great  brillianicy  shot  up  into  the 
sky,  and  bursting,  at  length  fell  in  millions  of  red  lustrous 
sparks  on  every  side,  showing  forth  the  tall  fortress,  and  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


535 


encamped  army  around  it,  with  all  the  clearness  of  noonday. 
It  was  a  most  splendid  sight ;  and  though  the  next  moment  all 
was  dark  as  before,  we  gazed  still  fixedly  into  the  gloomy  dis- 
tance, straining  our  eyes  to  observe  what  was  hid  from  our 
view  forever. 

"  That  must  be  a  signal,"  repeated  Baker, 

"  Begad  !  if  Craufurd  sees  it  he'll  interpret  it  as  a  reason  for 
fighting.  I  trust  he's  asleep  by  this  time,"  said  Hampden. 
"  By-the-bye,  O'Malley,  did  you  see  the  fellows  at  work  in  the 
trenches  ?  How  beautifully  clear  it  was  towards  the  south- 
ward !  " 

"Yes,  I  remarked  that!  and  what  surprised  me  was  the 
openness  of  their  position  in  that  direction.  Towards  the  San 
Benito  mole  I  could  not  see  a  man." 

"  Ah !  they'll  not  attack  on  that  side  ;  but  if  we  really 
are " 

"Stay,  Hampden  !"  said  I,  interrupting  him,  "  a  thought  has 
just  struck  me.  At  sunset  I  saw,  through  my  telescope,  the 
French  engineers  marking  with  their  white  tape  the  line  of  a 
new  entrenchment  in  that  quarter.  Would  it  not  be  a  glorious 
thing  to  move  the  tape,  and  bring  the  fellows  under  the  fire  of 
San  Benito  ?  " 

"  By  Jove  I  O'Malley,  that  is  a  thought  worth  a  troop  to 
you." 

"  Far  more  likely  to  forward  his  promotion  in  the  next  world 
than  in  this,"  said  Baker,  smiling. 

"  By  no  means,"  added  I ;  "  I  marked  the  ground  this  even- 
ing, and  have  it  perfectly  in  my  mind.  If  we  were  to  follow 
the  bend  of  the  river,  I'll  be  bound  to  come  right  upon  the 
spot :  by  nearing  the  fortress  we'll  escape  the  sentries  ;  and  all 
this  portion  is  open  to  us." 

The  project  thus  loosely  thrown  out  was  now  discussed  in 
all  its  bearings.  Whatever  difficulties  it  presented  were  com- 
bated so  much  to  our  own  satisfaction,  that  at  last  its  very 
facility  damped  our  ardor.      Meanwhile,  the  night  wore  on, 


536  CHARLES  a MALLLY, 

and  the  storm  of  rain  so  long  impending  began  to  descend  in 
very  torrents  :  hissing  along  the  parched  ground,  it  rose  in  a 
mist,  while  overhead  the  heavy  thunder  rolled  in  long  un- 
broken peals  ;  the  crazy  door  threatened  to  give  way  at  each 
moment,  and  the  whole  building  trembled  to  its  foundation. 

"  Pass  the  brandy  down  here,  Hampden,  and  thank  your 
stars  you're  where  you  are.  Eh,  O'Malley  ?  You'll  defer  your 
trip  to  San  Benito  for  finer  weather." 

"  Well,  to  come  to  the  point,"  said  Hampden,  *'  I'd  rather 
begin  my  engineering  at  a  more  favorable  season ;  but  if 
O'Malley's  for  it " 

"  And  O'Malley  is  for  it,"  said  I,  suddenly. 

"Then,  faith,  I'm  not  the  man  to  balk  his  fancy ;  and  as 
Craufurd  is  so  bent  upon  fighting  to-morrow,  it  don't  make 
much  difference.     Is  it  a  bargain  ?  " 

"  It  is  ;  here's  my  hand  on  it," 

"  Come,  come,  boys,  I'll  have  none  of  this  ;  we've  been 
prettily  cut  up  this  morning  already.  You  shall  not  go  upon 
this  foolish  excursion." 

"  Confound  it,  old  fellow  !  it's  all  very  well  for  you  to  talk, 
with  the  majority  before  you,  next  step ;  but  here  we  are,  if 
peace  came  to-morrow,  scarcely  better  than  we  left   England. 

No,  no;  if  O'Malley's  ready — and  I  see  he  is  so  before  me 

What  have  you  got  there  ?  Oh  !  I  see  ;  that's  our  tape  line ; 
capital  fun,  by  George  !  The  worst  of  it  is,  they'll  make  us 
colonels  of  engineers. — Now  then,  what's  your  plan — on  foot 
or  mounted  ?  " 

"  Mounted,  and  for  this  reason,  the  country  is  all  open  ;  if 
we  are  to  have  a  run  for  it,  our  thorough-breds  ought  to  dis- 
tance them  ;  and,  as  we  must  expect  to  pass  some  of  their 
sentries,  our  only  chance  is  on  horseback," 

"  My  mind  is  relieved  of  a  great  load,"  said  Hampden  ;  "  I  was 
trembling  in  my  skin  lest  you  should  make  it  a  walking  party, 
I'll  do  anything  you  like  in  the  saddle,  from  robbing  the  mail 
to  cutting  out  a  frigate ;  but  I  never  was  much  of  a  foot-pad." 


Tim  Irish  dragoon.  537 

"  Well,  Mike,"  said  I,  as  I  returned  to  the  room  with  my 
trusty  follower,  "  are  the  cattle  to  be  depended  on  ?  " 

"  If  we  had  a  snaffle  in  Malachi  Daly's  mouth  (my  brown 
horse),  "I'd  be  afeared  of  nothing,  sir;  but,  if  it  comes  to 

fencing,  with  that  cruel  bit but  sure,  you've   a  light  hand, 

and  let  him  have  his  head,  if  it's  wall." 

"  By  Jove,  he  thinks  it  a  fox-chase  !  "  said  Hampden. 

"  Isn't  it  the  same,  sir  ?  "  said  Mike,  with  a  seriousness  that 
made  the  whole  party  smile. 

"Well,  I  hope  we  shall  not  be  earthed,  anyway,"  said  I. 
"  Now,  the  next  thing  is,  who  has  a  lantern  ? — ah  !  the  very 
thing;  nothing  better.  Look  to  your  pistols,  Hampden  ;  and, 
Mike,  here's  a  glass  of  grog  for  you  ;  we'll  want  you.  And  now, 
one  bumper  for  good  luck.     Eh,  Baker,  won't  you  pledge  us  ?  " 

"  And  spare  a  little  for  me,"  said  Hampden.  "  How  it  does 
rain !  If  one  didn't  expect  to  be  waterproofed  before  morn- 
ing, one  really  wouldn't  go  out  in  such  weather." 

While  I  busied  myself  in  arranging  my  few  preparations, 
Hampden  proceeded  gravely  to  inform  Mike  that  we  were  going 
to  the  assistance  of  the  besieged  fortress,  which  could  not 
possibly  go  on  without  us. 

"  Tare  and  ages !  "  said  Mike,  "  that's  mighty  quare  ;  and 
the  blue  rocket  was  a  letter  of  invitation,  I  suppose  1  " 

"  Exactly,"  said  Hampden  ;  "  and  you  see  there's  no  cere- 
mony between  us.  We'll  just  drop  in,  in  the  evening,  in  a 
friendly  way." 

"  Well,  then,  upon  my  conscience,  I'd  wait,  if  I  was  you, 
till  the  family  wasn't  in  confusion.  They  have  enough  on  their 
hands  just  now," 

"  So  you'll  not  be  persuaded  ? "  said  Baker.  "  Well,  I 
frankly  tell  you,  that  come  what  will  of  it,  as  your  senior 
officer,  I'll  report  you  to-morrow.  I'll  not  risk  myself  for  any 
such  hair-brained  expeditions." 

"  A  mighty  pleasant  look-out  for  me,"  said  Mike;  "  if  I'm 
not  shot  to-night,  I  may  be  flogged  in  the  morning." 


53^  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

This  speech  once  more  threw  us  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter, 
amid  which  we  took  leave  of  our  friends,  and  set  forth  upon 
our  way. 


CHAPTER  LXX. 

THE   LINES    OF   CIUDAD   RODRIGO. 

The  small  twinkling  lights  which  shone  from  the  ramparts 
of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  were  our  only  guide,  as  we  issued  forth 
upon  our  perilous  expedition.  The  storm  raged,  if  possible, 
even  more  violently  than  before,  and  gusts  of  wind  swept  along 
the  ground  with  the  force  of  a  hurricane  ;  so  that,  at  first,  our 
horses  could  scarcely  face  the  tempest.  Our  path  lay  along 
the  little  stream  for  a  considerable  way  ;  after  which,  fording 
the  rivulet,  we  entered  upon  the  open  plain,  taking  care  to 
avoid  the  P'rench  outpost  on  the  extreme  left,  which  was 
marked  by  a  bivouac  fire,  burning  under  the  heavy  downpour 
of  rain,  and  looking  larger  through  the  dim  atmosphere  around 
it. 

I  rode  foremost,  followed  closely  by  Hampden  and  Mike ; 
not  a  word  was  spoken  after  we  crossed  the  stream.  Our  plan 
was,  if  challenged  by  a  patrol,  to  reply  in  French  and  press 
on  ;  so  small  a  party  could  never  suggest  the  idea  of  attack, 
and  we  hoped  in  this  manner  to  escape. 

The  violence  of  the  storm  was  such,  that  many  of  our  pre- 
cautions as  to  silence  were  quite  unnecessary  ;  and  we  had 
advanced  to  a  considerable  extent  into  the  plain  before  any 
appearance  of  the  encampment  struck  us.  At  length,  on 
mounting  a  little  rising  ground,  we  perceived  several  fires 
stretching  far  away  to  the  northward ;  while,  still  to  our  left, 
there  blazed  one  larger  and  brighter  than  the  others.  We  now 
found  that  we  had  not  outflanked  their  position  as  we  intended, 
and  learning,  from  the  situation  of  the  fires,  that  we  were  still 


THE  IRISH  DRACO  ON.  539 

only  at  the  outposts,  we  pressed  sharply  forward,  directing 
our  course  by  the  twin  stars  that  shone  from  the  fortress. 

"  How  heavy  the  ground  is  here  ! "'  whispered  Hampden,  as 
our  horses  sunk  above  the  fetlocks  ;  "  we  had  better  stretch 
away  to  the  right ;  the  rise  of  the  hill  will  favor  us." 

"  Hark  !  "  said  I,  "  did  you  not  hear  something  ?  Pull  up  ; 
silence  now  ;  yes,  there  they  come.  It's  a  patrol,  I  hear  their 
tramp."  As  I  spoke,  the  measured  tread  of  infantry  was  heard 
above  the  storm,  and  soon  after  a  lantern  was  seen  coming 
alone  the  causeway  near  us.  The  column  passed  within  a  few 
yards  of  where  we  stood.  I  could  even  recognize  the  black 
covering  of  the  chakos  as  the  light  fell  on  them.  "  Let  us 
follow  them,"  whispered  I ;  and  the  next  moment  we  fell  in 
upon  their  track,  holding  our  cattle  well  in  hand,  and  ready  to 
start  at  a  moment. 

"  Qiii  va  la  .^"  a  sentry  demanded. 

"Zrt!  deuxihne  division  "  cried  a  hoarse  voice. 

"  Halte  la  ?   la  consign e  ?  " 

"  Wagram  !  "  repeated  the  same  voice  as  before,  while  his 
party  resumed  their  march ;  and  the  next  moment  the 
patrol  was  again  upon  his  post,  silent  and  motionless  as 
before. 

"  En  arant.  Messieurs  !"  said  I  aloud,  as  soon  as  the  infantry 
had  proceeded  some  distance;  " e?i  avant !'''' 

"  Qui  va  la  /  "  demanded  the  sentry,  as  we  came  along  at  a 
sharp  trot. 

"  Letat-inajor.,  Wagram  !  "  responded  I,  pressing  on  with- 
out drawing  rein  ;  and  in  a  moment  we  had  regained  our  former 
position  behind  the  infantry.  We  had  scarcely  time  to  con- 
gratulate ourselves  upon  the  success  of  our  scheme,  when  a 
tremendous  clattering  noise  in  front,  mingled  with  the  galloping 
of  horses  and  the  cracking  of  whips,  announced  the  approach 
of  the  artillery  as  they  came  along  by  a  narrow  road  which 
bisected  our  path  ;  and,  as  they  passed  between  us  and  the 
column,  we  could  hear  the  muttered  sentences  of  the  drivers, 


540  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

cursing  the  unseasonable  time  for  an  attack,  and  swearing  at 
their  cattle  in  no  measured  tones. 

"  Did  you  hear  that  ?  "  whispered  Hampden  ;  "  the  battery 
is  about  to  be  directed  against  the  San  Benito,  which  must  be 
far  away  to  the  left.  I  heard  one  of  the  troop  saying  that  they 
were  to  open  their  fire  at  daybreak." 

"  All  right,  now,"  said  I,  "  look  there  !  " 

From  the  hill  we  now  stood  upon,  a  range  of  lanterns  was 
distinctly  visible,  stretching  away  for  nearly  half  a  mile. 

"  There  are  the  trenches  ;  they  must  be  at  work,  too  ;  see 
how  the  lights  are  moving  from  place  to  place  !  Straight  now  : 
forward ! " 

So  saying,  I  pressed  my  horse  boldly  on. 

We  had  not  proceeded  many  minutes,  when  the  sounds  of 
galloping  were  heard  coming  along  behind  us. 

"  To  the  right,  in  the  hollow,"  cried  I  ;  "be  still." 

Scarcely  had  we  moved  off  when  several  horsemen  galloped 
up,  and,  drawing  their  reins  to  breathe  their  horses  up  the  hill, 
we  could  hear  their  voices  as  they  conversed  together. 

In  the  few  broken  words  we  could  catch,  we  guessed  that 
the  attack  upon  San  Benito  was  only  a  feint  to  induce  Craufurd 
to  hold  his  position,  while  the  French,  marching  upon  his  flank 
and  front,  were  to  attack  him  with  overwhelming  masses  and 
crush  him. 

"You  hear  what's  in  store  for  us,  O'Malley,"  whispered 
Hampden.  "  I  think  we  could  not  possibly  do  better  than 
hasten  back  with  the  intelligence." 

"We  must  not  forget  what  we  came  for,  first,"  said  I  ;  and 
the  next  moment  we  were  following  the  horsemen,  who,  from 
their  helmets,  seemed  horse-artillery  officers. 

The  pace  our  guides  rode  at  showed  us  that  they  knew  their 
ground.  We  passed  several  sentries,  muttering  something  at 
each  time,  and  seeming  as  if  only  anxious  to  keep  up  with  our 
party. 

"  They've  halted,"  said  I.     "  Now  to  the  left  there  ;  gently 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiY.  541 

here,  for  we  must  be  in  the  midst  of  their  lines.  Ha !  I  knew 
we  were  right ;  see  there  !  " 

Before  us,  now,  at  a  few  hundred  yards,  we  could  perceive  a 
number  of  men  engaged  upon  the  field.  Lights  were  moving 
from  place  to  place  rapidly,  while  immediately  in  front  a  strong 
picket  of  cavalry  were  halted. 

"  By  Jove,  there's  sharp  work  of  it  to-night !  "  whispered 
Hampden  ;  "they  do  intend  to  surprise  us  to-morrow." 

"Gently  now,  to  the  left,"  said  I,  as,  cautiously  skirting  the 
litile  hill,  I  kept  my  eye  firmly  fixed  upon  the  watch-fire. 

The  storm,  which,  for  some  time  had  abated  considerably, 
was  now  nearly  quelled,  and  the  moon  again  peeped  forth  amid 
masses  of  black  and  watery  clouds. 

"  What  good  fortune  for  us  !  "  thought  I,  at  this  moment,  as 
I  surveyed  the  plain  before  me. 

"  I  say,  O'AIalley,  what  are  those  fellows  at,  yonder,  where 
the  blue  light  is  burning  ?  " 

"Ah!  the  very  people  we  want;  these  are  the  sappers. 
Now  for  it ;  that's  our  ground  ;  we'll  soon  come  upon  their 
track  now." 

We  pressed  rapidly  forward,  passing  an  infantry  party  as  we 
went.  The  blue  light  was  scarcely  a  hundred  yards  off ;  we 
could  even  hear  the  shouting  of  the  officers  to  their  men  in  the 
trenches,  when  suddenly  my  horse  came  down  upon  his  head, 
and,  rolling  over,  crushed  me  to  the  earth. 

"  Not  hurt,  my  boy,"  cried  I,  in  a  subdued  tone,  as  Hampden 
jiimi)ed  down  beside  me. 

It  was  the  angle  of  a  trench  I  had  fallen  into  ;  and  though 
both  my  horse  and  myself  felt  stunned  for  the  moment,  we 
rallied  the  next  minute. 

"  Here  is  the  very  spot,"  said  1.  "Now,  Mike,  catch  the 
bridles  and  follow  us  closely." 

Guiding  ourselves  along  the  edge  of  the  trench,  we  crept 
stealthily  forward  ;  the  only  watch-fire  near  was  where  the  en- 
gineer party  was  halted,  and  our  object  was  to  get  outside  of  this. 


542  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  My  turn  this  time,"  said  Hampden,  as  he  tripped  suddenly, 
and  fell  head  foremost  upon  the  grass.  r 

As  I  assisted  him  to  rise,  something  caught  my  ankle  ;  and, 
on  stooping,  I  found  it  was  a  cord  pegged  fast  into  the  ground, 
and  lying  only  a  few  inches  above  it. 

"  Now,  steady  !  see  here  ;  this  is  their  working  line ;  pass 
your  hand  along  it  there,  and  let  us  follow  it  out." 

While  Hampden  accordingly  crept  along  on  one  side,  I 
tracked  the  cord  upon  the  other  ;  here  I  found  it  terminating 
upon  a  small  mound,  were  probably  some  battery  was  to  be 
erected.  I  accordingly  gathered  it  carefully  up,  and  was 
returning  towards  my  friend,  when  what  was  my  horror  to  hear 
Mike's  voice,  conversing,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  with  some  one 
in  French. 

I  stood  fixed  to  the  spot,  my  very  heart  beating  almost  in 
my  mouth  as  I  listened. 

"  Qu2'  etes  vous  done,  moji  ami  1 "  inquired  a  hoarse,  deep 
voice,  a  few  yards  off. 

"  Bo?i  cheval,  non  beast,  sacre  nom  de  Dieu  .^"  A  hearty  burst 
of  laughter  prevented  my  hearing  the  conclusion  of  Mike's 
French. 

I  now  crept  forward  upon  my  hands  and  knees,  till  I  could 
catch  the  dark  outline  of  the  horses,  one  hand  fixed  upon  my 
pistol  trigger,  and  my  sword  drawn  in  the  other.  Meanwhile 
the  dialogue  continued. 

"  Vous  etes  d'' Alsace,  ri est-ce-pas  1  "  asked  the  Frenchman, 
kindly  supposing  that  Mike's  French  savored  of  Strasburg. 

"  Oh,  blessed  Virgin  !  av  I  might  shoot  him,"  was  the 
muttered  reply. 

Before  I  had  time  to  see  the  effect  of  the  last  speech,  I 
pressed  forward  with  a  bold  spring,  and  felled  the  Frenchman 
to  the  earth  ;  my  hand  had  scarcely  pressed  upon  his  mouth, 
when  Hampden  was  beside  me.  Snatching  up  the  pistol  I  let 
fall,  he  held  it  to  the  man's  chest,  and  commanded  him  to  be 
silent.     To  unfasten  his  girdle,  and  bind  the  Frenchman's  hands 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  543 

Dehind  him,  was  the  work  of  a  moment ;  and,  as  the  sharp 
click  of  the  pistol-cock  seemed  to  calm  his  efforts  to  escape, 
we  soon  succeeded  in  fastening  a  handkerchief  tight  across 
his  mouth,  and,  the  next  minute,  he  was  placed  behind  Mike's 
saddle,  firmly  attached  to  this  worthy  individual  by  his  sword- 
belt. 

"  Now,  a  clear  run  home  for  it,  and  a  fair  start,"  said  Hamp- 
den, as  he  sprang  into  the  saddle, 

"Now,  then,  for  it,"  I  replied;  as,  turning  my  horse's  head 
towards  our  lines,  I  dashed  madly  forward. 

The  moon  was  again  obscured,  but  still  the  dark  outline  of 
the  hill  which  formed  our  encampment  was  discernible  on  the 
horizon.  Riding  side  by  side,  on  we  hurried;  now  splashing 
through  the  deep  wet  marshes,  now  plunging  through  small 
streams.  Our  horses  were  high  in  mettle,  and  we  spared  them 
not ;  by  taking  a  wide  detour  we  had  outflanked  the  French 
pickets,  and  were  almost  out  of  all  risk,  when  suddenly,  on 
coming  to  the  verge  of  rather  a  steep  hill,  we  perceived  beneath 
us  a  strong  cavalry  picket  standing  around  a  watch-fire  ;  their 
horses  were  ready  saddled,  the  men  accoutred,  and  quite  pre- 
pared for  the  field.  While  we  conversed  together  in  whispers 
as  to  the  course  to  follow,  our  deliberations  were  very  rapidly 
cut  short.  The  French  prisoner,  who  hitherto  had  given 
neither  trouble  nor  resistance,  had  managed  to  free  his  mouth 
from  the  encumbrance  of  the  handkerchief;  and,  as  we  stood 
quietly  discussing  our  plans,  with  one  tremendous  effort  he 
endeavored  to  hurl  himself  and  Mike  from  the  saddle,  shouting 
out  as  he  did  so, — 

"  A  71101  camaradcs  !  a  inoi  !  " 

Hampden's  pistol  leaped  from  the  holster  as  he  spoke,  and, 
levelling  it  with  a  deadly  aim,  he  pulled  the  trigger  ;  but  I 
threw  up  his  arm,  and  the  ball  passed  high  above  his  head. 
To  have  killed  the  Frenchman  would  have  been  to  lose  my 
faithful  follower,  who  struggled  manfully  with  liis  adversary, 
and.  at  length,  by  throwing  himself   flatly  forward   u]inn    the 


544  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

mane  of  his  horse,  completely  disabled  him.  Meanwhile,  the 
picket  had  sprung  to  their  saddles,  and  looked  wildly  about  on 
every  side. 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost ;  so,  turning  our  horses'  heads 
towards  the  plain,  away  we  went.  One  loud  cheer  announced 
to  us  that  we  had  been  seen,  and  the  next  instant  the  clash  of 
the  pursuing  cavalry  was  heard  behind  us.  It  was  now  entirely 
a  question  of  speed,  and  little  need  we  have  feared  had  Mike's 
horse  not  been  doubly  weighted.  However,  as  we  still  had 
considerably  the  start,  and  the  gray  dawn  of  day  enabled  us 
to  see  the  ground,  the  odds  were  in  our  favor.  "  Never  let 
your  horse's  head  go,"  was  my  often  repeated  direction  to 
Mike,  as  he  spurred  with  all  the  desperation  of  madness. 
Already  the  low  meadow-land  was  in  sight  which  flanked  the 
stream  we  had  crossed  in  the  morning ;  but,  unfortunately,  the 
heavy  rains  had  swollen  it  now  to  a  considerable  depth,  and 
the  muddy  current,  choked  with  branches  of  trees  and  great 
stones,  was  hurrying  down  like  a  torrent.  "  Take  the  river  : 
never  flinch  it !  "  was  my  cry  to  my  companions,  as  I  turned 
my  head  and  saw  a  French  dragoon,  followed  by  two  others, 
gaining  rapidly  upon  us.  As  I  spoke,  Mike  dashed  in,  followed 
by  Hampden,  and  the  same  moment  the  sharp  ring  of  a  car- 
bine whizzed  past  me.  To  take  off  the  pursuit  from  the  others, 
I  now  wheeled  my  horse  suddenly  round,  as  if  I  feared  to  take 
the  stream,  and  dashed  along  by  the  river's  bank. 

Beneath  me,  in  the  foaming  current,  the  two  horsemen 
labored  ;  now  stemming  the  rush  of  water,  now  reeling  almost 
beneath.  A  sharp  cry  burst  from  Mike  as  I  looked ;  and  I 
saw  the  poor  fellow  bend  nearly  to  his  saddle.  I  could  see 
no  more,  for  the  chase  was  now  hot  upon  myself;  behind  me 
rode  a  French  dragoon,  his  carbine  pressed  tightly  to  his  side, 
ready  to  fire  as  he  pressed  on  in  pursuit.  I  had  but  one 
chance  ;  so,  drawing  ray  pistol,  I  wheeled  suddenly  in  my 
saddle,  and  fired  straight  at  him.  The  Frenchman  fell,  while 
a  regular  volley   froiii    }iis   party  rung  around    me;  oiie  ball 


THE  IRISrr  DRAGOON.  545 

Striking  my  horse,  and  another  lodging  in  the  pommel  of  my 
saddle.  The  noble  animal  reeled  nearly  to  the  earth,  but.  as 
if  rallying  for  a  last  effort,  sprang  forward  with  renewed  energy, 
and  plunged  boldly  into  the  river. 

For  a  moment,  so  sudden  was  my  leap,  my  pursuers  lost 
sight  of  me  ;  but  the  bank  being  somewhat  steep,  the  efforts 
of  my  horse  to  climb  again  discovered  me,  and,  before  I 
reached  the  field,  two  pistol-balls  took  effect  upon  me  :  one 
slightly  grazed  my  side,  but  my  bridle-arm  was  broken  by  the 
other,  and  my  hand  fell  motionless  to  my  side.  A  cheer  of 
defiance  was,  however,  my  reply,  as  I  turned  round  in  my 
saddle,  and  the  next  moment  I  was  far  beyond  the  range  o£ 
their  fire. 

Not  a  man  durst  follow,  and  the  last  sight  I  had  of  them 
was  the  dismounted  group  who  stood  around  their  dead 
comrade ;  before  me  rode  Hampden  and  Mike,  still  at  top 
speed,  and  never  turning  their  heads  backwards.  I  hastened 
after  them ;  but  my  poor  wounded  horse,  nearly  hamstrung  by 
the  shot,  became  dead  lame;  and  it  was  past  daybreak  ere  I 
reached  the  first  outposts  of  our  lines. 


CHAPTER  LXXI. 


THE    DOCTOR. 


"  And  his  wound  ?  Is  it  a  serious  one  ? "  said  a  round, 
full  voice,  as  the  Doctor  left  iny  room  at  the  conclusion  of  his 
visit. 

"  No,  sir ;  a  fractured  bone  is  the  worst  of  it ;  the  bullet 
grazed,  but  did  not  cut  the  artery;  and,  as " 

"  Well,  how  soon  will  he  be  about  again  ?" 

"In  a  few  weeks,  if  no  fever  sets  in." 

"There  is  no  objection  to  my  seeing  him? — a  few  minute* 
35 


546  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

only — I'll  be  cautious."  So  saying,  and,  as  it  seemed  to  me, 
without  waiting  for  a  reply,  the  door  was  opened  by  an  aide-de- 
camp, who,  announcing  General  Craufurd,  closed  it  again,  and 
withdrew. 

The  first  glance  I  threw  upon  the  General  enabled  me  to 
recognize  the  officer,  who,  on  the  previous  morning,  had  rode  up 
to  the  picket  and  given  us  the  orders  to  charge.  I  essayed  to  rise 
a  little  as  he  came  forward,  but  he  motioned  me  with  his  hand 
to  lie  still,  while,  placing  a  chair  close  beside  my  bed,  be  sat 
down. 

"  Very  sorry  for  your  mishap,  sir,  but  glad  it  is  no  worse, 
^oreton  says  that  nothing  of  consequence  is  injured :  there, 
you  mustn't  speak,  except  I  ask  you.  Hampden  has  told  me 
everything  necessary  ;  at  least,  as  far  as  he  knew.  Is  it  your 
opinion,  also,  that  any  movement  is  in  contemplation  ?  and 
from  what  circumstance  ?  " 

I  immediately  explained,  and,  as  briefly  as  I  was  able,  the 
reasons  for  suspecting  such,  with  which  he  seemed  quite 
satisfied.  I  detailed  the  various  changes  in  the  positions  of 
the  troops  that  were  taking  place  during  the  night,  the  march 
of  the  artillery,  and  the  strong  bodies  of  cavalry  that  were  posted 
in  reserve  along  the  river. 

"  Very  well,  sir  ;  they'll  not  move  ;  your  prisoner,  quarter- 
master of  an  infantry  battalion,  says  not,  also.  Yours  was  a 
bold  stroke,  but  could  not  possibly  have  been  of  service,  and 
the  best  thing  I  can  do  for  you  is  not  to  mention  it ;  a  court- 
martial's  but  a  poor  recompense  for  a  gun-shot  wound.  Mean- 
while, when  this  blows  over,  I'll  appoint  you  on  my  personal 
staff.     There,  not  a  word,  I  beg; -and  now,  good-bye." 

So  saying,  and  waving  me  an  adieu  with  his  hand,  the 
gallant  veteran  withdrew  before  I  could  express  my  gratitude 
for  his  kindness. 

I  had  little  time  for  reflecting  over  my  past  adventure,  such 
numbers  of  my  brother  officers  poured  in  upon  me.  All  the 
Doctor's  cautions    respecting    quietness    and  rest    were  dis- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  547 

regarded,  and  a  perfect  levee  sat  the  entire  morning  in  my 
bedroom.  I  was  delighted  to  learn  that  Mike's  wound,  though 
painful  at  the  moment,  was  of  no  consequence  :  and,  indeed, 
Hampden,  who  escaped  both  steel  and  shot,  was  the  worst 
off  amongst  us,  his  plunge  in  the  river  having  brought  on  an 
ague  he  had  labored  under  years  before. 

"The  illustrious  Maurice  has  been  twice  here  this  morning, 
but  they  wouldn't  admit  him.  Your  Scotch  physician  is 
afraid  of  his  Irish  confrere  and  they  had  a  rare  set-to  about 
Galen  and  Hippocrates  outside,"  said  Baker. 

"  By-the-bye,"  said  another,  "  did  you  see  how  Sparks  looked 
when  Quill  joined  us  ?  Egad,  I  never  saw  a  fellow  in  such  a 
fright ;  he  reddened  up,  then  grew  pale,  turned  his  back,  and 
slunk  away  at  the  very  first  moment." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  it.  We  must  find  out  the  reason ;  for 
Maurice,  depend  upon  it,  has  been  hoaxing  the  poor  fellow," 

"Well,  O'Malley,"  growled  out  the  senior  Major,  "you 
certainly  did  give  Hampden  a  benefit.  He'll  not  trust  him- 
self in  such  company  again ;  and,  begad,  he  says,  the  man  is 
as  bad  as  the  master.  That  fellow  of  yours  never  let  go  his 
prisoner  till  he  reached  the  Quartermaster-General,  and  they 
were  both  bathed  in  blood  by  tliat  time." 

"Poor  Mike  !   we  must  do  something  for  him." 

"  Oh  !  he's  as  happy  as  a  king.  Maurice  has  been  in  to  see 
him,  and  they've  had  a  long  chat  about  Ireland,  and  all  the 
national  pastimes  of  whiskey  drinking  and  smashing  skulls. 
My  very  temples  ache  at  the  recollection." 

"Is  Mister  O'Mealey  at  home?"  said  a  very  rich  Cork 
accent,  as  the  well-known  and  most  droll  features  of  Dr. 
Maurice  Quill  appeared  at  the  door. 

"  Come  in,  Maurice,"  said  the  Major ;  "  and,  for  Heaven's 
sake,  behave  properly.  The  poor  fellow  must  not  have  a  row 
about  his  bedside." 

"  A  row,  a  row  !  Upon  my  conscience,  it  is  little  you  know 
about  a  row,  and  there's  worse  things  going  than  a  row." 


548  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Which  leg  is  it  ? " 

"It's  an  arm,  Doctor,  I'm  happy  to  say." 

"  Not  your  punch  hand,  I  hope.  No ;  all's  right.  A  neat 
fellow  you  have  for  a  servant,  that  Mickey  Free.  I  was  asking 
him  about  a  townsman  of  his  own — one  Tim  Delany — the  very 
cut  of  himself ;  the  best  servant  I  ever  had.  I  never  could 
make  out  what  became  of  him.  Old  Hobson  of  the  95th,  gave 
him  to  me,  saying,  '  There  he  is  for  you,  Maurice,  and  a  bigger 
thief  and  a  greater  blackguard  there's  not  in  the  60th.'  " 

"  '  Strong  words,'  said  I. 

" '  And  true,'  said  he  ;  '  he'd  steal  your  molar  tooth  while 
you  were  laughing  at  him.' 

"  Let  me  have  him,  and  try  my  hand  on  him,  anyway.  I've 
got  no  one  just  now.     Anything  is  better  than  nothing.' 

"  Well,  I  took  Tim,  and  sending  for  him  to  my  room,  I  locked 
the  door,  and  sitting  down  gravely  before  him,  explained  in  a 
few  words  that  I  was  quite  aware  of  his  little  propensities. 

"  '  Now,'  said  I,  'if  you  Uke  to  behave  well,  I'll  think  you  as 
honest  as  the  Chief  Justice  ;  but,  if  I  catch  you  stealing,  if  it  be 
only  the  value  of  a  brass  snuff-box,  I'll  have  you  flogged  before 
the  regiment,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Maurice.' 

"  Oh  !  I  wish  you  heard  the  volley  of  protestations  that  fell 
from  him,  fast  as  hail.  He  was  a  calumniated  man  ;  the  world 
conspired  to  wrong  him ;  he  was  never  a  thief  nor  a  rogue  in 
his  life.  He  had  a  weakness,  he  confessed,  for  the  ladies  ; 
but,  except  that,  he  hoped  he  might  die  so  thin  that  he  could 
shave  himself  with  his  shin-bone  if  he  ever  so  much  as  took  a 
pinch  of  salt  that  wasn't  his  own. 

"  However  this  might  be,  nothing  could  be  better  than  the 
way  Tim  and  I  got  on  together.  Everything  was  in  its  place 
— nothing  missing ;  and,  in  fact,  for  upwards  of  a  year,  I  went 
on  wondering  when  he  was  to  show  out  in  his  true  colors — for 
hitherto  he  had  been  a  phoenix. 

"  At  last — we  were  quartered  in  Limerick  at  the  time — every 
jnorning  ysed  to  bring  accounts  of  all  manner  of  petty  tiKfuS 


THE  IRISH  DRA  G  0  ON.  5  49 

in  the  barrack  ;  one  fellow  had  lost  his  belt,  another  his  shoes, 
a  third  had  three-and-sixpence  in  his  pocket  when  he  went  to 
bed,  and  woke  without  a  farthing,  and  so  on.  Everybody,  save 
myself,  was  mulct  of  something.  At  length  some  rumors  of 
Tim's  former  propensities  got  abroad  ;  suspicion  was  excited  ; 
my  friend  Delany  was  rigidly  watched,  and  some  very  dubious 
circumstances  attached  to  the  way  he  spent  his  evenings. 

"  My  brother  officers  called  upon  me  about  the  matter,  and, 
although  nothing  had  transpired  like  proof,  I  sent  for  Tim, 
and  opened  my  mind  on  the  subject. 

"  You  may  talk  of  the  look  of  conscious  innocence,  but  I 
defy  you  to  conceive  anything  finer  than  the  stare  of  offended 
honor  Tim  gave  me  as  I  began. 

"  'They  say  it's  me.  Doctor,'  said  he,  '  do  they  ?  And  you — 
you  believe  them.  You  allow  them  to  revile  me  that  way  ? 
Well,  well,  the  world  is  come  to  a  pretty  pass,  anyhow  !  Now, 
let  me  ask  your  honor  a  few  questions  ?  How  many  shirts 
had  yourself  when  I  entered  your  service  ?  Two,  and  one 
was  more  like  a  fishing  net !  And  how  many  have  ye  now? 
Eighteen  ;  ay,  eighteen  bran  new  cambric  ones  ;  devil  a  hole 
in  one  of  them  !  How  many  pair  of  stockings  had  you  .''  Three 
and  an  odd  one.  You  have  two  dozen  this  minute.  How 
many  pocket  handkerchiefs  ?  One  ;  devil  a  more  !  You 
could  only  blow  your  nose  two  days  in  the  week,  and  now  you 
may  every  hour  of  the  twenty-four  !  And,  as  to  the  trifling 
articles  of  small  value,  snuff-boxes,  gloves,  boot-jacks,  nightcaps, 
and ' 

"  *  Stop,  Tim,  that's  enough ' 


" '  No,  sir,  it  is  not,'  said  Tim,  drawing  himself  up  to  his  full 
height;  'you  have  wounded  my  feelings  in  a  way  I  can't  for- 
get. It  is  impossible  we  can  have  that  mutual  respect  our 
position  demands.     Farewell,  farewell.  Doctor,  and  forever  !  ' 

"  Before  I  could  say  another  word,  the  fellow  had  left  the 
room,  and  closed  the  door  after  him ;  and  from  that  hour  to 
this  I  never  set  eyes  on  him," 


550  CHAkLES  O'M ALLEY, 

In  this  vein  did  the  worthy  Doctor  run  on  till  some  more  dis- 
creet friend  suggested  that,  however  well-intentioned  the  visit,  I 
did  not  seem  to  be  fully  equal  to  it — my  flushed  cheek  and  anx- 
ious eye  betraying  that  the  fever  of  my  wound  had  commenced  ; 
they  left  me,  therefore,  once  more  alone,  and  to  my  solitary 
musings  over  the  vicissitudes  of  my  fortune. 


CHAPTER    LXXII. 

THE    COA. 

Within  a  week  from  the  occurrence  of  the  events  just 
mentioned,  Ciudad  Rodrigo  surrendered,  and  Craufurd  assumed 
another  position  beneath  the  walls  of  Almeida.  The  Spanish 
contingent  having  left  us,  we  were  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of 
two  battalions,  renewed  orders  being  sent  not  to  risk  a  battle, 
but,  if  the  French  should  advance,  to  retire  beyond  the  Coa. 

On  the  evening  of  the  21st  July,  a  strong  body  of  French 
cavalry  advanced  into  the  plain,  supported  by  some  heavy 
guns ;  upon  which  Craufurd  retired  upon  the  Coa,  intending, 
as  we  supposed,  to  place  that  river  between  himself  and  the 
enemy.  Three  days,  however,  passed  over  without  any  move- 
ment upon  either  side,  and  we  still  continued,  with  a  force  of 
scarcely  four  thousand  infantry  and  a  thousand  dragoons,  to 
stand  opposite  to  an  army  of  nearly  fifty  thousand  men.  Such 
was  our  position  as  the  night  of  the  24th  set  in.  I  was  sitting 
alone  in  my  quarters  ;  Mike,  whose  wound  had  been  severer 
than  at  first  was  supposed,  had  been  sent  to  Almeida,  and  I  was 
musing  in  solitude  upon  the  events  of  the  campaign,  when  the 
noise  and  bustle  without  excited  my  attention  ;  the  roll  of  artillery 
wagons,  the  clash  of  musketry,  and  the  distant  sounds  of  march- 
ing, all  proved  that  the  troops  were  effecting  some  new  move- 
ment, and  I  burned  with  anxiety  to  learn  what  it   was.     My 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  55 1 

brother  officers,  however,  came  not  as  usual  to  my  quarters  ; 
and  although  I  waited  with  impatience  while  the  hours  rolled 
by,  no  one  appeared. 

Long,  low  moaning  gusts  of  wind  swept  along  the  earth, 
carrying  the  leaves  as  they  tore  them  from  the  trees,  and  min- 
gling their  sad  sounds  with  the  noises  of  the  retiring  troops  ; 
for  I  could  perceive  that  gradually  the  sounds  grew  more  and 
more  remote,  and  only  now  and  then  could  I  trace  their  posi- 
tion as  the  roll  of  a  distant  drum  swelled  upon  the  breeze,  or 
the  more  shrill  cry  of  a  pibroch  broke  upon  my  ear  ;  a  heavy 
downpour  of  rain  followed  soon  after,  and  in  its  unceasing 
plash  drowned  all  other  sounds. 

As  the  little  building  shook  beneath  the  peals  of  loud  thunder, 
the  lightning  flashed  in  broad  sheets  upon  the  rapid  river,  which, 
swollen  and  foaming,  dashed  impetuously  beside  my  window. 
By  the  uncertain  but  vivid  glare  of  the  flashes,  I  endeavored 
to  ascertain  where  our  force  was  posted  ;  but  in  vain.  Never 
did  I  witness  such  a  night  of  storm  ;  the  deep  booming  of  the 
thunder  seeming  never  for  a  moment  to  cease,  while  the  rush 
of  the  torrent  grew  gradually  louder,  till  at  length  it  swelled 
into  one  deep  and  sullen  roar,  like  that  of  distant  artillery. 

Weak  and  nervous  as  I  felt  from  the  effects  of  my  wound, 
feverish  and  exhausted  by  days  of  suffering  and  sleepless 
nights,  I  paced  my  little  room  with  tottering  but  impatient 
steps.  The  sense  of  my  sad  and  imprisoned  state  impressed 
me  deeply;  and  while  from  time  to  time  I  replenished  my  fire, 
and  hoped  to  hear  some  friendly  step  upon  the  stair,  my  heart 
grew  gradually  heavier,  and  every  gloomy  and  depressing 
thought  suggested  itself  to  my  imagination.  My  most  constant 
impression  was,  that  the  troops  were  retiring  beyond  the  Coa, 
and  that,  forgotten  in  the  haste  and  confusion  of  a  night  march, 
I  had  been  left  behind  to  fall  a  prisoner  to  the  enemy. 

The  sounds  of  the  troops  retiring  gradually  farther  and  farther 
favored  tiie  idea,  in  which  I  was  still  more  strengthened  on 
finding   that  the  peasants   who   inhabited  the  little  hut  had 


552  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

departed,  leaving  me  utterly  alone.  From  the  moment  1  as- 
certained this  fact,  my  impatience  knew  no  bounds  ;  and  in 
proportion  as  I  began  to  feel  some  exertion  necessary  on  my 
part,  so  much  more  did  my  nervousness  increase  my  debility, 
and  at  last  I  sank  exhausted  upon  my  bed,  while  a  cold  per- 
spiration broke  out  upon  my  temples. 

I  have  mentioned  that  the  Coa  was  immediately  beneath  the 
house  ;  I  must  also  add,  that  the  little  building  occupied  the 
angle  of  a  steep  but  narrow  gorge  which  descended  from  the 
plain  to  the  bridge  across  the  stream.  This,  as  far  as  I  knew, 
was  the  only  means  we  possessed  of  passing  the  river  :  so  that, 
when  the  last  retiring  sounds  of  the  troops  were  heard  by  me, 
I  began  to  suspect  that  Craufurd,  in  compliance  with  his  orders, 
was  making  a  backward  movement,  leaving  the  bridge  open  to 
the  French,  to  draw  them  on  to  his  line  of  march,  while  he 
should  cross  over  at  some  more  distant  point. 

As  the  night  grew  later,  the  storm  seemed  to  increase ;  the 
waves  of  the  foaming  river  dashed  against  the  frail  walls  of  the 
hut,  while  its  roof,  rent  by  the  blast,  fell  in  fragments  upon  the 
stream,  and  all  threatened  a  speedy  and  perfect  ruin. 

How  I  longed  for  morning !  The  doubt  and  uncertainty  I 
suffered  nearly  drove  me  distracted.  Of  all  the  casualties  my 
career  as  a  soldier  opened,  none  had  such  terrors  for  me  as 
imprisonment ;  the  very  thought  of  the  long  years  of  inaction 
and  inglorious  idleness  was  worse  than  any  death.  My  wounds, 
and  the  state  of  fever  I  was  in,  increased  the  morbid  dread 
upon  me,  and  had  the  French  captured  me  at  the  time,  I  know 
not  that  madness  of  which  I  was  not  capable.  Day  broke  at 
last,  but  slowly  and  sullenly;  the  gray  clouds  hurried  past 
upon  the  storm,  pouring  down  the  rain  in  torrents  as  they  went, 
and  the  desolation  and  dreariness  on  all  sides  was  scarcely 
preferable  to  the  darkness  and  gloom  of  night.  My  eyes 
were  turned  ever  towards  the  plain,  across  which  the  winter  wind 
bore  the  plashing  rain  in  vast  sheets  of  water;  the  thunder 
crashed  louder  and  louder  ;  but  except  the  sounds  of  the  storm 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  553 

none  others  met  my  ear.  Not  a  man,  not  a  human  figure  could 
1  see,  as  I  strained  my  sight  towards  the  distant  horizon. 

The  morning  crept  over,  but  the  storm  abated  not,  and  the 
same  unchanged  aspect  of  dreary  desolation  prevailed  without. 
At  times  I  thought  I  could  hear,  amidst  the  noises  of  the  tem- 
pest, something  like  the  roll  of  distant  artillery ;  but  the 
thunder  swelled  in  sullen  roar  above  all,  and  left  me  uncertain 
as  before. 

At  last,  in  a  momentary  pause  of  the  storm,  a  tremendous 
peal  of  heavy  guns  caught  my  ear,  followed  by  the  long  rattling 
of  small-arms.  My  heart  bounded  with  ecstasy.  The  thoughts 
of  the  battle-field,  with  all  its  changing  fortunes,  was  better,  a 
thousand  times  better,  than  the  despairing  sense  of  desertion  I 
labored  under.  I  listened  now  with  eagerness,  but  the  rain 
bore  down  again  in  torrents,  and  the  crumbling  walls  and  fall- 
ing timbers  left  no  other  sounds  to  be  heard.  Far  as  my  eye 
could  reach,  nothing  could  still  be  seen  save  the  dreary  mo- 
notony of  the  vast  plain,  undulating  slightly  here  and  there,  but 
unmarked  by  a  sign  of  man. 

Far  away  towards  the  horizon  I  had  remarked  for  some 
time  past  that  the  clouds  resting  upon  the  earth  grew  blacker 
and  blacker,  spreading  out  to  either  side  in  vast  masses,  and 
not  broken  or  wafted  along  like  the  rest.  As  I  watched  the 
plienomenon  with  an  anxious  eye,  I  perceived  the  dense  mass 
suddenly  appear,  as  it  were,  rent  asunder,  while  a  volume  of 
liquid  flame  rushed  wildly  out,  throwing  a  lurid  glare  on  every 
side.  One  terrific  clap,  louder  than  any  thunder,  shook  the 
air  at  this  moment,  w-hile  the  very  earth  trembled  beneath  the 
shock. 

As  I  hesitated  what  it  might  be,  the  heavy  din  of  great  guns 
again  was  heard,  and  from  the  midst  of  the  black  smoke  rode 
forth  a  dark  mass,  which  I  soon  recognized  as  the  horse- 
artillery  at  full  gallop.  They  were  directing  their  course  towards 
the  bridge. 

As  they  mounted  the  little  rising  ground,  they  wheeled  and 


554  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

unlimbered  with  the  speed  of  lightning,  just  as  a  strong  column 
of  cavalry  showed  above  the  ridge.  One  tremendous  dis- 
charge again  shook  the  field,  and  ere  the  smoke  cleared  away 
they  were  again  far  in  retreat. 

So  much  was  my  attention  occupied  with  this  movement, 
that  I  had  not  perceived  the  long  line  of  infantry  that  came 
from  the  extreme  left,  and  were  now  advancing  also  towards 
the  bridge  at  a  brisk,  quick  step ;  scattered  bodies  of  cavalry 
came  up  from  different  parts,  while  from  the  little  valley, 
every  now  and  then,  a  rifleman  would  mount  the  rising  ground, 
turning  to  fire  as  he  retreated.  All  this  boded  a  rapid  and 
disorderly  retreat ;  and  although  as  yet  I  could  see  nothing  of 
the  pursuing  enemy,  I  knew  too  well  the  relative  forces  of 
each  to  have  a  doubt  for  the  result. 

At  last,  the  head  of  a  French  column  appeared  above  the 
mist,  and  I  could  plainly  distinguish  the  gestures  of  the 
officers  as  they  hurried  their  men  onwards.  Meanwhile  a 
loud  hurra  attracted  my  attention,  and  I  turned  my  eye  towards 
the  road  which  led  to  the  river.  Here  a  small  body  of  the 
95th  had  hurriedly  assembled  ;  and,  formed  again,  were  stand- 
ing to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  broken  infantry  as  they  passed 
on  eagerly  to  the  bridge  ;  in  a  second  after  the  French  cuiras- 
siers appeared.  Little  anticipating  resistance  from  a  flying 
and  disordered  mass,  they  rode  headlong  forward,  and  although 
the  firm  attitude  and  steady  bearing  of  the  Highlanders  might 
have  appalled  them,  they  rode  heedlessly  down  upon  the  square, 
sabring  the  very  men  in  the  front  rank.  Till  now  not  a  trigger 
had  been  pulled,  when  suddenly  the  word  "  Fire  !  "  was  given, 
and  a  withering  volley  of  balls  sent  the  cavalry  column  in 
shivers.  One  hearty  cheer  broke  from  the  infantry  in  the  rear, 
and  I  could  hear  "Gallant  Ninety-fifth!"  shouted  on  every 
side  along  the  plain. 

The  whole  vast  space  before  me  was  now  one  animated 
battle-ground.  Our  own  troops  retiring  in  haste  before  the 
overwhelming  forces  of  the  French,  occupied  every  little  vantage 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOON.  555 

ground  with  their  guns  and  light  infantry,  charges  of  cavalry 
coursing  hither  and  thither;  while,  as  the  French  pressed 
forward,  the  retreating  columns  again  formed  into  squares  to 
permit  stragglers  to  come  up.  The  rattle  of  small  arms,  the 
heavy  peal  of  artillery,  the  earthquake  crash  of  cavalry,  rose  on 
every  side,  while  the  cheers  which  alternately  told  of  the 
vacillating  fortune  of  the  fight  rose  amidst  the  wild  pibroch  of 
the  Highlanders. 

A  tremendous  noise  now  took  place  on  the  floor  beneath 
me  ;  and,  looking  down,  I  perceived  that  a  sergeant  and  party 
of  sappers  had  taken  possession  of  the  little  hut,  and  were 
busily  engaged  in  piercing  the  walls  for  musketry  ;  and  before 
many  minutes  had  elapsed,  a  company  of  the  Rifles  were 
thrown  into  the  building,  which,  from  its  commanding  posi- 
tion above  the  road,  enfiladed  the  whole  line  of  march. 
The  officer  in  command  briefly  informed  me  that  we  had  been 
attacked  that  morning  by  the  French  in  force,  and  "  devilishly 
well  thrashed  ;  "  that  we  were  now  in  retreat  beyond  the  Coa, 
where  we  ought  to  have  been  three  days  previously,  and  desired 
me  to  cross  the  bridge  and  get  myself  out  of  the  way  as  soon 
as  I  possibly  could. 

A  twenty-four  pounder  from  the  French  lines  struck  the 
angle  of  the  house  as  he  spoke,  scattering  the  mortar  and 
broken  bricks  about  us  on  all  sides.  This  was  warning  suffi- 
cient for  me,  wounded  and  disabled  as  I  was  ;  so,  taking  the 
few  things  I  could  save  in  my  haste,  I  hurried  from  the  hut, 
and  descending  the  path,  now  slippery  by  the  heavy  rain,  I  took 
my  way  across  the  bridge,  and  established  myself  on  a  little 
rising  knoll  of  ground  beyond,  from  which  a  clear  view  could 
be  obtained  of  the  whole  field. 

I  had  not  been  many  minutes  in  my  present  position  ere  the 
pass  which  led  down  to  the  bridge  became  thronged  with  troops, 
wagons,  ammunition  carts,  and  hospital  stores,  pressing  thickly 
forward  amid  shouting  and  uproar ;  the  hills  on  either  side  of 
the  way  were  crowded  with  troops,  who  formed  as  they  came 


556  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

up,  the  artillery  taking  up  their  position  on  every  rioing  ground. 
The  firing  had  already  begun,  and  the  heavy  booming  of  the 
large  guns  was  heard  at  intervals  amid  the  rattling  crash  of 
musketry :  except  the  narrow  road  before  me,  and  the  high 
bank  of  the  stream,  I  could  see  nothing;  but  the  tumult  and 
din,  which  grew  momentarily  louder,  told  that  the  tide  of  battle 
raged  nearer  and  nearer.  Still  the  retreat  continued ;  and  at 
length  the  heavy  artillery  came  thundering  across  the  narrow 
bridge  followed  by  stragglers  of  all  arms,  and  wounded,  hurry- 
ing to  the  rear :  the  sharpshooters  and  the  Highlanders  held 
the  heights  above  the  stream,  thus  covering  the  retiring 
columns  ;  but  I  could  .plainly  perceive  that  their  fire  was 
gradually  slackening,  and  that  the  guns  which  flanked  their 
position  were  withdrawn,  and  everything  bespoke  a  speedy 
retreat.  A  tremendous  discharge  of  musketry  at  this  moment, 
accompanied  by  a  deafening  cheer,  announced  the  advance  of 
the  French,  and  soon  the  head  of  the  Highland  brigade  was 
seen  descending  towards  the  bridge,  followed  by  the  Rifles 
and  the  95th;  the  cavalry,  consisting  of  the  nth  and  14th 
Light  Dragoons,  were  now  formed  in  column  of  attack,  and 
the  infantry  deployed  into  line ;  and,  in  an  instant  after,  high 
above  the  din  and  crash  of  battle,  I  heard  the  word  "  Charge  !  " 
The  rising  crest  of  the  hill  hid  them  from  my  sight,  but  my 
heart  bounded  with  ecstasy  as  I  listened  to  the  clanging  sound 
of  the  cavalry  advance.  Meanwhile,  the  infantry  pressed  on, 
and,  forming  upon  the  bank,  took  up  a  strong  position  in  front 
of  the  bridge ;  the  heavy  guns  were  also  unlimbered,  riflemen 
scattered  through  the  low  copse-wood,  and  every  precaution 
taken  to  defend  the  pass  to  the  last.  For  a  moment  all  my 
attention  was  riveted  to  the  movements  upon  our  own  side  of 
the  stream,  when  suddenly  the  cavalry  bugle  sounded  the 
recall,  and  the  same  moment  the  staff  came  galloping  across 
the  bridge.  One  officer  I  could  perceive,  covered  with  orders 
and  trappings  ;  his  head  was  bare,  and  his  horse,  splashed  with 
blood  and  foam,  moved  lamely  and  with  difficulty ;  he  turned 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  557 

in  the  middle  of  the  bridge,  as  if  irresolute  whether  to  retreat 
farther :  one  glance  at  him  showed  me  the  bronzed,  manly 
features  of  our  leader.  Whatever  his  resolve,  the  matter  was 
soon  decided  for  him,  for  the  cavalry  came  galloping  swiftly 
down  the  slope,  and  in  an  instant  the  bridge  was  blocked  up 
by  the  retreating  forces,  while  the  French  as  suddenly  appear- 
ing above  the  height,  opened  a  plunging  fire  upon  their  defence- 
less enemies :  their  cheer  of  triumph  was  answered  by  our 
fellows  from  the  opposite  bank,  and  a  heavy  cannonade 
thundered  along  the  rocky  valley,  sending  up  a  hundred  echoes 
as  it  went. 

The  scene  now  became  one  of  overwhelming  interest ;  the 
French,  posting  their  guns  upon  the  height,  replied  to  our  fire, 
while  their  line,  breaking  into  skirmishers,  descended  the  banks 
to  the  river  edge,  and  poured  in  one  sheet  of  galling  musketry. 
The  road  to  the  bridge,  swept  by  our  artillery,  presented  not  a 
single  file  ;  and  although  a  movement  among  the  French 
announced  the  threat  of  an  attack,  the  deadly  service  of  the 
artillery  seemed  to  pronounce  it  hopeless. 

A  strong  cavalry  force  stood  inactively  spectators  of  the 
combat,  on  the  French  side,  among  whom  I  now  remarked 
some  bustle  and  preparation,  and,  as  I  looked,  an  ofificer  rode 
boldly  to  the  river  edge,  and,  spurring  his  horse  forward, 
plunged  into  the  stream.  The  swollen  and  angry  torrent, 
increased  by  the  late  rains,  boiled  like  barm,  and  foamed 
around  him  as  he  advanced  ;  when  suddenly  his  horse  appeared 
to  have  lost  its  footing,  and  the  rapid  current,  circling  around 
him,  bore  him  along  with  it.  Fie  labored  madly,  but  in  vain,  to 
retrace  his  steps  ;  the  rolling  torrent  rose  above  his  saddle,  and 
all  that  his  gallant  steed  could  do  was  barely  sufficient  to  keep 
afloat;  both  man  and  horse  were  carried  down  between  the 
contending  armies.  I  could  see  him  wave  his  hand  to  his 
comrades,  as  if  in  adieu.  One  deafening  cheer  of  admiration 
rose  from  the  French  lines,  and  the  next  moment  he  was  seen 


558.  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

to  fall  from  his  seat,  and  his  body,  shattered  with  balls,  floated 
mournfully  upon  the  stream. 

This  little  incident,  to  which  both  armies  were  witnesses, 
seemed  to  have  called  forth  all  the  fiercer  passions  of  the  con- 
tending forces ;  a  loud  yell  of  taunting  triumph  rose  from  the 
Highlanders,  responded  to  by  a  cry  of  vengeance  from  the 
French,  and  the  same  moment  the  head  of  a  column  was  seen 
descending  the  narrow  causeway  to  the  bridge,  while  an  officer, 
with  a  whole  blaze  of  decorations  and  crosses,  sprang  from  his 
horse  and  took  the  lead.  The  little  drummer,  a  child  of  scarcely 
ten  years  old,  tripped  gaily  on,  hQ'AX\x\g\\\s\\\.i\Q  pas  de  charge, 
seeming  rather  like  the  play  of  infancy  than  the  summons  to 
death  and  carnage,  as  the  heavy  guns  of  the  French  opened  a 
volume  of  fire  and  flame  to  cover  the  attacking  column.  For 
a  moment  all  was  hid  from  our  eyes  ;  the  moment  after  the 
grape  shot  swept  along  the  narrow  causeway ;  and  the  bridge, 
which  but  a  second  before  was  crowded  with  the  life  and 
courage  of  a  noble  column,  was  now  one  heap  of  dead  and 
dying.  The  gallant  fellow  who  led  them  on  fell  among  the  first 
rank,  and  the  little  child,  as  if  kneeling,  was  struck  dead  beside 
the  parapet ;  his  fair  hair  floated  across  his  cold  features,  and 
seemed  in  its  motion  to  lend  a  look  of  life  where  the  heart's  throb 
had  ceased  forever.  The  artillery  again  re-opened  upon  us;  and, 
when  the  smoke  had  cleared  away,  we  discovered  that  the 
French  h9.d  advanced  to  the  middle  of  the  bridge  and  carried 
off  the  body  of  their  general.  Twice  they  essayed  to  cross,  and 
twice  the  death-dealing  fire  of  our  guns  covered  the  narrow 
bridge  with  slain,  while  by  the  wild  pibroch  of  the  42nd,  swell- 
ing madly  into  notes  of  exultation  and  triumph,  the  High- 
landers could  scarcely  be  prevented  from  advancing  hand  to 
hand  with  the  foe.  Gradually  the  French  slackened  their  fire, 
their  great  guns  were  one  by  one  withdrawn  from  the  heights, 
and  a  dropping,  irregular  musketry  at  intervals  sustained  tlie 
fight,  which,  ere  sunset,  ceased  altogether;  and  thus  ended 
"  The  Battle  of  the  Coa !  " 


THE  JRJSH  DRAGOON,  l%(^ 

CHAPTER  LXXIII. 

THE   NIGHT   MARCH. 

Scarcely  had  the  night  fallen  when  our  retreat  commenced. 
Tired  and  weary  as  our  brave  fellows  felt,  but  little  repose  was 
allowed  them ;  their  bivouac  fires  were  blazing  brightly,  and 
they  had  just  thrown  themselves  in  groups  around  them,  when 
the  word  to  fall  in  was  passed  from  troop  to  troop,  and  from 
battalion  to  battalion — no  trumpet,  no  bugle  called  them  to 
their  ranks.  It  was  necessary  that  all  should  be  done  noise- 
lessly and  speedily  ;  whil«,  therefore,  the  wounded  were  marched 
to  the  front,  and  the  heavy  artillery  with  them,  a  brigade  of 
light  four  pounders  and  two  squadrons  of  cavalry,  held  the 
heights  above  the  bridge,  and  the  infantry,  forming  into 
three    columns,   began    their   march. 

My  wound,  forgotten  in  the  heat  and  excitement  of  the  con- 
liict,  was  now  becoming  excessively  painful,  and  I  gladly 
availed  myself  of  a  place  in  a  wagon,  where,  stretched  upon 
some  fresh  straw,  with  no  other  covering  save  the  starry  sky,  I 
soon  fell  sound  asleep,  and  neither  the  heavy  jolting  of  the 
rough  conveyance,  nor  the  deep  and  rutty  road,  were  able  to 
disturb  my  slumbers.  Still  through  my  sleep  I  heard  the 
sounds  around  me,  the  heavy  tramp  of  infantry,  the  clash  of  the 
moving  squadrons,  and  the  dull  roll  of  artillery ;  and  ever 
and  anon  the  half-stifled  cry  of  pain,  mingling  with  tlie  reck, 
less  carol  of  some  drinking-song,  all  flitted  through  my  dreams- 
lending  to  my  thoughts  of  home  and  friends  a  memory  of  glori- 
ous war. 

All  the  vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life  passed  then  in  review 
before  me,  elicited  in  some  measure  by  the  things  about.  The 
pomp    and   grandeur,  the  misery  and  meanness,  the  triumph. 


560  CHAkLES  O'MALLEY, 

the  defeat,  the  moment  of  victory,  and  the  hour  of  death  were 
there,  and  in  that  vivid  dream  I  lived  a  life  long. 

I  awoke  at  length,  the  cold  and  chilling  air  which  follows 
midnight  blew  around  me,  and  my  wounded  arm  felt  as  though 
it  were  frozen.  I  tried  to  cover  myself  beneath  the  straw,  but 
in  vain,  and  as  my  limbs  trembled  and  my  teeth  chattered,  I 
thought  again  of  home,  where,  at  that  moment,  the  poorest 
menial  of  my  uncle's  house  was  better  lodged  than  I,  and 
strange  to  say,  something  of  pride  mingled  with  the  thought, 
and  in  my  lonely  heart  a  feeling  of  elation  cheered  me. 

These  reflections  were  interrupted  by  the  sound  of  a  voice 
near  me,  which  I  at  once  knew  to  be  O'Shaughnessy's  ;  he  was 
on  foot,  and  speaking  evidently  in  some  excitement. 

"  I  tell  you,  Maurice,  some  confounded  blunder  there  must 
be  ;  sure,  he  was  left  in  the  cottage  near  the  bridge,  and  no  one 
ever  saw  him  after." 

*'  The  French  took  it  from  the  Rifles  before  we  crossed  the 
river.  By  Jove  !  I'll  wager  my  chance  of  promotion  against  a 
pint  of  sherry,  he'll  turn  up  some  where  in  the  morning  ;  those 
Galway  chaps  have  as  many  lives  as  a  cat." 

"  See,  now,  Maurice,  I  wouldn't  for  a  full  colonelcy  anything 
would  happen  to  him — I  like  the  boy." 

"  So  do  I  myself  ;  but  I  tell  you  there's  no  danger  of  him. 
Did  you  ask  Sparks  anything? '' 

"  Ask  Sparks  !  God  help  you  !  Sparks  would  go  off  in  a  fit 
at  the  sight  of  me.  No,  no,  poor  creature  !  it's  little  use  it 
would  be  my  speaking  to  him." 

"  Why  so.  Doctor  ?  "  cried  I,  from  my  straw  couch. 

"  May  I  never,  if  it's  not  hhn  !  Charley,  my  son,  I'm  glad 
you're  safe.  *  Faith,  I  thought  you  were  on  your  way  to  Verdun 
by  this  time." 

"  Sure,  I  told  you  he'd  find  his  way  here — but,  O'Mealey, 
dear — you're  mighty  could — a  rigor,  as  old  M'Lauchlan  would 
call  it." 

"  E'en  sae,  Maister  Quill,  "  said  a  broad  Scotch  accent  be- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  56 1 

hind  him ;  **  and  I  canna  see  ony  objection  to  giein'  things  their 
right  names." 

"The  top  of  the  morning  to  you,  "  said  Quill,  familiarly  pat- 
ting him  on  the  back  ;  "  how  goes  it,  old  Brimstone  ?  " 

'  The  conversation  might  not  have  taken  a  very  amicable  turn 
had  M'Lauchlan  heard  the  latter  part  of  this  speech;  but,  as 
happily  he  was  engaged  unpacking  a  small  canteen  which  he 
had  placed  in  the  wagon,  it  passed  unnoticed. 

"You'll  nae  dislike  a  toothfu'  of  something  warm.  Major,  " 
said  he,  presenting  a  glass  to  O'Shaughnessy ;  "  and  if  ye'll 
permit  me,  Mr.  O'Mealey,  to  help  you " 

"  A  thousand  thanks,  Doctor ;  but  I  fear  a  broken  arm.  " 

"  There's  naething  in  the  -whisky  to  prevent  the  proper  forma- 
tion of  callus." 

"  By  the  rock  of  Cashel,  it  never  made  any  one  callous,  "  said 
O'Shaughnessy,  mistaking  the  import  of  the  phrase. 

"Ye  are  nae  drinking  frae  the  flask?"  said  the  Doctor,  turn- 
ing in  some  agitation  towards  Quill. 

"  Devil  a  bit,  my  darling.  I've  a  little  horn  convaniency 
here,  that  holds    half-a-pint,  nice  measure." 

I  don't  imagine  that  our  worthy  friend  participated  in  Quill's 
admiration  of  the  "  convaniency,  "  for  he  added,  in  a  dry 
tone  : — 

"  Ye  may  as  weel  tak'  your  liquor  frae  a  glass,  like  a  Chris- 
tian, as  stick  your  nose  in  a  coo's  horn." 

"  By  my  conscience,  you're  no  small  judge  of  spirits,  where- 
ever  you  learned  it,"  said  the  Major  ;  "  it's  like    Islay  malt !  " 

"  I  was  aye  reckoned  a  gude  ane,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  and  my 
mither's  brither,  Caimbogie,  had  na  his  like  in  the  north 
country.  Ye  maybe  heerd  tell  what  he  aince  said  to  the  Duch- 
ess of  Argyle,  when  she  sent  for  him  to  taste  her  claret." 

"  Never  heard  of  it,  "  quoth  Quill ;  "  let's  have  it  by  all 
means.     I'd  like  to  hear  what  the  Duchess  said  to  him." 

"  It  was  na  what  the  Duchess  said  to  him,  but  what  he  said 
to  the  Duchess,  ye  ken.  The  way  of  it  was  this : — My  uncle, 
3^ 


562  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

Caimbogie,  was  aye  up  at  the  castle,  for,  besides  his  knowledge 
of  liquor,  there  was  nae  his  match  for  deer-stalking,  or  spear- 
ing a  salmon,  in  those  parts.  He  was  a  great,  rough  carle,  it's 
true,  but  ane  ye'd  rather  crack  wi'  than  fight  wi'. 

"  Weel,  ae  day  they  had  a  grand  dinner  at  the  Duke's,  and 
there  were  plenty  o'  great  southern  lords  and  braw  leddies  in 
velvets  and  satin  ;  and  vara  muckle  surprised  they  were  at  my 
uncle,  when  he  came  in  wi'  his  tartan  kilt,  in  full  Highland 
dress,  as  the  head  of  a  clan  ought  to  do.  Caimbogie,  however, 
pe'd  nae  attention  to  them,  but  he  eat  his  dinner  and  drank  his 
wine,  and  talked  away  about  fallow  and  red  deer,  and  at  last  the 
Duchess,  for  she  was  aye  fond  o'  him,  addressed  him  frae  the 
head  o'  the  table  : — 

" '  Caimbogie,'  quoth  she,  '  I'd  like  to  hae  your  opinion 
about  that  wine.  It's  some  the  Duke  has  just  received,  and 
we  should  like  to  hear  what  you  think  of  it.' 

"  '  It's  nae  sae  bad,  my  leddy,'  said  my  uncle  ;  for  ye  see  he 
was  a  man  of  few  words,  and  never  flattered  onybody. 

" '  Then  you  don't  approve  much  of  it  ? '  said  the  Duchess. 
"'I've  drank  better,  and  I've  drank  waur,'  quo'  he. 
" '  I'm  sorry  you  don't  like  it,  Caimbogie,'  said  the  Duchess, 
'  for  it  can  never  be  popular  now :  we  have  such  a  dependence 
upon  your  taste.' 

"'I  canna  say  ower  muckle  for  my  taste,  my  leddy,  but  ae 
thing  I  will  say — I've  a  most  damnable  smell  ! ' 

"  I  hear  that  never  since  the  auld  walls  stood,  was  there  ever 
the  like  o'  the  laughing  that  followed  :  the  puir  Duke  himsel' 
was  carried  away,  and  nearly  had  a  fit,  and  a'  the  grand  lords 
and  leddies  a'most  died  of  it.  But  see  here,  the  carle  has  nae 
left  a  drap  o'  whisky  in  the  flask." 

"The  last  glass  I  drained  to  your  respectable  uncle's  health," 
said  Quill,  with  a  most  professional  gravity.  "  Now  Charlie, 
make  a  little  room  for  me  in  the  straw." 

The  Doctor  soon  mounted  beside  me,  and,  giving  me  a  share 
of  his  ample  cloak,  considerably  ameliorated  my  situation. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  563 

"  So  you  knew  Sparks,  Doctor  ? "  said  I,  with  a  strong  curi- 
osity to  hear  something  of  his  early  acquaintance. 

"  That  1  did  :  I  knew  him  when  he  was  an  Ensign  in  the 
loth  Foot;  and,  to  say  the  truth,  he  is  not  much  changed  since 
that  time ; — the  same  lively  look  of  a  sick  cod-fish  about  his 
gray  eyes  ;  the  same  disorderly  wave  of  his  yellow  hair ;  the 
same  whining  voice,  and  that  confounded  apothecary's  laugh." 

"  Come,  come.  Doctor,  Sparks  is  a  good  fellow  at  heart ;  I 
won't  have  him  abused.  I  never  knew  he  had  been  in  the  in- 
fantry ;  I  should  think  it  must  have  been  another  of  the  same 
name." 

*'  Not  at  all ;  there's  only  one  like  him  in  the  service,  and 
that's  himself.  Confound  it,  man,  I'd  know  his  skin  upon  a 
bush  ;  he  was  only  three  weeks  in  the  Tenth,  and,  indeed,  your 
humble  servant  has  the  whole  merit  of  his  leaving  it  so  soon." 

"  Do  let  us  hear  how  that  happened." 

"  Simply  thus : — The  jolly  Tenth  were  some  four  years  ago 
the  pleasantest  corps  in  the  army  ;  from  the  Lieutenant-Colonel 
down  to  the  last  joined  sub.,  all  were  out-and-outers — real  gay 
fellows.  The  mess  was,  in  fact,  like  a  pleasant  club,  and  if 
you  did  not  suit  it,  the  best  thing  you  could  do  was  to  sell  out 
or  exchange  into  a  slower  regiment ;  and,  indeed,  this  very 
wholesome  truth  was  not  very  long  in  reaching  your  ears  some 
way  or  other,  and  a  man  that  could  remain  after  being  given 
this  hint,  was  likely  to  go  afterwards  without  one." 

Just  as  Dr.  Quill  reached  this  part  of  his  story,  an  orderly 
dragoon  galloped  furiously  past,  and  the  next  moment  an  aide- 
de-camp  rode  by,  calling,  as  he  passed  us, — 

"  Close  up,  there — close  up  !  Get  forward,  my  lads — get 
forward  1  " 

It  was  evident,  from  the  stir  and  bustle  about,  that  some 
movement  was  being  made  ;  and,  soon  after,  a  dropping, 
irregular  fire  from  the  rear  showed  that  our  cavalry  were  en- 
gaged with  the  enemy  :  the  affair  was  scarcely  of  five  minutes' 


564  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

duration,  and  our  march  resumed  all  its  former  regularity  im- 
mediately after. 

I  now  turned  to  the  Doctor  to  resume  his  story,  but  he  was 
gone  ;  at  what  moment  he  left  I  could  not  say,  but  O'Shaugh- 
nessy  was  also  absent,  nor  did  I  again  meet  with  them  for  a 
considerable  time  after. 

Towards  daybreak  we  halted  at  Bonares,  when  my  wound 
demanding  rest  and  attention,  I  was  billeted  in  the  village,  and 
consigned  to  all  the  miseries  of  a  sick  bed. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

THE  JOURNEY. 

With  that  disastrous  day,  my  compaigning  was  destined,  for 
some  time  at  least,  to  conclude.  My  wound,  which  grew  from 
hour  to  hour  more  threatening,  at  length  began  to  menace  the 
loss  of  the  arm,  and  by  the  recommendation  of  the  regimental 
surgeons,  I  was  ordered  back  to  Lisbon. 

Mike,  by  this  time  perfectly  restored,  prepared  everything 
for  my  departure,  and  on  the  third  day  after  the  battle  of  the 
Coa,  I  began  my  journey  with  downcast  spirits  and  depressed 
heart.  The  poor  fellow  was,  however,  a  kind  and  affectionate 
nurse,  and  unlike  many  others,  his  cares  were  not  limited  to  the 
mere  bodily  wants  of  his  patient :  he  sustained,  as  well  as  he 
was  able,  my  drooping  resolution,  rallied  my  spirits,  and  cheered 
my  courage.  With  the  very  little  Portuguese  he  possessed,  he 
contrived  to  make  every  imaginable  species  of  bargain;  always 
managed  a  good  billet ;  kept  every  one  in  good  humor,  and 
rarely  left  his  quarters  in  the  morning  without  a  most  affective 
leave-taking,  and  reiterated  promises  to  renew  his  visit. 

Our  journeys  were  usually  short  ones,  and  already  two  days 
had  elapsed,  when,   towards  nightfall,   we   entered  the  little 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  565 

hamlet  of  Jaffra.  During  the  entire  of  that  day,  the  pain  of 
my  wounded  Umb  had  been  excruciating  ;  the  fatigue  of  the 
road  and  the  heat  had  brought  baclv  violent  inflammation,  and, 
when  at  last  the  little  village  came  in  sight,  my  reason  was  fast 
yielding  to  the  torturing  agonies  of  my  wound  ;  but  the  trans- 
ports with  which  I  greeted  my  resting-place  were  soon  destined 
to  a  change  ;  for,  as  we  drew  near,  not  a  light  was  to  be  seen, 
not  a  sound  to  be  heard,  not  even  a  dog  barked,  as  the  heavy 
mule-cart  rattled  over  the  uneven  road.  No  trace  of  any  liv- 
ing thing  was  there  :  the  little  hamlet  lay  sleeping  in  the  pale 
moonlight,  its  streets  deserted,  and  its  homes  tenantless ;  our 
own  footsteps  alone  echoed  along  the  dreary  causeway ;  here 
and  there,  as  we  advanced  further,  we  found  some  relics  of 
broken  furniture  and  house-gear  ;  most  of  the  doors  lay  open, 
but  nothing  remained  within  save  bare  walls ;  the  embers  still 
smoked  in  many  places  upon  the  hearth,  and  showed  us  that 
the  flight  of  the  inhabitants  had  been  recent.  Yet  everything 
convinced  us  that  the  French  had  not  been  there ;  there  was 
no  trace  of  the  reckless  violence  and  wanton  cruelty  which 
marked  their  footsteps  everywhere. 

All  proved  that  the  desertion  had  been  voluntary  :  perhaps 
in  compliance  with  an  order  of  our  Commander-in-Chief,  who 
frequently  desired  any  intended  line  of  march  of  the  enemy  to 
be  left  thus  a  desert.  As  we  sauntered  slowly  on  from  street 
to  street,  half  hoping  that  some  one  human  being  yet  remained 
behind,  and  casting  our  eyes  from  side  to  side  in  search  of 
quarters  for  the  night,  Mike  suddenly  came  running  up,  say- 
ing,— 

"  I  have  it,  sir, — I've  found  it  out — there's  people  living 
down  that  small  street  there — I  saw  a  light  this  minute  as  I 
passed." 

I  turned  immediately,  and  accompanied  by  the  mule-driver, 
followed  Mike  across  a  little  open  square  into  a  small  and 
narrow  street,  at  the  end  of  which  a  light  was  seen  faintly 
twinkling  ;  we  hurried  on,  and  in  a  few  minutes  reached  a  high 


566  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

wall  of  solid  masonry,  from  a  niche  of  \Yhich  we  now  discovered, 
to  our  utter  disappointment,  the  light  proceeded.  It  was  a 
small  lamp  placed  before  a  little  waxen  image  of  the  Virgin, 
and  was  probably  the  last  act  of  piety  of  some  poor  villager  ere 
he  left  his  home  and  hearth  forever :  there  it  burned,  brightl) 
and  tranquilly,  throwing  its  mellow  ray  upon  the  cold,  deserted 
stones. 

Whatever  impatience  I  might  have  given  way  to  in  a  moment 
of  chagrin,  was  soon  repressed,  as  I  saw  my  two  followers, 
uncovering  their  heads  in  silent  reverence,  kneel  down  before 
the  little  shrine.  There  was  something  at  once  touching  and 
solemn  in  this  simultaneous  feeling  of  homage  from  the  hearts 
of  those  removed  in  country,  language,  and  in  blood  ;  they  bent 
meekly  down  ;  their  heads  bowed  upon  their  bosoms,  while  with 
muttering  voices  each  offered  up  his  prayer.  All  sense  of 
their  disappointment,  all  memory  of  their  forlorn  state,  seemed 
to  have  yielded  to  more  powerful  and  absorbing  thoughts  as 
they  opened  their  hearts  in  prayer. 

My  eyes  were  still  fixed  upon  them,  when  suddenly  Mike, 
whose  devotion  seemed  of  the  briefest,  sprang  to  his  legs,  and 
with  a  spirit  of  levity  but  little  in  accordance  with  his  late 
proceedings,  commenced  a  series  of  kicking,  rapping,  and 
knocking  at  a  small  oak  postern  sufficient  to  have  aroused  a 
whole  convent  from  their  cells.  "  House  there  ! — good  people 
within  !  " — bang,  bang,  bang:  but  the  echoes  alone  responded 
to  his  call,  and  the  sounds  died  away  at  length  in  the  distant 
streets,  leaving  all  as  silent  and  dreary  as  before. 

Our  Portuguese  friend,  who  by  this  time  had  finished  his 
orisons,  now  began  a  vigorous  attack  upon  the  small  door,  and, 
with  the  assistance  of  Mike,  armed  with  a  fragment  of  granite 
about  the  size  of  a  man's  head,  at  length  separated  the  frame 
from  the  hinges  and  sent  the  whole  mass  prostrate  before  us. 

The  moon  was  just  rising  as  we  entered  the  little  park,  where 
gravelled  walks,  neatly  kept  and  well  trimmed,  bespoke  recent 
care  and  attention  ;  following  a  handsome  alley  of  lime-trees, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  567 

we  reached  a  little  jet  d'eau,  whose  sparkling  fountain  shone, 
diamond-like,  in  the  moonbeams  ;  and  escaping  from  the  edge 
of  a  vast  shell,  ran  murmuring  amid  mossy  stones  and  water 
lilies,  that  however  naturally  they  seemed  thrown  around,  be- 
spoke also  the  hand  of  taste  in  their  position.  On  turning 
from  the  spot,  we  came  directly  in  front  of  an  old  but  handsome 
chateau,  before  which  stretched  a  terrace  of  considerable  extent. 
Its  balustraded  parapet,  lined  with  orange-trees,  now  in  full 
blossom,  scented  the  still  air  with  their  delicious  odor ;  marble 
statues  peeped  here  and  there  amid  the  foliage,  while  a  rich 
acacia,  loaded  with  flowers,  covered  the  walls  of  the  building, 
and  hung  in  vast  masses  of  variegated  blossom  across  the  taU 
windows. 

As,  leaning  on  Mike's  arm,  I  slowly  ascended  the  steps  of 
the  terrace,  I  was  more  than  ever  struck  with  the  silence  and 
death-like  stillness  around;  except  the  gentle  plash  of  the 
fountain,  all  was  at  rest;  the  very  plants  seemed  to  sleep  in  the 
yellow  moonlight,  and  not  a  trace  of  any  living  thing  was  there. 

The  massive  door  lay  open  as  we  entered  the  spacious  hall, 
flagged  with  marble,  and  surrounded  with  armorial  bearings. 
We  advanced  farther,  and  came  to  a  broad  and  handsome  stair, 
which  led  us  to  a  long  gallery,  from  which  a  suite  of  rooms 
opened,  looking  towards  the  front  part  of  the  building. 
Wherever  we  went,  the  furniture  appeared  perfectly  untouched  ; 
nothing  was  removed  ;  the  very  chairs  were  grouped  around 
the  windows  and  the  tables ;  books,  as  if  suddenly  dropped 
from  their  readers'  hands,  were  scattered  upon  the  sofas  and 
the  ottomans  ;  and,  in  one  small  apartment,  whose  blue  satin 
walls  and  damask  drapery  bespoke  a  boudoir,  a  rich  mantilla 
of  black  velvet  and  a  silk  glove  were  thrown  upon  a  chair.  It 
was  clear  the  desertion  had  been  most  recent;  and  everything 
Indicated  that  no  time  had  been  given  to  the  fugitives  to  prepare 
for  flight.  What  a  sad  picture  of  war  was  there  1  To  think  of 
those  whose  home,  endeared  to  them  by  all  the  refinements  of 
cultivated  life  and  all  the  associations  of  years  of  happiness. 


568  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

sent  out  upon  the  wide  world — wanderers  and  houseless  ;  while 
their  hearth,  sacred  by  every  tie  that  binds  us  to  our  kindred, 
was  to  be  desecrated  by  the  ruthless  and  savage  hands  of  a 
ruffian  soldiery.  I  thought  of  them  ;  perhaps  at  that  very  hour 
their  thoughts  were  clinging  round  the  old  walls ;  remembering 
each  well-beloved  spot,  while  they  took  their  lonely  path  through 
mountain  and  through  valley  ;  and  felt  ashamed  and  abashed  at 
my  own  intrusion  there.  While  thus  my  reverie  ran  on,  I  had 
not  perceived  that  Mike,  whose  views  were  very  practical  upon 
all  occasions,  had  lighted  a  most  cheerful  fire  upon  the  hearth, 
and  disposing  a  large  sofa  before  it,  had  carefully  closed  the 
curtains,  and  was,  in  fact,  making  himself  and  his  master  as 
much  at  home  as  though  he  had  spent  his  life  there. 

"  Isn't  it  a  beautiful  place,  Misther  Charles  .-•  and  this  little 
room,  doesn't  it  remind  you  of  the  blue  bedroom  in  O'Malley 
Castle,  barrin'  the  elegant  view  out  upon  the  Shannon  and  the 
mountain  of  Scariff  ?  " 

Nothing  short  of  Mike's  patriotism  could  forgive  such  a 
comparison  ;  but,  however,  I  did  not  contradict  him,  as  he  ran 
on  : — 

"  Faith,  I  knew  well  there  w^as  luck  in  store  for  us  this  even- 
ing ;  and  ye  see  the  handful  of  prayers  I  threw  away  outside 
wasn't  lost.  Jose's  making  the  beasts  comfortable  in  the  stable, 
and  I'm  thinking  we'll  none  of  us  complain  of  our  quarters. 
But  you're  not  eating  your  supper ;  and  the  beautiful  hare-pie 
that  I  stole  this  morning,  won't  you  taste  it  ?  \\'ell,  a  glass  of 
Malaga  ?  not  a  glass  of  Malaga  ?  Oh,  mother  of  Moses  !  what's 
this  for  ? " 

Unfortunately,  the  fever  produced  by  the  long  and  toilsome 
journey,  had  gained  considerably  on  me,  and,  except  copious 
libations  of  cold  water,  I  could  touch  nothing  ;  my  arm,  too, 
was  much  more  painful  than  before.  Mike  soon  perceived  that 
rest  and  quietness  were  most  important  to  me  at  the  moment, 
and  having  with  difficulty  been  prevailed  upon  to  swallow  a 
few  hurried  raouthfuls,  the  poor  fellow  disposed  cushions  around 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  569 

me  in  every  imaginable  form  for  comfort ;  and  then,  placing 
my  wounded  limb  in  its  easiest  position,  he  extinguished  the 
lamp,  and  sat  silently  down  beside  the  hearth,  without  speak- 
ing another  word. 

Fatigue  and  exhaustion,  more  powerful  than  pain,  soon  pro- 
duced their  effects  upon  me,  and  I  fell  asleep,  but  it  was  no 
refreshing  slumber  which  visited  my  heavy  eyelids ;  the  slow 
fever  of  suffering  had  been  hour  by  hour  increasing,  and  my 
dreams  presented  nothing  but  scenes  of  agony  and  torture. 
Now  I  thought  that,  unhorsed  and  wounded,  I  was  trampled 
beneath  the  clanging  hoofs  of  charging  cavalry  ;  now  I  felt 
the  sharp  steel  piercing  my  flesh,  and  heard  the  loud  cry  of  a 
victorious  enemy  ;  then,  methought,  I  was  stretched  upon  a 
litter,  covered  by  gore  and  mangled  by  a  grape-shot.  I  thought 
I  saw  my  brother  officers  approach  and  look  sadly  upon  me, 
while  one,  whose  face  I  could  not  remember,  muttered,  "  I 
should  not  have  known  him."  The  dreadful  hospital  of  Tala- 
vera,  and  all  its  scenes  of  agony,  came  up  before  me,  and  I 
thought  that  I  lay  waiting  my  turn  for  amputation.  This  last 
impression,  more  horrible  to  me  than  all  the  rest,  made  me 
spring  from  my  couch,  and  I  awoke ;  the  cold  drops  of  per- 
spiration stood  upon  my  brow,  my  mouth  was  parched  and 
open,  and  my  temples  throbbed  so,  that  I  could  count  their 
beatings  :  for  some  seconds  I  could  not  throw  off  the  frightful 
illusion  I  labored  under,  and  it  was  only  by  degrees  I  recov- 
ered consciousness,  and  remembered  where  I  was.  Before  me, 
and  on  one  side  of  the  bright  wood  fire,  sat  Mike,  who,  appar- 
ently deep  in  thought,  gazed  fixedly  at  the  blaze  ;  the  start  I 
gave  on  awaking  had  not  attracted  his  attention,  and  I  could 
see,  as  the  flickering  glare  fell  upon  his  features,  that  he  was 
pale  and  gliastly,  while  his  eyes  were  riveted  upon  the  fire ; 
liis  lips  moved  rapidly,  as  if  in  prayer,  and  his  locked  hands  were 
pressed  firmly  upon  his  bosom  ;  his  voice,  at  first  inaudible,  I 
could  gradually  distinguish,  and  at  length  heard  the  following 
muttered  sentences  : — 


570  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"Oh,  mother  of  mercy  !  so  far  from  his  home  and  his  peo- 
ple, and  so  young,  to  die  in  a  strange  land there  it  is  again." 

Here  he  appeared  listening  to  some  sounds  from  without. 
"  Oh,  wirra,  wirra,  I  know  it  well  ! — the  winding-sheet,  the 
winding-sheet !  there  it  is,  my  own  eyes  saw  it  !  "  The  tears 
coursed  fast  upon  his  pale  cheeks,  and  his  voice  grew  almost 
inaudible,  as,  rocking  to  and  fro,  for  some  time  he  seemed  in  a 
very  stupor  of  grief ;  when  at  last,  in  a  faint,  subdued  tone  he 
broke  into  one  of  those  sad  and  plaintive  airs  of  his  country, 
which  only  need  the  moment  of  depression  to  make  them  wring 
the  very  heart  in  agony. 

His  song  was  that  to  which  Moore  has  appended  the  beauti- 
ful lines,  "  Come,  rest  on  this  bosom."  The  following  imper- 
fect translation  may  serve  to  convey  some  impression  of  the 
words,  which  in  Mike's  version  were  Irish  : — 

"  The  day  was  declining, 

The  dark  night  drew  near. 
And  the  old  Lord  grew  sadder. 

And  paler  with  lear: 
'  Come  listen,  my  daughter. 

Come  nearer — oh  I  near, 
Is't  the  wind  or  the  water 

That  sighs  in  my  ear  ? ' 

"  Not  the  wind  nor  the  water 
Now  stirr'd  the  night  air, 
But  a  warning  far  sadder — 
The  Banshee  was  there  1 
Now  rising,  now  swelling, 
On  the  night  wind  it  bore 
One  cadence,  still  telling, — 
'  I  want  thee,  Rossmore  1  ' 

"  And  then  fast  came  his  breath, 

And  more  fixed  grew  his  eye ; 
And  the  shadow  of  death 

Told  his  hour  was  nigh. 
Ere  the  dawn  of  that  morning 

The  struggle  was  o'er. 
For  when  thrice  came  the  warning — 

A  corpse  was  Rossmore !  " 

The  plaintive  air  to  which  these  words  were  sung  fell  heavily 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  57  r 

upon  my  heart,  and  it  needed  but  the  low  and  nervous  condi- 
tion I  was  in  to  make  me  feel  their  application  to  myself.  But 
so  it  is ;  the  very  superstition  your  reason  rejects  and  your 
sense  spurns,  has,  from  old  association,  from  habit,  and  from 
mere  nationality,  too,  a  hold  upon  your  hopes  and  fears,  that 
demands  more  firmness  and  courage  than  a  sick-bed  possesses 
to  combat  with  success  ;  and  I  now  listened  with  an  eager  ear  to 
mark  if  the  banshee  cried,  rather  than  sought  to  fortify  myself 
by  any  recurrence  to  my  own  convictions.  Meanwhile,  Mike's 
attitude  became  one  of  listening  attention.  Not  a  finger  moved ; 
he  scarce  seemed  even  to  breathe  ;  the  state  of  suspense  I  suf- 
fered from  was  maddening ;  and  at  last,  unable  to  bear  it  longer, 
I  was  about  to  speak,  when  suddenly,  from  the  floor  beneath 
us,  one  long-sustained  note  swelled  upon  the  air  and  died  away 
again,  and  immediately  after,  to  the  cheerful  sounds  of  a  guitar, 
we  heard  the  husky  voice  of  our  Portuguese  guide,  indulging 
himself  in  a  love-ditty. 

Ashamed  of  myself  for  my  fears,  I  kept  silent ;  but  Mike, 
who  felt  only  one  sensation — that  of  unmixed  satisfaction  at 
his  mistake — rubbed  his  hands  pleasantly,  filled  up  his  glass, 
drank  it,  and  refilled ;  while  with  an  accent  of  reassured  cour- 
age, he  briefly  remarked  : — 

"  Well,  Mr.  Jose,  if  that  be  singing,  upon  my  conscience  I 
wonder  what  crying  is  like  !  " 

I  could  not  forbear  a  laugh  at  the  criticism  ;  and,  in  a  moment, 
the  poor  fellow,  who  up  to  that  moment  believed  me  sleeping, 
was  beside  me.  I  saw  from  his  manner  that  he  dreaded  lest 
I  had  been  listening  to  his  melancholy  song,  and  had  overheard 
any  of  his  gloomy  forebodings ;  and  as  he  cheered  my  spirits 
and  spoke  encouragingly,  I  could  remark  that  he  made  more 
than  usual  endeavors  to  appear  light-hearted  and  at  ease. 
Determined,  however,  not  to  let  him  escape  so  easily,  I  ques- 
tioned him  about  his  belief  in  ghosts  and  spirits,  at  which  he 
endeavored,  as  he  ever  did  when  the  subject  was  an  unpleasing 
one,  to  avoid  the  discussion  ;  but  rather  perceiving  that  I  in- 


572  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

dulged  in  no  irreverend  disrespect  of  these  matters,  he  grew 
gradually  more  open,  treating  the  affair  with  that  strange  mixture 
of  credulity  and  mockery,  which  formed  his  estimate  of  most 
things  :  now  seeming  to  suppose  that  any  palpable  rejection  of 
them  might  entail  sad  consequences  in  future,  now  half  ashamed 
to  go  the  whole  length  in  his  credulity. 

"  And  so,  Mike,  you  never  saw  a  ghost  yourself  ? — that  you 
acknowledge  ? " 

"  No,  sir,  I  never  saw  a  real  ghost ;  but  sure  there's  many  a 
thing  I  never  saw  ;  but  Mrs.  Moore,  the  housekeeper,  seen  two. 
And  your  grandfather  that's  gone — the  Lord  be  good  to 
him  ! — used  to  walk  once  a  year  in  Lurra  Abbey;  and  sure  you 
know  the  story  about  Tim  Clinchy,  that  was  seen  every  Satur- 
day night  coming  out  of  the  cellar  with  a  candle  and  a  mug  of 
wine,  and  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  till  Mr.  Barry  laid  him.  It  cost 
his  honor  your  uncle  ten  pounds  in  masses  to  make  him  easy  ; 
not  to  speak  of  a  new  lock  and  two  bolts  on  the  cellar  door." 

"  I  have  heard  all  about  that ;  but,  as  you  never  yourself  saw 
any  of  these  things ' 

"  But  sure  my  father  did,  and  that's  the  same,  any  day. 
My  father  seen  the  greatest  ghost  that  ever  was  seen  in  the 
county  Cork,  and  spent  the  evening   with  him,    that's   more." 

"  Spent  the  evening  with    him  ! — what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Just  that,  devil  a  more  nor  less.  If  your  honor  wasn't  so 
weak,  and  the  story  wasn't  a  trying  one,  I'd  like  to  tell  it  to 
you." 

"  Out  with  it  by  all  means,  Mike  ;  I  am  not  disposed  to 
sleep  ;  and,  now  that  we  are  upon  these  matters,  my  curiosity 
is  strongly  excited  by  your  worthy  father's  experience." 

Thus  encouraged,  having  trimmed  the  fire,  and  reseated 
himself  beside  the  blaze,  Mike  began  ;  but,  as  a  ghost  is  no 
every-day  personage  in  our  history,  I  must  give  him  a  chapter 
to  himself. 


THE  IJiJ^H  DKA  GOON.  573 


CHAPTER  LXXV. 

THE   GHOST. 

"  Well,  I  believe  your  honor  heard  me  tell  long  ago  how  my 
father  left  the  army,  and  the  way  that  he  took  to  another  line 
of  life  that  was  more  to  his  liking.  And  so  it  was,  he  was 
happy  as  the  day  was  long ;  he  drove  a  hearse  for  Mr.  Callaghan 
of  Cork,  for  many  years,  and  a  pleasant  place  it  was  ;  for  ye 
see,  my  father  was  a  'cute  man,  and  knew  something  of  the 
world  ;  and  though  he  was  a  droll  devil,  and  could  sing  a  funny 
song  when  he  was  among  the  boys,  no  sooner  had  he  the  big 
black  cloak  on  him  and  the  weepers,  and  he  seated  on  the  high 
box  with  the  six  long-tailed  blacks  before  him,  you'd  really  think 
it  was  his  own  mother  was  inside,  he  looked  so  melancholy  and 
miserable.  The  sexton  and  grave-digger  was  nothing  to  my 
father ;  and  he  had  a  look  about  his  eye — to  be  sure  there  was 
a  reason  for  it — that  you'd  think  he  was  up  all  night  crying  ; 
though  it's  little  indulgence  he  took  that  way. 

"  Well,  of  all  Mr.  Callaghan's  men,  there  was  none  so  great 
a  favorite  as  my  father.     The  neighbors  were  all  fond  of    him. 

"  *  A  kind  crayture,  every  inch  of  him  ! '  the  women  would  say. 
*  Did  ye  see  his  face  at  Mrs.  Delany's  funeral  ? ' 

'■• '  True  for  you,'  another  would  remark ;  '  he  mistook  the  road 
with  grief,  and  stopped  at  a  shebeen  house  instead  of  Kil- 
Muirry  church.' 

"  I  need  say  no    more,    only    one  thing :  that  it    was   princi 
pally  among  the  farmers  and  the  country  people  my  father  was 
liked  so  much.     The  great  people  and  tlie  quality — I  ax  )our 
pardon  ;  but  sure  isn't   it    triie,    Mister    Charles  ? — they    don't 
fret  so  much  after  their  fathers  and  brothers,  and  they  care  little 


574  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

who's  driving  them,  whether  it  was  a  decent,  respectable  man 
like  my  father,  or  a  chap  with  a  grin  on  him  like  a  rat-trap. 
And  so  it  happened  that  my  father  used  to  travel  half  the 
county  ;  going  here  and  there  wherever  there  was  trade 
stirring ;  and,  faix,  a  man  didn't  think  himself  rightly  buried  if 
my  father  wasn't  there  ;  for,  ye  see,  he  knew  all  about  it ;  he 
could  tell  to  a  quart  of  spirits  what  would  be  wanting  for  a  wake  ; 
he  knew  all  the  good  criers  for  miles  round ;  and  I've  heard  it 
was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  him  standing  on  a  hill,  arranging 
the  procession,  as  they  walked  into  the  churchyard,  and  giving 
the  word  like  a  captain, — 

"  *  Come  on,  the  stiff-now  the  friends  of  the  stiff— now  the 
pop'lace.' 

"  That's  what  he  used  to  say,  and  troth  he  was  always  re- 
peating it,  when  he  was  a  little  gone  in  drink— for  that's  the  time 
his  spirits  would  rise— and  he'd  think  he  was  burying  half 
Munster. 

"  And  sure  it  was  a  real  pleasure  and  a  pride  to  be  buried  in 
them  times ;  for  av  it  was  only  a  small  farmer  with  a  potato 
garden,  my  father  would  come  down  with  the  black  cloak  on 
him,  and  three  yards  of  crape  behind  his  hat,  and  set  all  the 
children  crying  and  yelling  for  half  a  mile  round  ;  and  then  the 
way  he'd  walk  before  them  with  a  spade  on  his  shoulder,  and 
sticking  it  down  in  the  ground,  clap  his  hat  on  the  top  of 
it,  to  make  it  look  like  a  chief  mourner.  It  was  a  beautiful 
sight ! " 

"  But,  Mike,  if  you  indulge  much  longer  in  this  flattering  rec- 
ollection of  your  father,  I'm  afraid  we  shall  lose  sight  of  the 
ghost  entirely" 

"  No  fear  in  life,  your  honor ;  I'm  coming  to  him  now. 
Well,  it  was  this  way  it  happened  :  In  the  winter  of  the  great 
frost,  about  forty-two  or  forty-three  years  ago,  the  ould  priest 
of  Tulloughmurray  took  ill  and  died  ;  he  was  sixty  years  priest 
of  the  parish,  and  mightily  beloved  by  all  the  people,  and  good 
reason  for  it ;  a  pleasanter  man,  and  a  more  social  crayture,  never 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  575 

lived — 'twas  himself  was  the  life  of  the  whole  country-side. 
A  wedding  nor  a  christening  wasn't  lucky  av  he  wasn't  there, 
sitting  at  the  top  of  the  table,  with  maybe  his  arm  round  the 
bride  herself,  or  the  baby  on  his  lap,  a  smoking  jug  of  punch 
before  him,  and  as  much  kindness  in  his  eye  as  would  make 
the  fortunes  of  twenty  hypocrites  if  they  had  it  among  them. 
And  then  he  was  so  good  to  the  poor  ;  the  Priory  was  always 
full  of  ould  men  and  ould  women  sitting  around  the  big  fire  in 
the  kitchen,  that  the  cook  could  hardly  get  near  it.  There 
they  were,  eating  their  meals  and  burning  their  shins,  till  they 
were  speckled  like  a  trout's  back,  and  grumbling  all  the  time  ; 
but  Father  Dwyer  liked  them,  and  he  would  have  them. 

"  '  Where  have  they  to  go,'  he'd  say,  '  av  it  wasn't  to  me  ? 
Give  Molly  Kinshela  a  lock  of  that  bacon.  Tim,  it's  a  could 
morning  ;  will  ye  have  a  taste  of  the  "  dew  ?  "  ' 

"  Ah  !  that's  the  way  he'd  spake  to  them  ;  but  sure  goodness 
is  no  warrant  for  living,  any  more  than  devilment,  and  so  he 
got  could  in  his  feet  at  a  station,  and  he  rode  home  in  the  heavy 
snow  without  his  big  coat — for  he  gave  it  away  to  a  blind  man 
on  the  road  ;  in  three  days  he  was  dead, 

"  I  see  you're  getting  impatient,  so  I'll  not  stop  to  say  what 
grief  was  in  the  parish  when  it  was  known ;  but  troth,  there 
never  was  seen  the  like  before — not  a  crayture  would  lift  a 
spade  for  two  days,  and  there  was  more  whisky  sold  in  that 
time  than  at  the  whole  spring  fair.  Well,  on  the  third  day  the 
funeral  set  out,  and  never  was  the  equal  of  it  in  them  parts ; 
first,  there  was  my  father — he  came  special  from  Cork  with  the 
six  horses  all  in  new  black,  and  plumes  like  little  poplar-trees 
— then  came  Father  Dwyer,  followed  by  the  two  coadjutors 
in  beautiful  surplices,  walking  bare-headed,  with  the  little  boys 
of  the  Priory  school,  two-and-tvvo." 

"  Well,  Alike,  Fm  sure  it  was  very  fine  ;  but,  for  Heaven's 
sake  !  spare  me  all  these  descriptions,  and  get  on  to  the  ghost.' 

" '  Faith,  yer  honor's  in  a  great  hurry  for  the  ghost — maybe 
ye  won't  like  him  when  ye  have  him  ;  but  FU  go  faster,  if  ye 


576  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

please.  Well,  Father  Dwyer,  ye  see,  was  born  at  Aghan-Iish, 
of  ail  ould  family,  and  he  left  it  in  his  will  that  he  was  to  be 
buried  in  the  family  vault ;  and  as  Aghan-lish  was  eighteen 
miles  up  the  mountains,  it  was  getting  late  when  they  drew 
near.  By  that  time  the  great  procession  was  all  broke  up  and 
gone  home.  The  coadjutors  stopped  to  dine  at  the  'Blue 
Bellows  '  at  the  cross-roads,  the  little  boys  took  to  pelting  snow- 
balls, there  was  a  fight  or  two  on  the  way  besides — and,  in  fact, 
except  an  ould  deaf  fellow  that  my  father  took  to  mind  the 
horses,  he  was  quite  alone.  Not  that  he  minded  that  same  ; 
for  when  the  crowd  was  gone,  my  father  began  to  sing  a  droll 
song,  and  tould  the  deaf  chap  that  it  was  a  lamentation.  At 
last  they  came  in  sight  of  Aghan-lish.  It  was  a  lonesome, 
melancholy-looking  place,  with  nothing  near  it  except  two  or 
three  ould  fir-trees,  and  a  small  slated  house  with  one  window, 
where  the  sexton  lived,  and  even  that  was  shut  up,  and  a  pad- 
lock on  the  door.  Well,  my  father  was  not  over  much  pleased 
at  the  look  of  matters,  but  as  he  was  never  hard  put  to  what 
to  do,  he  managed  to  get  the  cofilin  into  the  vestry  ;  and  then, 
when  he  unharnessed  the  horses,  he  sent  the  deaf  fellow  with 
them  down  to  the  village  to  tell  the  priest  that  the  corpse  was 
there,  and  to  come  up  early  in  the  morning  and  perform  mass. 
The  next  thing  to  do  was  to  make  himself  comfortable  for  the 
night;  and  then  he  made  a  roaring  fire  on  the  ould  hearth — 
for  there  was  plenty  of  bog-fir  there — closed  the  windows  with 
the  black  cloaks,  and,  v/rapping  two  round  himself,  he  sat 
down  to  cook  a  little  supper  he  brought  with  him  in  case  of 
need. 

"Well,  you  may  think  it  was  melancholy  enough  to  pass  the 
night  up  there  alone,  with  a  corpse  in  an  ould  ruined  church  in 
the  middle  of  the  mountains,  the  wind  howling  about  on  every 
side,  and  the  snowdrift  beating  against  the  walls  ;  but  as  the 
fire  burned  brightly,  and  the  little  plate  of  rashers  and  eggs 
smoked  temptingly  before  him,  my  father  mixed  a  jug  of  the 
strongest  punch,  and  sat  down  as  happy  as  a  king.     As  long 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  577 

as  he  was  eating  away  he  had  no  time  to  be  thinking  of  any- 
thing else  ;  but,  when  all  was  done,  and  he  looked  about  him, 
he  began  to  feel  very  low  and  melancholy  in  his  heart.  There 
was  the  great  black  coffin  on  three  chairs  in  one  corner  ;  and 
then  the  mourning  cloaks  that  he  had  stuck  up  against  the 
windows  moved  backward  and  forward  like  living  things  ;  and, 
outside,  the  wild  cry  of  the  plover  as  he  flew  past,  and  the 
night-owl  silting  in  a  nook  of  the  old  church.  '  I  wish  it  was 
morning,  anyhow,'  said  my  father,  'for  this  is  a  lonesome  place 
to  be  in  ;  and,  faix,  he'll  be  a  cunning  fellow  that  catches  me 
passing  the  night  this  way  again.'  Now,  there  was  one  thing 
distressed  him  most  of  all — my  father  used  always  to  make  fun 
of  the  ghosts  and  sperits  the  neighbors  would  tell  of,  pretend- 
ing there  was  no  such  thing  ;  and  now  the  thought  came  to 
him,  '  Maybe  they'll  revenge  themselves  on  me  to-night  when 
they  have  me  up  here  alone ; '  and  with  that  he  made  another 
jug  stronger  than  the  first,  and  tried  to  remember  a  few  prayers 
in  case  of  need,  but  somehow  his  mind  was  not  too  clear,  and 
he  said  afterwards  he  was  always  mixing  up  ould  songs  and 
toasts  with  the  prayers,  and  when  he  thought  he  had  just  got 
hold  of  a  beautiful  psalm,  it  would  turn  out  to  be  '  Tatter  Jack 
Walsh,'  or  '  Limping  James,'  or  something  like  that.  The 
storm,  meanwhile,  was  rising  every  moment,  and  parts  of  the 
old  abbey  were  falling,  as  the  wind  shook  the  ruin,  and  my 
father's  spirits,  notwithstanding  the  punch,  were  lower  than 
ever. 

"  '  I  made  it  too  weak,'  said  he,  as  he  set  to  work  on  a  new 
jorum  ;  and,  troth,  this  time  that  was  not  the  fault  of  it,  for  the 
first  sup  nearly  choked  him. 

"  '  Ah !  '  said  he  now,  '  I  knew  what  it  was  ;  this  is  like  the 
thing  ;  and,  Mr.  Free,  you  are  beginning  to  feel  easy  and  com- 
fortable. Pass  the  jar.  Your  very  good  health  and  song.  I'm 
a  little  hoarse,  it's  true,  but  if  the  company  will  excuse ' 

"  And  then  he  began  knocking  on  the  table  with  his  knuckles, 
as  if  there  was  a  room  full   of  people  asking  him  to  sing.     In 


578  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

short,  my  father  was  drunk  as  a  fiddler;  the  last  brew  finished 
him ;  and  he  began  roaring  away  all  kinds  of  droll  songs,  and 
telling  all  manner  of  stories,  as  if  he  was  at  a  great  party. 

"  While  he  was  capering  this  way  about  the  room,  he  knocked 
down  his  hat,  and  with  it  a  pack  of  cards  he  put  into  it  before 
leaving  home,  for  he  was  mighty  fond  of  a  game. 

"  '  Will  ye  take  a  hand,  Mr.  Free  ? '  said  he,  as  he  gathered 
them  up  and  sat  down  beside  the  fire. 

"  '  I'm  convanient,'  said  he,  and  began  dealing  out  as  if  there 
was  a  partner  fornenst  him. 

"  When  my  father  used  to  get  this  far  in  the  story,  he  became 
very  confused.  He  says,  that  once  or  twice  he  mistook  the 
liquor,  and  took  a  pull  at  the  bottle  of  poteen  instead  of  the 
punch  ;  and  the  last  thing  he  remembers  was  asking  poor  Father 
Dwyer  if  he  would  draw  near  to  the  fire,  and  not  be  lying 
there  near  the  door. 

"  W' ith  that  he  slipped  down  on  the  ground  and  fell  fast 
asleep.  How  long  he  lay  that  way  he  could  never  tell.  When 
he  awoke  and  looked  up,  his  hair  nearly  stood  on  an  end  with 
fright.  What  do  you  think  he  seen  fornenst  him,  sitting  at  the 
other  side  of  the  fire,  but  Father  Dwyer  himself.  There  he 
was,  divil  a  lie  in  it,  wrapped  up  in  one  of  the  mourning  cloaks, 
trying  to  warm  his  hands  at  the  fire. 

"  '  Salve  hoc  nomine  patf-i  .f  said  my  father,  crossing  himself  ; 
'  av  it's  your  ghost,  God  presarve  me  ! ' 

"  '  Good-evening  t'ye,  Mr.  Free,'  said  the  ghost ;  '  and  av  I 
might  be  bould,  what's  in  the  jug  ? ' — for,  ye  see,  my  father  had 
it  under  his  arm  fast,  and  never  let  it  go  when  he  was  asleep. 

"  '  Pater  nosfer  qui  es  in — poteen,  sir,'  said  my  father  ;  for 
the  ghost  didn't  look  pleased  at  his  talking  Latin. 

" '  Ye  might  have  the  politeness  to  ax  if  one  had  a  mouth  on 
him,  then,'  says  the  ghost. 

"  *  Sure,  I  didn't  think  the  like  of  you  would  taste  sperits." 

"' Try  me,' said  the  ghost;  and  with  that  he  filled  oul  x 
glass,  and  tossed  it  off  like  a  Christian. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  579 

"  '  Beamish  ! '  says  the  ghost,  smacking  his  lips. 

"  *  The  same,'  says  my  father  ;  '  and  sure  what's  happened 
you  has  not  spoilt  your  taste.' 

" '  If  you'd  mix  a  little  hot,'  says  the  ghost,  '  I'm  thinking  it 
would  be  better  ;  the  night  is  mighty  sevare.' 

'"Anything  that  your  reverance  pleases,'  says  my  father,  as 
he  began  to  blow  up  a  good  fire  to  boil  the  water. 

" '  And  what  news  is  stirring  ? '  says  the  ghost. 

"  '  Devil  a  word,  your  raverance  ;  your  own  funeral  was  the 
only  thing  doing  last  week  ;  times  is  bad  ;  except  the  measles, 
there's  nothing  in  our  parts.' 

"  *  And  we're  quite  dead  hereabouts,  too,'  says  the  ghost. 

"'There's  some  of  us  so,  anyhow,'  says  my  father,  with  a 
sly  look.     'Taste  that,  your  reverance.' 

"  '  Pleasant  and  refreshing,'  says  the  ghost ;  '  and  now,  Mr. 
Free,  what  do  you  say  to  a  little  spoilt  five,  or  beggar  my 
neighbor  ? ' 

"  '  What  will  we  play  for  ? '  says  my  father  ;  for  a  thought 
just  struck  him — '  maybe  it's  some  trick  of  the  devil  to  catch 
my  soul.' 

"  '  A  pint  of  Beamish,'  says  the  ghost. 

"  '  Done  ! '  says  my  father  ;  '  cut  for  deal ;  the  ace  of  clubs  ; 
you  have  it.' 

"  Now,  the  whole  time  the  ghost  was  dealing  the  cards,  my 
father  never  took  his  eyes  off  of  him,  for  he  wasn't  quite  aisy 
in  his  mind  at  all ;  but  when  he  saw  him  turn  up  the  trump, 
and  take  a  strong  drink  afterwards,  he  got  more  at  ease,  and 
began  the  game. 

"  How  long  they  played  it  was  never  rightly  known  ;  but  one 
thing  is  sure,  they  drank  a  cruel  deal  of  sperits ;  three  quart 
bottles  my  father  brought  with  him  were  all  finished,  and  by 
that  time  his  brain  was  so  confused  with  the  liquor,  and  all  lie 
lost — for  somehow  he  never  won  a  game — that  he  was  getting 
very  quarrelsome. 

"  '  You  have  your  own  luck  to  it,'  says  he,  at  last, 


3S0  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

"  '  True  for  you ;  and,  besides,  we  play  a  great  deal  where  I 
come  from.' 

"  '  I've  heard  so,'  says  my  father.  *  I  lead  the  kn^ve,  sir  ; 
spades  !     Bad  cess  to  it,  lost  again  ! ' 

"  Now  it  was  really  very  distressing  ;  for  by  this  time,  though 
they  only  began  for  a  pint  of  Beamish,  my  father  went  on  bet- 
ting till  he  lost  the  hearse  and  all  the  six  horses,  mourning 
cloaks,  plumes,  and  everything. 

"  '  Are  you  tired,  Mr.  Free  ?     INIaybe  you'd  like  to  stop  ? ' 

"  '  Stop !  faith  it's  a  nice  time  to  stop ;  of  course  not.' 

"  '  Well,  what  will  ye  play  for  now  ?  " 

"  The  way  he  said  these  w'ords  brought  a  trembling  all  over 
my  father,  and  his  blood  curdled  in  his  heart.  '  Oh,  murther  ! ' 
says  he  to  himself,  '  it's  my  sowl  he  is  wanting  all  the  time.' 

*' '  I've  mighty  little  left,'  says  my  father,  looking  at  him 
keenly,  while  he  kept  shuffling  the  cards  quick  as  lightning. 

'■' '  Mighty  little  ;  no  matter,  we'll  give  you  plenty  of  time  to 
pay ;  and  if  you  can't  do  it,  it  shall  never  trouble  you  as  long  as 
you  live.' 

"  '  Oh,  you  murthering  devil ! '  says  my  father,  flying  at  him 
with  a  spade  that  he  had  behind  his  chair,  '  I've  found  you  out.' 

"  With  one  blow  he  knocked  him  down  ;  and  now  a  terrible 
fight  begun,  for  the  ghost  was  very  strong  too  ;  but  my  father's 
blood  was  up,  and  he'd  have  faced  the  devil  himself  then. 
They  rolled  over  each  other  several  times,  the  broken  bottles 
cutting  them  to  pieces,  and  the  chairs  and  tables  crashing 
under  them.  At  last  the  ghost  took  the  bottle  that  lay  on  the 
hearth,  and  levelled  my  father  to  the  ground  with  one  blow ; 
down  he  fell,  and  the  bottle  and  the  whisky  were  both  dashed 
into  the  tire ;  that  was  the  end  of  it,  for  the  ghost  disappeared 
that  moment  in  a  blue  flame  that  nearly  set  fire  to  my  father 
as  he  lay  on  the  floor. 

"  Och  !  it  was  a  cruel  sight  to  see  him  next  morning,  with  his 
cheek  cut  open  and  his  hands  all  bloody,  lying  there  by  him- 
self ;  all  the  broken  glass,  and  the  cards  all  round  him  ;  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  581 

coffin,  too,  was  knocked  down  off  the  chair ;  maybe  the  ghost 
had  trouble  getting  into  it.  However  that  was,  the  funeral 
was  put  off  for  a  day  ;  for  my  father  couldn't  speak ;  and,  as 
for  the  sexton,  it  was  a  queer  thing,  but  when  they  came  to 
call  him  in  the  morning,  he  had  two  black  eyes,  and  a  gash 
over  his  ear,  and  he  never  knew  how  he  got  them.  It  was 
easy  enough  to  know  the  ghost  did  it ;  but  my  father  kept  the 
secret,  and  never  told  it  to  any  man,  woman,  or  child  in  them 
parts." 


CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

LISBON. 

I  HAVE  little  power  to  trace  the  events  which  occupied  the 
succeeding  three  weeks  of  my  history.  The  lingering  fever 
which  attended  my  wound  detained  me  during  that  time  at  the 
chateau ;  and  when  at  last  I  did  leave  Lisbon,  the  winter  was 
already  beginning,  and  it  was  upon  a  cold  raw  evening  that  I 
once  more  took  possession  of  my  old  quarters  at  the  Quay  de 
Soderi. 

My  eagerness  and  anxiety  to  learn  something  of  the  campaign 
was  ever  uppermost,  and  no  sooner  had  I  reached  my  destina- 
tion than  I  despatched  Mike  to  the  Quartermaster's  office  to 
pick  up  some  news,  and  hear  which  of  my  friends  and  brother 
officers  were  then  at  Lisbon.  I  was  sitting  in  a  state  of  nervous 
impatience  watching  for  his  return,  when  at  length  I  heard 
footsteps  approaching  my  room,  and  the  next  moment  Mike's 
voice,  saying,  "  The  ould  room,  sir,  where  he  was  before." 
The  door  suddenly  opened,  and  my  friend  Power  stood  before 
me. 

"  Charley,  my  boy  !  " — "  Fred,  my  fine  fellow  !  "  was  all  either 
could  say  for  some  minutes.  Upon  my  part,  the  recollection 
of  his  bold  and  manly  bearing  in  my  behalf  choked  ail  utter- 


582  CHARLES  O'MALLFA^, 

ance  ;  while,  upon  his,  my  haggard  cheek  and  worn  look  pro- 
duced an  effect  so  sudden  and  unexpected  that  he  became 
speechless. 

In  a  few  minutes,  however,  we  both  rallied,  and  opened  our 
store  of  mutual  remembrances  since  we  parted.  My  career  I 
found  he  was  perfectly  acquainted  with,  and  his  consisted  of 
nothing  but  one  unceasing  round  of  gaiety  and  pleasure. 
Lisbon  had  been  delightful  during  the  summer ;  parties  to  Cintra, 
excursions  through  the  surrounding  country,  were  of  daily 
occurrence  ;  and,  as  my  friend  was  a  favorite  everywhere,  his 
life  was  one  of  continued  amusement. 

"  Do  you  know,  Charley,  had  it  been  any  other  man  than 
yourself,  I  should  not  have  spared  him  ;  for  I  have  fallen  head 
over  ears  in  love  with  your  little  dark-eyed  Portuguese." 

"  Ah  !     Donna  Inez,  you  mean  }  " 

"  Yes,  it  is  she  I  mean,  and  you  need  not  affect  such  an  air 
of  uncommon  7ioncJialancc.  She's  the  loveliest  girl  in  Lisbon, 
and  with  fortune  to  pay  off  all  the  mortgages  in  Connemara." 

"  Oh,  faith  !  I  admire  her  amazingly  ;  but,  as  I  never  flattered 
myself  upon  any  preference " 

"  Come,  come,  Charley,  no  concealment,  my  old  fellow ;  every 
one  knows  the  thing's  settled.  Your  old  friend  Sir  George 
Dashwood  told  me  yesterday." 

"  Yesterday  !     Why,  is  he  here  ;  at  Lisbon  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  he  is  ;  didn't  I  tell  you  that  before  "i  confound 
it !  what  a  head  I  have  !  Why,  man,  he's  come  out  as  Deputy 
Adjutant-General;  but  for  him  I  should  not  have  got  renewed 
leave." 

"  And  Miss  Dashwood,  is  she  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,  she  came  with  him.  By  Jove,  how  handsome  she  is  ! 
quite  a  different  style  of  thing  from  our  dark  friend,  but,  to  my 
thinking,  even  handsomer.  Hammersley  seems  of  my  opinion, 
too." 

"  How  !  is  Hammersley  at  Lisbon  ?  " 

"  On  the  staff  here.     But,  confound  it,   what  makes  you  so 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOA^.  583 

reel,  you  have  no  ill-feeling  towards  him  now.  I  know  he 
speaks  most  warmly  of  you  ;  no  later  than  last  night,  at  Sir 
George's " 

What  Power  was  about  to  add  I  know  not,  for  I  sprang  from 
my  chair,  with  a  sudden  start,  and  walked  to  the  window,  to 
conceal  my  agitation  from  him. 

"  And  so,"  said  I,  at  length  regaining  my  composure  in  some 
measure,  "  Sir  George  also  spoke  of  my  name  in  connection 
with  the  Senhora  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  he  did.  All  Lisbon  does.  What  can  you 
mean  ?  But  I  see,  my  dear  boy ;  you  know  you  are  not  of  the 
strongest ;  and  we've  been  talking  far  too  long.  Come  now, 
Charley,  I'll  say  good-night.  I'll  be  with  you  at  breakfast  to- 
morrow, and  tell  you  all  the  gossip  ;  meanwhile,  promise  me 
to  get  quietly  to  bed,  and  so  good-night." 

Such  was  the  conflicting  state  of  feeling  I  suffered  from,  that 
I  made  no  effort  to  detain  Power.  I  longed  to  be  once  more 
alone,  to  think — calmly,  if  I  could — over  the  position  I  stood 
in  and  to  resolve  upon  my  plans  for  the  future. 

My  love  for  Lucy  Dashwood  had  been  long  rather  a  devotion 
than  a  hope.  My  earliest  dawn  of  manly  ambition  was  as- 
sociated with  the  first  hour  I  met  her.  She  it  was  who  first 
touched  my  boyish  heart,  and  suggested  a  sense  of  chivalrous 
ardor  within  me ;  and,  even  though  lost  to  me  forever,  I  could 
still  regard  her  as  the  mainspring  of  my  actions,  and  dwell  upon 
my  passion  as  the  thing  that  hallowed  every  enterprise  of  my 
life. 

In  a  word,  my  love,  however  little  it  might  reach  her  heart, 
was  everything  to  mine.  It  was  the  worship  of  the  devotee  to 
his  protecting  saint.  It  was  the  faith  that  made  me  rise  above 
misfortune  and  mishap,  and  led  me  onward  ;  and  in  this  way 
I  could  have  borne  anything,  everything,  rather  than  the  im- 
putation of  fickleness. 

Lucy  might  not — nay.  I  felt  she  did  not — love  me.  It  was 
possible  that  some  other  was  preferred  before  me  ;  but  to  doubt 


584  VHARLES  O'MA  ILE  Y, 

my  own  affection,  to  suspect  my  own  truth,  was  to  destroy  all 
the  charm  of  my  existence,  and  to  extinguish  within  me  for- 
ever the  enthusiasm  that  made  me  a  hero  to  my  own  heart. 

It  may  seem  but  poor  philosophy,  but,  alas  !  how  many  of 
our  happiest,  how  many  of  our  brightest  thoughts  here  are  but 
delusions  like  this  I  The  dayspring  of  youth  gilds  the  tops  of 
the  distant  mountains  before  us,  and  many  a  weary  day  through 
life,  when  clouds  and  storms  are  thickening  around  us,  we  live 
upon  the  mere  memory  of  the  past.  Some  fast-flitting  prospect 
of  a  bright  future,  some  passing  glimpse  of  a  sunlit  valley, 
tinges  all  our  after-years. 

It  is  true  that  he  will  suffer  fewer  disappointments,  he  will 
incur  fewer  of  the  mishaps  of  the  world,  who  indulges  in  no 
fancies  such  as  these  ;  but  equally  true  is  it  that  he  will  taste 
none  of  that  exuberant  happiness  which  is  that  man's  portion 
who  weaves  out  a  story  of  his  life,  and  who,  in  connecting  the 
promise  of  early  years  with  the  performance  of  later,  will  seek 
to  fulfil  a  fate  and  destiny. 

Weaving  such  fancies,  I  fell  sound  asleep,  nor  woke  before  the 
stir  and  bustle  of  the  great  city  aroused  me.  Power,  I  found, 
had  been  twice  at  my  quarters  that  morning,  but,  fearing  to 
disturb  me,  had  merely  left  a  few  lines  to  say  that,  as  he  should 
be  engaged  on  service  during  the  day,  we  could  not  meet  be- 
fore the  evening.  There  were  certain  preliminaries  requisite 
regarding  my  leave  which  demanded  my  appearing  before  a 
board  of  medical  officers,  and  I  immediately  set  about  dressing  ; 
resolving  that,  as  soon  as  they  were  completed,  I  should,  if 
permitted,  retire  to  one  of  the  small  cottages  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  Tagus,  there  to  remain  until  my  restored  health 
allowed  me  to  rejoin  my  regiment. 

I  dreaded  meeting  the  Dashwoods.  I  anticipated  with  a 
heavy  heart  how  effectually  one  passing  interview  would  de- 
stroy all  my  day-dreams  of  happiness,  and  I  preferred  anything 
to  the  sad  conviction  of  hoplessness  such  a  meeting  must  lead 
to. 


THE  IRISH  DRA  G  O  OA'.  5  S  5 

While  I  thus  balanced  with  myself  how  to  proceed,  a  gentle 
step  came  to  the  door,  and,  as  it  opened  slowly,  a  servant  in  a 
dark  livery  entered. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  sir  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  wondering  to  whom  my  arrival  could  be  thus 
early  known. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood  requests  you  will  step  over  to  him 
as  soon  as  you  go  out,"  continued  the  man  ;  "he  is  so  engaged 
that  he  cannot  leave  home,  but  is   most  desirous  to  see   you." 

"  It  is  not  far  from  here?  " 

"  No,  sir  ;  scarcely  five  minutes'  walk." 

"  Well,  then,  if  you  will  show  me  the  way,  I'll  follow  you." 

I  cast  one  passing  glance  at  myself  to  see  that  all  was  right 
about  my  costume,  and  sallied  forth. 

In  the  middle  of  the  Black  Horse  Square,  at  the  door  of  a 
large,  stone-fronted  building,  a  group  of  military  men  were  as- 
sembled, chatting  and  laughing  away  together  ;  some  reading 
the  lately-arrived  English  papers  ;  others  were  lounging  upon 
the  stone  parapet,  carelessly  puffing  their  cigars.  None  of  the 
faces  were  known  to  me ;  so,  threading  my  way  through  the 
crowd,  I  reached  the  steps.  Just  as  I  did  so,  a  half-muttered 
whisper  met  my  ear  : — 

"  Who  did  you  say  ?  " 

"O'Malley,  the  young  Irishman  who  behaved  so  gallantly  at 
the  Douro." 

The  blood  rushed  hotly  to  my  cheek ;  my  heart  bounded 
with  exultation  ;  my  step,  infirm  and  tottering  but  a  moment 
before,  became  fixed  and  steady,  and  I  felt  a  thrill  of  proud 
enthusiasm  playing  through  my  veins.  How  little  did  the 
speaker  of  those  few  and  random  words  know  what  courage 
he  had  given  to  a  drooping  heart,  what  renewed  energy  to  a 
breaking  spirit !  The  voice  of  praise,  too,  coming  from  those 
to  whom  we  had  thought  ourselves  unknown,  has  a  magic 
about  it  that  must  be  felt  to  be  understood.  So  it  happened, 
that  in  a  few  seconds  a  revolution  had  taken  place   in  all  my 


5S6  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

thoughts  and  feelings,  and  T,  who  had  left  my  quarters  dispirited 
and  depressed,  now  walked  confidently  and  proudly  for- 
ward. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,  sir,"  said  the  servant  to  the  officer  in 
waiting,  as  we  entered  the  ante-chamber. 

"  Ah  !  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  the  aide-de-camp,  in  his  blandest 
accent,  "  I  hope  you're  better.  Sir  George  is  most  anxious  to 
see  you ;  he  is  at  present  engaged  with  the  staff " 

A  bell  rang  at  the  moment,  and  cut  short  the  sentence ;  he 
flew  to  the  door  of  the  inner  room,  and,  returning  in  an  instant, 
said, — 

"  Will  you  follow  me  .''     This  way,  if  you  please." 

The  room  was  crowded  witJi  general  officers  and  aides-de- 
camp, so  that  for  a  second  or  two  I  could  not  distinguish 
the  parties ;  but  no  sooner  was  my  name  announced,  than  Sir 
George  Dashwood,  forcing  his  way  through,  rushed  forward  to 
meet  me. 

"  O'Malley,  my  brave  fellow  !  delighted  to  shake  your  hand 
again  !  How  much  grown  you  are — twice  the  man  I  knew 
you  !  and  the  arm,  too,  is  it  getting  on  well  ?  " 

Scarcely  giving  me  a  moment  to  reply,  and  still  holding 
my  hand  tightly  in  his  grasp,  he  introduced  me  on  every 
side. 

"  My  young  Irish  friend.  Sir  Edward,  the  man  of  the  Douro, 
My  Lord,  allow  me  to  present  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  of  the 
Fourteenth." 

"  A  very  dashing  thing,  that  of  yours,  sir,  at  Ciudad  Rod- 
rigo." 

"  A  very  senseless  one,  I  fear,  my  Lord." 

"  No,  no,  I  don't  agree  with  you  at  all ;  even  when  no  great 
results  follow,  the  niorale  of  an  army  benefits  by  acts  of 
daring." 

A  running  fire  of  kind  and  civil  speeches  poured  in  on  me 
from  all  quarters,  and,  amid  all  that  crowd  of  bronzed  and 
war-worn    veterans,  I    felt  myself   the   lion    of   the    moment. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  587 

Craufurd,  it  appeared,  had  spoken  most  handsomely  of  my 
name,  and  I  was  thus  made  known  to  many  of  those  whose  own 
reputations  were  then  extending  over  Europe. 

In  this  happy  trance  of  excited  pleasure  I  passed  the  morn- 
ing. Amid  the  military  chit-chat  of  the  day  around  me,  treated 
as  an  equal  by  the  greatest  and  the  most  distinguished,  I 
heard  all  the  confidential  opinions  upon  the  campaign  and  its 
leaders  ;  and  in  that  most  entrancing  of  all  flatteries — the  easy 
tone  of  companionship  of  our  elders  and  betters— forgot  my 
griefs,  and  half  believed  I  was  destiiaed  for  great  things. 

Fearing  at  length  that  I  had  prolonged  my  visit  too  far,  I 
approached  Sir  George  to  take  my  leave,  when,  drawing  my 
arm  within  his,  he  retired  towards  one  of  the  windows. 

"A  word,  O'Malley,  before  you  go.  I've  arranged  a  little 
plan  for  you;  mind,  I  shall  insist  upon  obedience.  They'll 
make  some  difficulty  about  your  remaining  here,  so  that  I  have 
appointed  you  one  of  our  extra  aides-de-camp.  That  will  free 
you  from  all  trouble,  and  I  shall  not  be  very  exacting  in  my 
demands  upon  you.  You  must,  however,  commence  your 
duties  to-day,  and,  as  we  dine  at  seven  precisely,  I  shall  expect 
you.  I  am  aware  of  your  wish  to  stay  in  Lisbon,  my  boy,  and, 
if  all  I  hear  be  true,  congratulate  you  sincerely  ;  but  more  of 
this  another  time,  and  so  good-bye."  So  saying,  he  shook  my 
hand  once  more,  warmly  ;  and,  without  well  feeling  how  or 
why,  I  found  myself  in  the  street. 

The  last  few  words  Sir  George  had  spoken  threw  a  gloom 
over  all  my  thoughts.  I  saw  at  once  that  the  report  Power 
had  alluded  to  had  gained  currency  at  Lisbon.  Sir  George 
believed  it  ;  doubtless,  Lucy,  too  ;  and,  forgetting  in  an  instant 
all  tlie  emulative  ardor  that  so  lately  stirred  my  heart,  I  took 
my  path  beside  the  river,  and  sauntered  slow^ly  along,  lost  in 
my  reflections. 

r  had  walked  for  above  an  hour,  before  paying  any  atten- 
lion  to  ihe  patli  I  followed.  Mechanically,  as  it  were,  retreat- 
ing from  the  noise  and  tumult  of  the  city,  I  wandered  towards 


^88  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

the  country.  My  thoughts  fixed  but  upon  one  theme,  I  had 
neither  ears  nor  eyes  for  aught 'around  me ;  the  great  difficulty 
of  my  present  position  now  appearing  to  me  in  this  light — my 
attachment  to  Lucy  Dashwood,  unrequited  and  unreturned  as 
I  felt  it,  did  not  permit  of  my  rebutting  any  report  which  might 
have  reached  her  concerning  Donna  Inez.  I  had  no  right ; 
no  claim  to  suppose  her  sufficiently  interested  about  me  to 
listen  to  such  an  explanation,  had  I  even  the  opportunity  to 
make  it.  One  thing  was  thus  clear  to  me, — all  my  hopes  had 
ended  in  that  quarter ;  and,  as  this  conclusion  sank  into  my 
mind,  a  species  of  dogged  resolution  to  brave  my  fortune  crept 
upon  me,  which  only  waited  the  first  moment  of  my  meeting 
her  to  overthrow  and  destroy  forever. 

Meanwhile,  I  walked  on  ;  now  rapidly,  as  some  momentary 
rush  of  passionate  excitement ;  now  slowly,  as  some  depressing 
and  gloomy  notion  succeeded  ;  when  suddenly  my  path  was 
arrested  by  a  long  file  of  bullock  cars  which  blocked  up  the 
way.  Some  chance  squabble  had  arisen  among  the  drivers, 
and,  to  avoid  the  crowd  and  collision,  I  turned  into  a  gate- 
way which  opened  beside  me,  and  saon  found  myself  in  a  lawn 
handsomely  planted,  and  adorned  with  flowering  shrubs  and 
ornamental  trees. 

In  the  half-dreamy  state  my  musings  had  brought  me  to,  I 
struggled  to  recollect  why  the  aspect  of  the  place  did  not  seem  al- 
together new.  My  thoughts  were,  however,  far  away  ;  now 
blending  some  memory  of  my  distant  home  with  scenes  of  battle 
and  bloodshed,  or  resting  upon  my  first  interview  with  her 
whose  chance  word,  carelessly  and  lightly  spoken,  had  written 
the  story  of  my  life.  From  this  reverie  I  was  rudely  awakened 
by  a  rustling  noise  in  the  trees  behind  me,  and  before  I  could 
turn  my  head,  the  two  fore-paws  of  a  large  stag-hound  were 
planted  upon  my  shoulders,  while  the  open  mouth  and  panting 
tongue  were  close  beside-  my  face.  My  day-dream  was  dis- 
pelled quick  as  lightning;  it  was  Juan  himself,  the  favorite 
dog  of  the  Senhora,  who  gave  me  this  rude  welcome,  and  who 


'J HE  Irish  dragook.  589 

now,  by  a  thousand  wild  gestures  and  bounding  caresses, 
seemed  to  do  the  honors  of  his  house.  There  was  something 
so  like  home  in  these  joyful  greetings,  that  I  yielded  myself 
at  once  his  prisoner,  and  followed,  or  rather  was  accompanied 
by  him  towards  the  villa. 

Of  course,  sooner  or  later,  I  should  have  called  upon  my 
kind  friends  ;  then  why  not  now,  when  chance  had  already 
brought  me  so  near  ?  Besides,  if  I  held  to  my  resolution, 
which  I  meant  to  do — of  retiring  to  some  quiet  and  seques- 
tered cottage  till  my  health  was  restored — the  opportunity 
might  not  readily  present  itself  again.  This  line  of  argument 
perfectly  satisfied  my  reason,  while  a  strong  feeling  of  some- 
thing like  curiosity  piqued  me  to  proceed,  and,  before  many 
minutes  elapsed,  I  reached  the  house.  The  door,  as  usual, 
lay  wide  open,  and  the  ample  hall,  furnished  like  a  sitting-room, 
had  its  customary  litter  of  books,  music,  and  flowers  scattered 
upon  the  tables.  My  friend,  Juan,  however,  suffered  me  not  to 
linger  here,  but,  rushing  furiously  at  a  door  before  me,  began 
a  vigorous  attack  for  admittance. 

As  I  knew  this  to  be  the  drawing-room,  I  opened  the  door 
and  walked  in,  but  no  one  was  to  be  seen  ;  a  half-open  book 
lay  upon  an  ottoman,  and  a  fan,  which  I  recognized  as  an  old 
acquaintance,  was  beside  it,  but  the  owner  was  absent. 

I  sat  down,  resolved  to  wait  patiently  for  her  coming,  with- 
out any  announcement  of  my  being  there.  I  was  not  sorry, 
indeed,  to  have  some  moments  to  collect  my  thoughts,  and 
restore  my  erring  faculties  to  something  like  order. 

As  I  looked  about  the  room,  it  seemed  as  if  I  had  been  there 
but  yesterday.  The  folding-doors  lay  open  to  the  garden,  just 
as  I  had  seen  them  last  ;  and,  save  that  the  flowers  seemed 
fewer,  and  those  which  remained  of  a  darker  and  more  sombre 
tint,  all  seemed  unchanged.  There  lay  the  guitar,  to  whose 
thrilling  chords  my  heart  had  bounded  ;  there,  the  drawing 
over  which  I  had  bent  in  admiring  pleasure,  suggesting  some 
tints  of  light   or  shadow,  as  the   fairy   fingers    traced   them  ; 


590  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

every  chair  was  known  to  me,  and  I  greeted    them  as  things  I 
cared  for. 

While  thus  I  scanned  each  object  round  me,  I  was  struck  by 
a  Httle  china  vase  which,  unlilce  its  other  brethren,  contained  a 
bouquet  of  dead  and    faded  flowers  ;  the  blood  rushed  to  my 
cheek  ;  I  started   up  ;  it  was   one  I   had  myself  presented  to 
her  the  day  before   we  parted.     It  was  in   that  same  vase  I 
placed  it  ;  the  very  table,  too,  stood  in  the  same  position  beside 
that  narrow  window.     What  a  rush  of  thoughts  came  pouring  on 
me  !     And  oh  !  shall  I  confess  it  ?  how  deeply  did  such  a  mute 
testimony  of  remembrance  speak  to  my  heart,  at  the  moment 
that  I  felt   myself  unloved  and   uncared   for   by  another  !  I 
walked  hurriedly  up  and  down  ;  a  maze  of  conflicting  resolves 
combating  in    my   mind,  while  one  thought   ever  recurred— 
"  Would  that  I  had  not  come  there  !  "  and  yet,  after  all,  it  may 
mean    nothing  ;  some  piece   of   passing  coquetry,  which  she 
will  be  the  very  first  to  laugh  at.     I  remembered  how  she  spoke 
of  poor  Howard  ;  what  folly  to  take  it  otherwise  !     "  Be  it  so, 
then,"  said  I,  half  aloud  ;  "  and  now  for  my  part  of  the  game  ;  " 
and  with  this  I  took  from  my  pocket  the   light  blue  scarf  she 
had  given  me  the  morning  we  parted,  and,  throwing  it  over  my 
shoulder,  prepared  to  perform  my  part   in  what  I    had  fully 
persuaded  myself  to  be  a  comedy.     The  time,  however,  passed 
on,    and   she   came    not   ;  a   thousand   high-flown  Portuguese 
phrases  had  time  to  be  conned  over  again  and  again  by  me, 
and  I  had  abundant  leisure   to   enact  my  coming  part  ;  but 
still  the  curtain  did  not  rise.     As   the  day  was  wearing,  I  re- 
solved at  last  to  write  a  few  lines,  expressive  of  my  regret  at 
not  meeting  her,  and  promising  myself  an  early  opportunity  of 
paying  my   respects  under  more  fortunate  circumstances.     I 
sat    down    accordingly,  and,  drawing  the  paper  towards  me, 
began,  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  Portuguese,  as  it  happened, 
to  indite  my  billet. 

"  Senhora  Inez  " — no — "  Ma  chere  Mademoiselle  Inez  " — 
confound  it,  that's  too  intimate  ;  well,  here  goes — "  Monsieur 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  59 1 

O'Malley  presente  ses  respects  "—that  will  never  do  ;  and,  then, 
after  twenty  other  abortive  attempts,  1  began  thoughtlessly 
sketching  heads  upon  the  paper,  and  scribbling  with  wonder- 
ful facility  in  fifty  different  ways — "  Ma  charmante  amie — Ma 
plus  chere  Inez,"  etc.,  and  in  this  most  useful  and  profitable 
occupation  did  I  pass  another  half-hour. 

How  long  I  should  have  persisted  in  such  an  employment  it  is 
difficult  to  say,  had  not  an  incident  intervened,  which  suddenly 
but  most  effectually  put  an  end  to  it.  As  the  circumstance  is 
one  which,  however  little  striking  in  itself,  had  the  greatest  and 
most  lasting  influence  upon  my  future  career,  I  shall,  perhaps, 
be  excused  in  devoting  another  chapter  to  its  recital. 


CHAPTER  LXXVH. 

A   PLEASANT   PREDICAMENT. 

As  I  sat  vainly  endeavoring  to  fix  upon  some  suitable  and 
.ppropriate  epithet  by  which  to  commence  my  note,  my  back 
avas  turned  towards  the  door  of  the  garden  ;  and  so  occupied 
was  I  in  my  meditations,  that,  even  had  any  one  entered  at 
the  time,  in  all  probability  I  should  not  have  perceived  it.  At 
length,  however,  I  was  aroused  from  my  study  by  a  burst  of 
laughter,  whose  girlish  joyousness  was  not  quite  new  to  me. 
I  knew  it  well  ;  it  was  the  Senhora  herself  ;  and  the  next 
moment  I  heard  her  voice. 

"  I  tell  you,  I'm  quite  certain  I  saw  his  face  in  the  mirror  as 
I  passed.  Oh,  how  delightful  !  and  you'll  be  charmed  with 
him  ;  so,  mind,  you  must  not  steal  him  from  me  ;  I  shall  never 
forgive  you  if  you  do  ;  and  look,  only  look  !  he  has  got  the 
blue  scarf  I  gave  him  when  he  marched  to  the  Douro." 

While  I  perceived  that  I  was  myself  seen,  I  could  see  noth- 
ing of  the  speaker,  and,  wishing  to  hear  something  further, 
appeared  more  than  ever  occupied  in  the  writing  before  me. 


592  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

What  her  companion  replied  J  could  not,  however,  catch, 
but  only  guess  at  its  import  by  the  Senhora's  answer. 

'•'•  Fi  do?ic  ! — I  really  am  very  fond  of  him  ;  but,  never  fear, 
I  shall  be  as  stately  as  a  queen.  You  shall  see  how  meekly 
he  will  kiss  my  hand,  and  with  what  unbending  reserve  I'll 
receive  him." 

"  Indeed  ! "  thought  I ;  "  mayhap,  I'll  mar  your  plot  a  little  ; 
but  let  us  listen." 

Again  her  friend  spoke,  but  too  low  to  be  heard. 

"  It  is  so  provoking,"  continued  Inez  ;  "  I  never  can  re- 
member names,  and  his  was  something  too  absurd  ;  but, 
never  mind,  I  shall  make  him  a  Grandee  of  Portugal.  Well, 
but  come  along,  I  long  to  present  him  to  you." 

Here  a  gentle  struggle  seemed  to  ensue  ;  for  I  heard  the 
Senhora  coaxingly  entreat  her,  while  her  companion  steadily 
resisted. 

"  I  know  very  well  you  think  I  shall  be  so  silly,  and  perhaps 
wrong ;  eh,  is  it  not  so  ?  but  you  are  quite  mistaken.  You'll 
be  surprised  at  my  cold  and  dignified  manner.  I  shall  draw 
myself  proudly  up,  thus,  and  curtseying  deeply,  say,  *  Monsieur, 
j'ai  I'honneur  de  vous  saluer.'  " 

A  laugh  twice  as  mirthful  as  before  interrupted  her  account 
of  herself,  while  I  could  hear  the  tones  of  her  friend  evidently 
in  expostulation. 

"  Well  then,  to  be  sure,  you  are  provoking,  but  you  really 
promise  to  follow  me.  Be  it  so ;  then  give  me  that  moss-rose. 
How  you  have  fluttered  me  ;  now  for  it !  " 

So  saying,  I  heard  her  foot  upon  the  gravel,  and  the  next 
instant  upon  the  marble  step  of  the  door.  There  is  something 
in  expectation  that  sets  the  heart  beating,  and  mine  throbbed 
against  my  side.  I  waited,  however,  till  she  entered,  before 
lifting  my  head,  and  then  springing  suddenly  up,  with  one 
bound  clasped  her  in  my  arms,  and  pressing  my  lips  upon  her 
roseate  cheek,  said — 

"J/^  charmante  mnie /"      To  disengage  herself   from    me, 


THE  IRisn  DRAGOO.V.  593 

and  to  spring  suddenly  back,  was  her  first  effort ;  to  burst  into 
an  immoderate  fit  of  laughing,  her  second  ;  her  cheek  was,  how- 
ever, covered  with  a  deep  blush,  and  I  alread}?  repented  that 
my  malice  had  gone  so  far. 

"Pardon,  Mademoiselle,"  said  I,  in  affected  innocence,  "if 
I  have  so  far  forgotten  myself  as  to  assume  a  habit  of  my  own 
country  to  a  stranger." 

A  half-angry  toss  of  the  head  was  her  only  reply,  and,  turning 
towards  the  garden,  she  called  to  her  friend  : 

"  Come  here,  dearest,  and  instruct  my  ignorance  upon  your 
national  customs ;  but  first  let  me  present  to  you — I  never 
know  his  name — the  Chevalier  de  — —     \M"iat  is  it.'"' 

The  glass  door  opened  as  she  spoke  ;  a  tall  and  graceful 
figure  entered,  and,  turning  suddenly  round,  showed  me  the 
features  of  Lucy  Dashwood.  \^'e  both  stood  opposite  each 
other,  each  mute  with  amazement.  AFy  feelings  let  me  not 
attempt  to  convey  ;  shame,  for  the  first  moment  stronger  than 
aught  else,  sent  the  blood  rushing  to  my  face  and  temples,  and 
the  next  I  was  cold  and  pale  as  death.  As  for  her,  I  cannot 
guess  at  what  passed  in  her  mind.  She  curtseyed  deeply  to  me, 
and  with  a  half-smile  of  scarce  recognition  passed  by  me, 
and  walked  towards  a  window. 

"  Comme  vous  etcs  amiable  T''  said  the  lively  Portuguese,  who 
comprehended  little  of  this  dumb  show ;  "  here  have  I  been 
flattering  myself  what  friends  you'd  be  the  very  moment  you 
meet,  and  now  you'll  not  even  look  at  each  other." 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  The  situation  was  every  instant 
growing  more  and  moie  embarrassing ;  nothing  but  downright 
effrontery  could  get  through  with  it  now  ;  and  never  did  a  man's 
heart  more  fail  him  than  did  mine  at  this  conjuncture.  I  made 
the  effort,  however,  and  stammered  out  certain  unmeaning 
common-places.  Inez  replied,  and  I  felt  myself  conversing 
with  the  headlong  recklessness  of  one  marching  to  a  scaffold, 
a  coward's  fear  at  his  heart,  while  he  essayed  to  seem  care- 
less and  indifferent. 
3« 


594  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Anxious  to  reach  what  I  esteemed  safe  ground,  I  gladly 
adverted  to  the  campaign  ;  and,  at  last,  hurried  on  by  the  im- 
pulse to  cover  my  embarrassment,  was  describing  some  skirmish 
with  a  French  outpost.  Without  intending,  I  had  succeeded 
in  exciting  the  Senhora's  interest,  and  she  listened  with  spark- 
ling eye  and  parted  lips  to  the  description  of  a  sweeping  charge 
in  which  a  square  was  broken,  and  several  prisoners  carried  off. 
Warming  with  the  eager  avidity  of  her  attention,  I  grew  myself 
more  excited,  when  just  as  my  narrative  reached  its  climax, 
jMiss  Dashwood  walked  gently  towards  the  bell,  rang  it,  and 
ordered  her  carriage.  The  tone  of  perfect  nonchalance  of  the 
whole  proceeding  struck  me  dumb :  I  faltered,  stammered, 
hesitated,  and  was  silent.  Donna  Inez  turned  from  one  to  the 
other  of  us  with  a  look  of  unfeigned  astonishment,  and  I  heard 
her  mutter  to  herself  something  like  a  reflection  upon  "na- 
tional eccentricities."  Happily,  however  her  attention  was 
now  exclusively  turned  towards  her  friend,  and  while  assisting 
her  to  shawl,  and  extorting  innumerable  promises  of  an  early 
visit,  I  got  a  momentary  reprieve ;  the  carriage  drew  up  also, 
and,  as  the  gravel  flew  right  and  left  beneath  the  horses'  feet, 
the  very  noise  and  bustle  relieved  me. 

'^  Adios  f'^  then  said  Inez,  as  she  kissed  her  for  the  last  time, 
while  she  motioned  to  me  to  escort  her  to  the  carriage.  I 
advanced — stopped — made  another  step  forward,  and  again 
grew  irresolute ;  but  Miss  Dashwood  speedily  terminated  the 
difficulty ;  for,  making  me  a  formal  curtsey,  she  declined  my 
scarce-proffered  attention,  and  left  the  room. 

As  she  did  so,  I  perceived  that,  on  passing  the  table,  her 
eyes  fell  upon  the  paper  I  had  been  scribbling  over  so  long, 
and  I  thought  that  for  an  instant  an  expression  of  ineffable 
scorn  seemed  to  pass  across  her  features,  save  which — and 
perhaps  even  in  this  I  was  mistaken — her  manner  was  per- 
fectly calm,  easy,  and  indifferent. 

Scarce  had  the  carriage  rolled  from  the  door,  when  the  Sen- 
hora,  throwing  herself  upon  her  chair,  clapped  her  hands  in 


THE  IRISH  DRACO  ON.  595 

childish  ecstasy,  while  she  fell  into  a  fit  of  laughing  that  I 
thought  would  never  have  an  end.  "  Such  a  scene !  "  cried 
she  ;  "  I  would  not  have  lost  it  for  the  world  ;  what  cordiaHty ! 
what  emprcsscment  to  form  acquaintance  !  I  shall  never  forget 
it,  Monsieur  le  Chevalier ;  your  national  customs  seem  to  run 
sadly  in  extremes.  One  would  have  thought  you  deadly 
enemies ;  and  poor  me !  after  a  thousand  delightful  plans 
about  you  both." 

As  she  ran  on  thus,  scarce  able  to  control  her  mirth  at  each 
sentence,  I  walked  the  room  with  impatient  strides,  now,  re- 
solving to  hasten  after  the  carriage,  stop  it,  explain  in  a  few 
words  how  all  had  happened,  and  then  fly  from  her  forever ; 
then,  the  remembrance  of  her  cold,  impassive  look  crossed 
me,  and  I  thought  that  one  bold  leap  into  the  Tagus  might  be 
the  shortest  and  easiest  solution  to  all  my  miseries  :  perfect 
abasement,  thorough  self-contempt  had  broken  all  my  courage, 
and  I  could  have  cried  like  a  child.  What  I  said,  or  how  I 
comforted  myself  after,  I  know  not  ;  but  my  first  conscious- 
ness came  to  me  as  I  felt  myself  running  at  the  top  of  my  speed 
far  upon  the  road  towards  Lisbon. 


CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 

THE      DINNER. 

It  may  easily  be  imagined  that  I  had  little  inclination  to 
keep  my  promise  of  dining  that  day  with  Sir  George  Dashwood. 
However,  there  was  nothing  else  for  it ;  the  die  was  cast — my 
prospects  as  regarded  Lucy  were  ruined  forever.  We  were 
not,  we  never  could  be  anything  to  each  other;  and  as  for  me, 
tb.e  sooner  I  braved  my  altered  fortunes  the  better  ;  and,  after 
all,  why  should  I  call  them  altered.  She  evidently  never  had 
cared  for  me  \  and  even  supposing  that  my  fervent  declaration 


596  CtiAKLES  &M ALLEY. 

of  attachment  had  interested  her,  the  apparent  duplicity  and 
falseness  of  my  late  conduct  could  only  fall  the  more  heavily 
upon  me. 

I  endeavored  to  philosophize  myself  into  calmness  and  in- 
difference. One  by  one  I  exhausted  every  argument  for  my  de 
fence,  which,  however  ingeniously  put  forward,  brought  no  com- 
fort to  my  own  conscience.  I  pleaded  the  unerring  devotion 
of  my  heart — the  uprightness  of  my  motives — and  when  called 
on  for  the  proofs — alas  !  except  the  blue  scarf  T  wore  in  memory 
of  another,  and  my  absurd  conduct  at  the  villa,  I  had  none. 
From  the  current  gossip  of  Lisbon,  down  to  my  own  disgraceful 
folly,  all — -all  was  against  me. 

Honesty  of  intention — rectitude  of  purpose,  may  be,  doubtless 
they  are,  admirable  supports  to  a  rightly  constituted  mind  ; 
but  even  then  they  must  come  supported  by  such  claims  to 
probability  as  make  the  injured  man  feel  he  has  not  lost  the 
sympathy  of  all  his  fellows.  Now,  I  had  none  of  these,  had 
even  my  temperament,  broken  by  sickness  and  harassed  by 
unlucky  conjectures,  permitted  my  appreciating  them. 

I  endeavored  to  call  my  wounded  pride  to  my  aid,  and 
thought  over  the  glance  of  haughty  disdain  she  gave  me  as  she 
passed  on  to  her  carriage  ;  but  even  this  turned  against  me, 
and  a  humiliating  sense  of  my  own  degraded  position  sank 
deeply  into  my  heart.  "  This  impression  at  least,"  thought  I, 
"  must  be  effaced.     I  cannot  permit  her  to  believe " 

"  His  Excellency  is  waiting  dinner,  sir,"  said  a  lacquey,  in- 
troducing a  finely  powdered  head  gently  within  the  door,  I 
looked  at  my  watch,  it  was  eight  o'clock  ;  so,  snatching  my 
sabre,  and  shocked  at  my  delay,  I  hastily  followed  the  servant 
downstairs,  and  thus  at  once  cut  short  my  deliberations. 

The  man  must  be  but  little  observant,  or  deeply  sunk  in  his 
own  reveries,  who,  arriving  half-an-hour  too  late  for  dinner, 
fails  to  detect  in  the  faces  of  the  assembled  and  expectant 
guests  a  very  palpable  expression  of  discontent  and  displeasure. 
It  is  truly  a  moment  of  awkwardness,  and  one  in  which  few  are 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  597 

found  to  manage  with  success  ;  the  blushing,  hesitating,  blun- 
dering apology  of  the  absent  man,  is  scarcely  better  than  the 
ill-affected  surprise  of  the  more  practised  offender.  The  bash- 
fulness  of  the  one  is  as  distasteful  as  the  cool  impertinence  of 
the  other ;  both  are  so  thoroughly  out  of  place,  for  we  are 
thinking  of  neither ;  our  thoughts  are  wandering  to  cold  soups 
and  rechauffed  pates,  and  we  neither  care  for  nor  estimate  the 
cause,  but  satisfy  our  spleen  by  cursing  the  offender. 

Happily  for  me  I  was  clad  in  a  triple  insensibility  to  such 
feelings,  and  with  an  air  of  most  perfect  unconstraint  and 
composure  walked  into  a  drawing  room  where  about  twenty 
persons  were  busily  discussing  what  peculiar  amiability  in  my 
character  could  compensate  for  my  present  conduct. 

"  At  last,  O'Malley,  at  last !  "  said  Sir  George.  "  Why,  my 
dear  boy,  how  very  late  you  are  !  " 

I  muttered  something  about  a  long  walk — distance  from 
Lisbon,  etc. 

"  Ah  J  that  was  it.  I  was  right,  you  see  !  "  said  an  old  lady 
in  a  spangled  turban,  as  she  whispered  something  to  her  friend 
beside  her,  who  appeared  excessively  shocked  at  the  informa- 
tion conveyed  ;  while  a  fat,  round  faced  little  general,  after 
eyeing  me  steadily  through  his  glass,  expressed  a  sotto  voce 
wish  that  I  was  upon  Jiis  staff.  I  felt  my  cheek  reddening  at 
the  moment,  and  stared  around  me  like  one  whose  trials  were 
becoming  downright  insufferable,  when  happily  dinner  was  an- 
nounced, and  terminated  my  embarrassment. 

As  the  party  filed  past,  I  perceived  that  Miss  Dashwood 
was  not  amongst  them  ;  and,  with  a  heart  relieved  for  the 
moment  by  the  circumstance,  and  inventing  a  hundred  con- 
jectures to  account  for  it,  I  followed  with  the  aides-de-camp  and 
the  staff  to  the  dinner-room. 

The  temperament  is  very  Irish,  I  believe,  which  renders  a 
man  so  elastic  that,  from  the  extreme  of  depression  to  the  very 
climax  of  high  spirits,  there  is  but  one  spring.  To  this  I  my- 
self plead  guilty,  and  thus,  scarcely  was  I  freed  from  the  em- 


598  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

barrassment  which  a  meeting  with  Lucy  Dashwood  must  have 
caused,  when  my  heart  bounded  with  Ughtness. 

When  the  ladies  withdrew,  the  events  of  the  campaign  be- 
came the  subject  of  conversation,  and  upon  tliese,  very  much 
to  my  astonishment,  I  found  myself  consulted  as  an  authority. 
The  Douro,  from  some  fortunate  circumstance,  had  given  me 
a  reputation  I  never  dreamed  of,  and  I  heard  my  opinions 
quoted  upon  topics  of  which  my  standing  as  an  officer,  and  my 
rank  in  the  service,  could  not  imply  a  very  extended  observa- 
tion. Power  was  absent  on  duty;  and,  happily  for  my  suprem- 
acy, the  company  consisted  entirely  of  generals  in  the  com- 
missariat, or  new  arrivals  from  England,  all  of  whom  knew  still 
less  than  myself. 

What  will  not  iced  champagne  and  flattery  do  ?  Singly, 
they  are  strong  impulses  ;  combined,  their  power  is  irresistible. 
I  now  heard  for  the  first  time  that  our  great  leader  had  been 
elevated  to  the  peerage  by  the  title  of  Lord  Wellington,  and  I 
sincerely  believe — however  now  I  may  smile  at  the  confession — 
that,  at  the  moment,  1  felt  more  elation  at  the  circumstance 
than  he  did.  The  glorious  sensation  of  being  in  any  way,  no 
matter  how  remotely,  linked  with  the  career  of  those  whose 
path  is  a  high  one,  and  whose  destinies  are  cast  for  great 
events,  thrilled  through  me  ;  and,  in  all  the  warmth  of  my 
admiration  and  pride  for  our  great  captain,  a  secret  pleasure 
stirred  within  me  as  I  whispered  to  myself,  "  And  I,  too,  am  a 
soldier  1 " 

I  fear  me,  that  very  little  flattery  is  sufficient  to  turn  the 
head  of  a  young  man  of  eighteen  ;  and  if  I  yielded  to  the 
"  pleasant  incense,"  let  my  apology  be,  that  I  was  not  used  to 
it ;  and,  lastly,  let  me  avow,  if  I  did  get  tipsy — I  liked  the 
liquor.  And  why  not  ?  It  is  the  only  tipple  I  know  of  that 
leaves  no  headache  the  next  morning,  to  punish  you  for  the 
glories  of  the  past  night.  It  may,  like  all  other  strong  pota- 
tions, it  is  true,  induce  you  to  make  a  fool  of  yourself  when 
under  its  influence  ;  but,  like  the  nitrous  oxide  gas,  its  effects 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  599 

are  passing,  and  as  the  pleasure  is  an  ecstasy  for  the  time,  and 
your  constitution  none  the  worse  when  it  is  over,  I  really  see  no 
harm  in  it. 

Then  the  benefits  are  manifest ;  for  while  he  who  gives 
becomes  never  the  poorer  for  his  benevolence,  the  receiver  is 
made  rich  indeed.  It  matters  little  that  some  dear,  kind  friend 
is  ready  with  his  bitter  draught,  to  remedy  what  he  is  pleased 
to  call  its  unwholesome  sweetness  ;  you  betake  yourself  with 
only  the  more  pleasure  to  the  "  blessed  elixir,"  whose  fascina- 
tions neither  the  poverty  of  your  pocket,  nor  the  penury  of 
your  brain,  can  withstand,  and  by  the  magic  of  whose  spell  you 
are  great  and  gifted.  "  Vive  la  bagatelle  !'''  saith  the  French- 
man. "  Long  live  Flattery  ! "  say  I,  come  from  what  quarter 
it  will  ;  the  only  wealth  of  the  poor  man, — the  only  reward  of  the 
unknown  one ;  the  arm  that  supports  us  in  failure, — the  hand 
that  crowns  us  in  success ;  the  comforter  in  our  affliction, — 
the  gay  companion  in  our  hours  of  pleasure  ;  the  lullaby  of 
the  infant, — the  staff  of  old  age ;  the  secret  treasure  we  lock 
up  in  our  own  hearts,  and  which  ever  grows  greater  as  we  count 
it  over.  Let  me  not  be  told  that  the  coin  is  fictitious,  and  the 
gold  not  genuine  ;  its  clink  is  as  musical  to  the  ear  as  though 
It  bore  the  last  impression  of  the  mint,  and  Fm  not  the  man 
to  cast  an  aspersion  upon  its  value. 

This  little  digression,  however  seemingly  out  of  place,  may 
serve  to  illustrate  what  it  might  be  difficult  to  convey  in  other 
words, — namely,  that  if  Charles  O'Malley  became,  in  his  own 
estimation,  a  very  considerable  personage  that  day  at  dinner, 
the  fault  lay  not  entirely  with  himself,  but  with  his  friends, 
who  told  him  he  was  such.  In  fact,  my  good  reader,  I  was 
the  lion  of  the  party, — the  man  who  saved  Laborde, — who 
charged  through  a  brigade  of  guns, — who  performed  feats  which 
newspapers  quoted,  thougli  he  never  heard  of  them  himself. 
At  no  time  is  a  man  so  successful  in  society  as  when  his  reputa- 
tion heralds  him,  and  it  needs  but  little  conversational  elo- 
quence to  talk  well,  if  you  have  but  a  willing  and  ready  auditory. 


6oo  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

Of  mine,  I  could  certainly  not  complain  ;  and  as,  drinking 
deeply,  I  poured  forth  a  whole  tide  of  campaigning  recital,  I 
saw  the  old  colonels  of  recruiting  districts  exchanging  looks  of 
wonder  and  admiration  with  officers  of  the  ordnance,  while 
Sir  George  himself,  evidently  pleased  at  my  debut,  went  back 
to  an  early  period  of  our  acquaintance,  and  related  the  rescue 
of  his  daughter  in  Galway. 

In  an  instant,  the  whole  current  of  my  thoughts  was  changed. 
My  first  meeting  with  Lucy,  my  boyhood's  dream  of  ambition, 
my  plighted  faith,  my  thought  of  our  last  parting  in  Dublin, 
when,  in  a  moment  of  excited  madness,  I  told  my  tale  of  love. 
I  remembered  her  downcast  look,  as,  her  cheek  now  flushing, 
now  growing  pale,  she  trembled  while  I  spoke.  I  thought  of 
her,  as  in  the  crash  of  battle  her  image  flashed  across  my  brain, 
and  made  me  feel  a  rush  of  chivalrous  enthusiasm  to  win  her 
heart  by  "  doughty  deeds." 

I  forgot  all  around  and  about  me.  My  head  reeled,  the 
wine,  the  excitement,  my  long  previous  illness,  all  pressed 
upon  me  ;  and,  as  my  temples  throbbed  loudly  and  painfully, 
a  chaotic  rush  of  discordant,  ill-connected  ideas  flitted  across 
my  mind.  There  seemed  some  stir  and  confusion  in  the  room, 
but  why  or  wherefore  I  could  not  think,  nor  could  I  recall  my 
scattered  senses,  till  Sir  George  Dashwood's  voice  roused  me 
once  again  to  consciousness. 

"  We  are  going  to  have  some  coffee,  O'Malley.  Miss  Dash- 
wood  expects  us  in  the  drawing-room.  You  have  not  seen  her 
yet  ? " 

I  know  not  my  reply ;  but  he  continued  : — 

"  She  has  some  letters  for  you,  I  think." 

I  muttered  something,  and  suffered  him  to  pass  on  ;  no  sooner 
had  he  done  so,  however,  than  I  turned  towards  the  door,  and 
rushed  into  the  street.  The  cold  night  air  suddenly  recalled 
me  to  myself,  and  I  stood  for  a  moment,  endeavoring  to  col- 
lect myself ;  as  I  did  so,  a  servant  stopped,  and,  saluting  me, 
presented  me  with  a  letter.     For  a  second,  a  cold  chill  came 


riJE  JRJSH  DRAGOON.  60 1 

over  me  ;  I  knew  not  what  fear  beset  me.  The  letter,  I  at 
last  remembered,  must  be  that  one  alluded  to  by  Sir  George,  so 
I  took  it  in  silence,  and  walked  on. 


CHAPTER  LXXIX. 

THE    LETTER. 

As  I  hurried  to  my  quarters,  I  made  a  hundred  guesses  from 
whom  the  letter  could  have  come  ;  a  kind  of  presentiment  told 
me  that  it  bore,  in  some  measure,  upon  the  present  crisis  of 
my  life,  and  I  burned  with  anxiety  to  read  it. 

No  sooner  had  I  reached  the  light,  than  all  my  hopes  on 
this  head  vanished  ;  the  envelope  bore  the  well-known  name 
of  my  old  college  chum,  Frank  Webber,  and  none  could,  at 
the  moment,  have  more  completely  dispelled  all  chance  of 
interesting  me.  I  threw  it  from  me  with  disappointment,  and 
sat  moodily  down  to  brood  over  my  fate. 

At  length,  however,  and  almost  without  knowing  it,  I  drew 
the  lamp  towards  me,  and  broke  the  seal.  The  reader  being 
already  acquainted  with  my  amiable  friend,  there  is  the  less 
indiscretion  in  communicating  the  contents,  which  ran  thus  : — 

"  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  No.  2, 
Oct.  5,  1810. 

"  MV  DEAR  O'MaLLEY, 

"  Nothing  short  of  your  death  and  burial,  with  or  with- 
out military  honors,  can  possibly  excuse  your  very  disgrace- 
ful neglect  of  your  old  friends  here.  Nesbitt  has  never  heard 
of  you,  neither  has  Smith.  Oltley  swears  never  to  have  seen 
your  handwriting,  save  on  the  back  of  a  protested  bill.  You 
have  totally  forgotten  vi(\  and  the  Dean  informs  me  that  you 
Iiave  never  condescended  a  single  line  to  him;  whicii  latter  in 
quiry  on  my  part  nearly  cost  me  a  rustication. 


6o2  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

"  A  hundred  conjectures  to  account  for  your  silence — a  new 
feature  in  you  since  you  were  here — are  afloat.  Some  assert 
that  your  soldiering  has  turned  your  head,  and  that  you  are 
above  corresponding  with  civilians.  Your  friends,  however, 
who  know  you  better,  and  value  your  worth,  think  otherwise  ; 
and  having  seen  a  paragraph  about  a  certain  O'lMalley  being 
tried  by  court-martial  for  stealing  a  goose,  and  maltreating  the 
woman  that  owned  it,  ascribe  your  not  writing  to  other  motives. 
Do,  in  any  case,  relieve  our  minds  ;  say,  is  it  yourself,  or  only 
a  relative  that's  mentioned  ? 

"  Herbert  came  over  from  London  with  a  long  story  about 
your  doing  wonderful  things — capturing  cannon  and  general 
officers  by  scores — but  devil  a  word  of  it  is  extant ;  and  if  you 
have  really  committed  these  acts,  they  have  '  misused  the  king's 
press  damnably,'  for  neither  in  the  Twics  nor  the  Post  are  you 
heard  of.  Answer  this  point,  and  say  also  if  you  have  got  pro- 
motion ;  for  what  precise  sign  you  are  algebraically  expressed 
by  at  this  writing,  may  serve  Fitzgerald  for  a  fellowship  question. 
As  for  us,  we  are  jogging  along,  semper  eadem — that  is,  worse 
and  worse.  Dear  Cecil  Cavendish,  our  gifted  friend,  slight  of 
limb  aud  soft  of  voice,  has  been  rusticated  for  immersing  four 
bricklayers  in  that  green  receptacle  of  stagnant  water  and 
duckweed,  yclept  the  '  Haha.'  Roper,  equally  unlucky,  has 
taken  to  reading  for  honors,  and  obtained  a  medal,  I  fancy — 
at  least  his  friends  shy  him,  and  it  must  be  something  of  that 
kind.  Belson — poor  Belson  (fortunately  for  him  he  was  born 
in  the  nineteenth,  not  the  sixteenth  century,  or  he'd  be  most 
likely  ornamenting  a  pile  of  fagots) — ventured  upon  some 
stray  excursions  into  the  Hebrew  verbs — the  Professor  himself 
never  having  transgressed  beyond  the  declensions — and  the  con- 
sequence is,  he  is  in  disgrace  among  the  seniors.  And  as  for 
me,  a  heavy  charge  hangs  over  my  devoted  head  even  while  I 
write.  The  Senior  Lecturer,  it  appears,  has  been  for  some 
time  instituting  some  very  singular  researches  into  the  original 
state  of  our  goodly  college  at  its  founding.     Plans  and  specifi- 


THE  IRJSII  DKAGO ON.  6 03 

cations  showing  its  extent  and  magnificence  have  been  contin- 
ually before  the  board  for  the  last  month  ;  and  in  such  repute 
have  been  a  smashed  door-sill  or  an  old  arch,  that  freshmen 
have  now  abandoned  conic  sections  for  crowbars,  and  instead 
of  the  '  Principia  '  have  taken  up  the  pickaxe.  You  know,  my 
dear  fellow,  with  what  enthusiasm  I  enter  into  any  scheme  for 
the  aggrandizement  of  our  Alma  Mater,  so  I  need  not  tell  you 
how  ardently  I  adventured  into  the  career  now  opened  to  me. 
My  time  was  completely  devoted  to  the  matter  ;  neither  means 
nor  health  did  I  spare,  and  in  my  search  for  antiquarian  lore, 
I  have  actually  undermined  the  old  wall  of  the  fellows'  garden, 
and  am  each  morning  in  expectation  of  hearing  that  the  big  bell 
near  the  commons-hall  has  descended  from  its  lofty  and  most 
noisy  eminence,  and  is  snugly  reposing  in  the  mud.  Mean- 
while, accident  put  me  in  possession  of  a  most  singular  and  re- 
markable discovery.  Our  chambers — I  call  them  ours  for  old 
association  sake — are,  you  may  remember,  in  the  Old  Square. 
Well,  I  have  been  fortunate  enough,  within  the  very  precincts 
of  my  own  dwelling,  to  contribute  a  very  wonderful  fact  to  the 
history  of  the  University  ;  alone — unassisted— unaided,  I 
labored  at  my  discovery.  Few  can  estimate  the  pleasure  I 
felt — the  fame  and  reputation  I  anticipated.  I  drew  up  a 
little  memoir  for  the  board,  most  respectfully  and  civilly 
worded,  having  for  title  the  following  : — 

' Account 
Of  a  remarkable  Subterranean  Passage  lately  discovered  in  the 

Old  Building  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin  ; 
With  Observations  upon  its  Extent,  Antiquity,  and  Probable  Use. 
liy  F.  Webber,  Senior  Freshman.' 

*'  My  dear  O'Malley,  I'll  dwell  upon  the  pride  I  felt  in  my 
new  character  of  antiquarian  ;  it  is  enougii  to  state,  that  my 
very  remarkable  tract  was  well  considered  and  received,  and  a 
commission  appointed  to  investigate  the  discovery,  consisting  of 
the  Vice-Provost,  the  Senior  Lecturer,  old  Woodhouse,  the 
Sub-Dean,  and  a  few  more. 


6o4  CHARLES  ffM ALLEY, 

"  On  Tuesday  last  they  came  accordingly  in  full  academic 
costume,  I,  being  habited  most  accurately  in  the  like  manner, 
and  conducting  them  with  all  form  into  my  bedroom,  where  a 
large  screen  concealed  from  view  the  entrance  to  the  tunnel 
alluded  to.  Assuming  a  very  John  Kembleish  attitude,  I  struck 
this  down  with  one  hand,  pointing  with  the  other  to  the 
wall,   as  I  exclaimed,  '  There  !  look  there  ! ' 

"  I  need  only  quote  Barret's  exclamation  to  enlighten  you 
upon  my  discovery,  as,  drawing  in  his  breath  with  a  strong 
effort,  he  burst  out : — 

"  '  May  the  devil  admire  me,  but  it's  a  rat-hole  ! ' 

"  I  fear,  Charley,  he's  right,  and,  what's  more,  that  the  board 
will  think  so,  for  this  moment  a  very  warm  discussion  is  going 
on  among  that  amiable  and  learned  body,  whether  I  shall  any 
longer  remain  an  ornament  to  the  University.  In  fact,  the 
terror  with  which  they  fled  from  my  chambers,  overturning 
each  other  in  the  passage,  seemed  to  imply  that  they  thought 
me  mad  ;  and  I  do  believe  my  voice,  look,  and  attitude  would 
not  have  disgraced  a  blue  cotton  dressing-gown  and  a  cell  in 
'  Swift's.'  Be  this  as  it  may,  few  men  have  done  more  for 
college  than  I  have.  The  sun  never  stood  still  for  Joshua  with 
more  resolution  than  I  have  rested  in  my  career  of  freshman  ; 
and  if  I  have  contributed  little  to  the  fame,  I  have  done  much 
for  the  funds  of  the  University  ;  and  when  they  come  to  com- 
pute the  various  sums  I  have  paid  in,  for  fines,  penalties,  and 
what  they  call  properly  '  impositions,' if  they  don't  place  a 
portrait  of  me  in  the  examination-hall,  between  Archbishop 
Ussher  and  Flood,  then  do  I  say  there  is  no  gratitude  in  man- 
kind ;  not  to  mention  the  impulse  I  have  given  to  the  various 
artisans  whose  business  it  is  to  repair  lamps,  windows, 
chimneys,  iron  railings,  and  watchmen,  all  of  which  I  have  de- 
voted myself  to,  with  an  enthusiasm  for  political  economy  well 
known,  and  registered  in  the  College  Street  police-office. 

"  After  all,  Charley,  I  miss  you  greatly.  Your  second  in  a 
ballad  is  not  to  be  replaced  ;  besides,   Carlisle  Bridge  has  got 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  605 

low;  medical  students   and  young  attorneys  affect  minstrelsy, 
and  actually  frequent  the  haunts  sacred  to  our  muse. 

"  Dublin  is,  upon  the  whole,  I  think,  worse ;  though  one 
scarcely  ever  gets  tired  laughing  at  the  small  celebrities " 

Master  Frank  gets  here  indiscreet,  so  I  shall  skip. 
******* 
******** 

"  And  so  the  Dashwoods  are  going  too;  this  will  make  mine 
a  pitiable  condition,  for  I  really  did  begin  to  feel  tender  in  that 
quarter.  You  may  have  heard  that  she  refused  me  ;  this,  how- 
ever, is  not  correct,  though  I  have  little  doubt  it  might  have 
been — had  I  asked  her. 

"  Hammersley  has,  you  know,  got  his  dismissal.  I  wonder 
how  the  poor  fellow  took  it,  when  Power  gave  him  back  his 
letters  and  his  picture.  Ylo\v  you  are  to  be  treated  remains  to 
be  seen  ;  in  any  case,  you  certainly  stand  first  favorite." 

I  laid  down  the  letter  at  this  passage,  unable  to  read  further. 
Here,  then,  was  the  solution  of  the  whole  chaos  of  mystery — 
here  the  full  explanation  of  what  had  puzzled  my  aching  brain 
f(jr  many  a  night  long.  These  were  the  very  letters  I  had 
myself  delivered  into  Hammersley's  hands  ;  this  the  picture  he 
had  trodden  to  dust  beneath  his  heel  the  morning  of  our  meet- 
ing. I  now  felt  the  reason  of  his  taunting  allusion  to  my 
'■  success,"  his  cutting  sarcasm,  his  intemperate  passion.  A 
flood  of  light  poured  at  once  across  all  the  dark  passages  of  my 
history;  and  Lucy,  too — dare  I  think  of  her  !  A  rapid  thought 
shot  through  my  brain.  What  if  she  had  really  cared  for  me  ! 
What  if  for  me  she  had  rejected  another's  love  !  \\' hat,  if,  trust- 
ing to  my  faith — my  pledged  and  sworn  faith — she  had  given 
me  her  heart  !  Oh  !  the  bitter  agony  of  that  thought,  to  think 
that  all  my  hopes  were  shipwrecked,  with  the  very  laud  in  sight. 

i  sprang  to  my  feet  with  some  sudden  impulse,  but  as  I  did 
so,  the  blood  rushed  madly  to  my  face  and  temples,  which  beat 
\  iolently  ;  a  parched  and  swollen  feeling  came  about  my  throat ; 
I   1  ndeavored  to   open  my  collar  and  undo   my  stock,  hut  my 


6o6  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

disabled  arm  prevented  me.  I  tried  to  call  my  servant,  but  my 
utterance  was  thick,  and  my  words  would  not  come  ;  a  fright- 
ful suspicion  crossed  me  that  my  reason  was  tottering.  I  made 
towards  the  door ;  but,  as  I  did  so,  the  objects  around  me  be- 
came confused  and  mingled,  my  limbs  trembled,  and  I  fell 
heavily  upon  the  floor ;  a  pang  of  dreadful  pain  shot  through 
me  as  I.  fell — my  arm  was  rebroken.  After  this  I  knew  no 
more  ;  all  the  accumulated  excitement  of  the  evening  bore 
down  with  one  fell  swoop  upon  my  brain  ; — ere  day  broke,  I 
was  delirious. 

I  have  a  vague  and  indistinct  remembrance  of  hurried  and 
anxious  faces  around  my  bed,  of  whispered  words  and  sorrow- 
ful looks  ;  but  my  own  thoughts  careered  over  the  bold  hills  of 
the  far  west  as  I  trod  them  in  my  boyhood,  free  and  high  of 
heart,  or  recurred  to  the  din  and  crash  of  the  battle-field,  with 
the  mad  bounding  of  the  war-horse,  and  the  loud  clang  of  the 
trumpet ;  perhaps  the  acute  pain  of  my  swollen  and  suffering 
arm  gave  the  character  to  my  mental  aberration  ;  for  I  have 
more  than  once  observed  among  the  wounded  in  battle,  that 
even  when  torn  and  mangled  by  grape  from  a  howitzer,  their 
ravings  have  partaken  of  a  high  feature  of  enthusiasm,  shouts 
of  triumph,  and  exclamations  of  pleasure  ;  even  songs  have  I 
heard — but  never  once  the  low  muttering  of  despair,  or  the 
half-stifled  cry  of  sorrow  and  affliction. 

Such  were  the  few  gleams  of  consciousness  which  visited 
me,  and  even  to  such  as  these  I  soon  became  insensible. 

Few  like  to  chronicle,  fewer  still  to  read,  the  sad  history 
of  a  sick  bed.  Of  mine,  I  know  but  little.  The  throbbing 
pulses  of  the  erring  brain,  the  wild  fancies  of  lunacy,  take  no 
note  of  time.  There  is  no  past  nor  future — a  dreadful  present, 
full  of  its  hurried  and  confused  impressions,  is  all  that  the 
mind  beholds ;  and  even  when  some  gleams  of  returning 
reason  flash  upon  the  mad  confusion  of  the  brain,  they  come 
like  sunbeams  through  a  cloud,  dimmed,  darkened,  and  per- 
verted. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  607 

It  is  the  restless  activity  of  the  mind  in  fever  that  constitutes 
its  most  painful  anguish;  the  fast-flitting  thoughts  that  rush 
ever  onwards,  crowding  sensation  on  sensation,  an  endless  train 
of  exciting  images,  without  purpose  or  repose  ;  or  even  worse, 
the  straining  effort  to  pursue  some  vague  and  shadowy  concep- 
tion, which  evade  us  ever  as  we  follow,  but  which  mingles  with 
all  around  and  about  us — haunting  us  at  midnight  as  in  the 
noontime. 

Of  this  nature  was  a  vision  which  came  constantly  before  me, 
till  at  length,  by  its  very  recurrence,  it  assumed  a  kind  of  real 
and  palpable  existence  ;  and,  as  I  watched  it,  my  heart  thrilled 
with  the  high  ardor  of  enthusiasm  and  delight,  or  sunk  into 
the  dark  abyss  of  sorrow  and  despair.  "The  dawning  of  morn- 
ing, the  daylight  sinking,"  brought  no  other  image  to  my  ach- 
ing sight;  and,  of  this  alone,  of  all  the  impressions  of  the 
period,  has  my  mind  retained  any  consciousness. 

Methought  I  stood  within  an  old  and  venerable  cathedral, 
where  the  dim  yellow  light  fell  with  a  rich  but  solemn  glow 
upon  the  fretted  capitals,  or  the  grotesque  tracings  of  the  oaken 
carvings,  lighting  up  the  fading  gildings  of  the  stately  monu- 
ments, and  tinting  the  varied  hues  of  time-worn  banners.  The 
mellow  notes  of  a  deep  organ  filled  the  air,  and  seemed  to 
attune  the  sense  to  all  the  awe  and  reverence  of  the  place, 
where  the  very  footfall,  magnified  by  its  many  echoes,  seemed 
lialf  a  profanation.  I  stood  before  an  altar,  beside  me  a  young 
and  lovely  girl,  whose  bright  brown  tresses  waved  in  loose 
masses  upon  a  neck  of  snowy  whiteness  ;  her  hand,  cold  and 
pale,  rested  within  my  own  ;  we  knelt  together,  not  in 
prayer,  but  a  feeling  of  deep  reverence  stole  over  my  heart,  as 
she  repeated  some  few  half-uttered  words  after  me ;  I  knew 
that  she  was  mine.  Oh  !  the  ecstasy  of  that  moment,  as,  spring- 
ing to  my  feet,  I  darted  forward  to  press  her  to  my  heart  ! 
when,  suddenly,  an  arm  was  interposed  between  us,  while  a  low 
hut  solemn  voice  rang  in  my  ears,  "  .Stir  not  !  for  thou  art 
false  and  traitorous,  thy  vow  a  perjury,  and  thy  heart  a  lie!  " 


6oS  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

Slowly  and  silently  the  fair  form  of  iny  loved  Lucy — for  it  was 
her — receded  from  my  sight.  One  look,  one  last  look  of 
sorrow — it  was  scarce  reproach,  fell  upon  me,  and  I  sank  back 
upon  the  cold  pavement,  broken-hearted  and  forsaken. 

This  dream  came  with  daybreak,  and  with  the  calm  repose 
of  evening;  the  still  hours  of  the  waking  night  brought  no  other 
image  to  my  eyes,  and  when  its  sad  influence  had  spread  a 
gloom  and  desolation  over  my  wounded  heart,  a  secret  hope 
crept  over  me,  that  again  the  bright  moment  of  happiness 
would  return,  and  once  more  beside  that  ancient  altar  I'd  kneel 
beside  my  bride,  and  call  her  mine. 

*ol'  ^l'  ^  ^  ^  -^ 

•Ji  >t»  -TT  ^  ^  ^ 

j^  4^  -JJe  ^  «t>  4t  '^ 

TT  ^  "7^  -fr  ?!»  ^  ^ 

For  the  rest,  my  memory  retains  but  little  ;  the  kind  looks 
which  came  around  my  bedside  brought  but  a  brief  pleasure, 
for  in  their  affectionate  beaming  I  could  read  the  gloomy  prestige 
of  my  fate.  The  hurried  but  cautious  step,  the  whispered  sen- 
tences, the  averted  gaze  of  those  who  sorrowed  for  me,  sunk 
far  deeper  into  my  heart  than  my  friends  then  thought  of. 
Little  do  they  think,  who  minister  to  the  sick  or  dying,  how 
each  passing  word,  each  flitting  glance  is  noted,  and  how  the 
pale  and  stilly  figure  which  lies  all  but  lifeless  before  them, 
counts  over  the  hours  he  has  to  live  by  the  smiles  or  tears 
around  him  ! 

Hours,  days,  weeks  rolled  over,  and  still  my  fate  hung  in  the 
balance  ;  and  while  in  the  wild  enthusiasm  of  my  erring  faculties, 
I  wandered  far  in  spirit  from  my  bed  of  suffering  and  pain,  some 
well-remembered  voice  beside  me  would  strike  upon  my  ear, 
bringing  me  back,  as  if  by  magic,  to  all  the  realities  of  life,  and 
investing  my  almost  unconscious  state  with  all  the  hopes  and 
fears  about  me. 

One  by  one,  at  length,  these  fancies  fled  from  me,  and  to  the 
delirium  of  fever  succeeded  the  sad  and  helpless  consciousness 
of  illness,  far,  far  more  depressing ;  for  as  the  conviction  of 
sense  came  back,  the  sorrowful  aspect  of  a  dreary  future  came 
with  it, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  609 


CHAPTER    LXXX. 

THE   VILLA. 

The  gentle  twilight  of  an  autumnal  evening,  calm,  serene,  and 
mellow,  was  falling,  as  I  opened  my  eyes  to  consciousness  of 
life  and  being,  and  looked  around  me.  I  lay  in  a  large  and 
handsomely-furnished  apartment,  in  which  the  hand  of  taste 
was  as  evident  in  all  the  decorations  as  the  unsparing  employ- 
ment of  wealth  ;  the  silk  draperies  of  my  bed,  the  inlaid  tables, 
the  ormolu  ornaments  which  glittered  upon  the  chimney,  were 
one  by  one  so  many  puzzles  to  my  erring  senses,  and  I  opened 
and  shut  my  eyes  again  and  again,  and  essayed  by  every  means 
in  my  power  to  ascertain  if  they  were  not  the  visionary  crea- 
tions of  a  fevered  mind.  I  stretched  out  my  hands  to  feel  the 
objects ;  and  even  while  holding  the  freshly-plucked  flowers  in 
my  grasp  I  could  scarce  persuade  myself  that  they  were  real. 
A  thrill  of  pain  at  this  instant  recalled  me  to  other  thoughts, 
and  I  turned  my  eyes  upon  my  wounded  arm,  which,  swollen 
and  stiffened,  lay  motionless  beside  me.  Gradually,  my 
memory  came  back,  and  to  my  weak  faculties  some  passages 
of  my  former  life  were  presented,  not  collectedly  it  is  true,  nor 
in  any  order,  but  scattered,  isolated  scenes.  While  such 
thoughts  flew  past,  my  ever-rising  question  to  myself  was, 
"Where  am  I  now?"  The  vague  feeling  which  illness  leaves 
upon  the  mind,  whispered  to  me  of  kind  looks  and  soft  voices  ; 
and  I  had  a  dreamy  consciousness  about  me  of  being  watched, 
and  cared  for,  but  wherefore,  or  by  whom,  I  knew  not. 

From  a  partly  open  door  which  led  into  a  garden,  a  mild 
and  balmy  air  fanned  my  temples,  and  soothed  my  heated 
brow ;  and  as  the  light  curtain  waved  to   and   fro   with   the 


6io  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

breeze,  the  odor  of  the  rose  and  the  orange-tree  filled  the 
apartment. 

There  is  something  in  the  feeling  of  weakness  which  succeeds 
to  long  illness  of  the  most  delicious  and  refined  enjoyment. 
The  spirit  emerging  as  it  were  from  the  thraldom  of  its  grosser 
prison,  rises  high  and  triumphant  above  the  meaner  thoughts 
and  more  petty  ambitions  of  daily  life.  Purer  feelings,  more 
ennobling  hopes  succeed  ;  and  dreams  of  our  childhood,  min- 
gling with  our  promises  for  the  future,  make  up  an  ideal  exist- 
ence, in  which  the  low  passions  and  cares  of  ordinary  life  enter 
not  or  are  forgotten.  'Tis  then  we  learn  to  hold  converse 
with  ourselves  ;  'tis  then  we  ask  how  has  our  manhood  per- 
formed the  promises  of  its  youth  ?  or,  have  our  ripened  pros- 
pects borne  out  the  pledges  of  our  boyhood  ?  'Tis  then,  in  the 
calm  justice  of  our  lonely  hearts,  we  learn  how  our  failures  are 
but  another  name  for  our  faults,  and  that  what  we  looked  on  as 
the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  are  but  the  fruits  of  our  own  vices. 
Alas  !  how  short-lived  are  such  intervals.  Like  the  fitful  sun- 
shine in  the  wintry  sky,  they  throw  one  bright  and  joyous  tint 
over  the  dark  landscape  ;  for  a  moment  the  valley  and  the 
mountain-top  are  bathed  in  a  ruddy  glow  ;  the  leafless  tree  and 
the  dark  moss  seem  to  feel  a  touch  of  spring ;  but  the  next 
instant  it  is  past ;  the  lowering  clouds  and  dark  shadows  inter- 
vene, and  the  cold  blast,  the  moaning  wind,  and  the  dreary 
waste  are  once  more  before  us. 

I  endeavored  to  recall  the  latest  events  of  my  career,  but  in 
vain ;  the  real  and  the  visionary  were  inextricably  mingled  ; 
and  the  scenes  of  my  campaigns  were  blended  with  hopes, 
and  fears,  and  doubts,  which  had  no  existence  save  in  my 
dreams.  My  curiosity  to  know  where  I  was  grew  now  my 
strongest  feeling,  and  I  raised  myself  with  one  arm,  to  look 
around  me.  In  the  room  all  was  still  and  silent,  but  nothing 
seemed  to  intimate  what  I  sought  for.  As  I  looked,  however, 
the  wind  blew  back  the  curtain  which  half  concealed  the  sash- 
door,  d,n(^  disclosed  to   me  the  figur(j  of  a  man,  seated  at  a, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  6i  i 

table;  his  back  was  towards  me  ;  but  his  broad  sombrero  hat 
and  brown  mantle  bespoke  his  nation  ;  the  light  blue  curl  of 
smoke  which  wreathed  gently  upwards,  and  the  ample  display 
of  long-necked,  straw-wrapped  flasks,  also  attested  that  he  was 
enjoying  himself  with  true  Peninsular  gusto,  having  probably 
partaken  of  a  long  siesta. 

It  was  a  perfect  picture  in  its  way  of  the  indolent  luxury  of  the 
South ;  the  rich  and  perfumed  flowers,  half-closing  to  the  night 
air,  but  sighing  forth  a  perfumed  '■'■buonas  nochcs  "  as  they  betook 
themselves  to  rest ;  the  slender  shadows  of  the  tall  shrubs, 
stretching  motionless  across  the  walks,  the  very  attitude  of  the 
figure  himself  was  in  keeping,  as  supported  by  easy  chairs,  he 
lounged  at  full  length,  raising  his  head  ever  and  anon,  as  if  to 
watch  the  wreath  of  eddying  smoke  as  it  rose  upwards  from  his 
cigar,  and  melted  away  in  the  distance. 

"  Yes,"  thought  I,  as  I  looked  for  some  time,  "  such  is  the  very 
type  of  his  nation.  Surrounded  by  every  luxury  of  climate, 
blessed  with  all  that  earth  can  offer  of  its  best  and  fairest,  and 
yet  only  using  such  gifts  as  mere  sensual  gratifications." 
Starting  with  this  theme,  I  wove  a  whole  story  for  the  unknown 
personage,  whom,  in  my  wandering  fancy,  I  began  by  creating 
a  grandee  of  Portugal,  invested  with  rank,  honors,  and  riches  ; 
but  who,  effeminated  by  the  habits  and  usages  of  his  country, 
had  become  the  mere  idle  voluptuary,  living  a  life  of  easy  and 
inglorious  indolence.  My  further  musings  were  interrupted 
at  this  moment,  for  the  individual  to  whom  I  had  been  so  com- 
plimentary in  my  reverie,  slowly  arose  from  his  recumbent 
position,  flung  his  loose  mantle  carelessly  across  his  left 
shoulder,  and,  pushing  open  the  sash-door,  entered  my  chamber. 
Directing  his  steps  to  a  large  mirror,  he  stood  for  some  min- 
utes contemplating  himself  with  what,  from  his  attitude,  I 
judged  to  be  no  small  satisfaction.  Though  his  back  was  still 
towards  me,  and  the  dim  twilight  of  the  room  too  uncertain  to 
see  much,  yet  I  could  perceive  that  he  was  evidently  admiring 
himself  in  the  glass.     Of  this  fact  I  had  soon  the  most  complete 


6i2  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

proof ;  for,  as  I  looked,  he  slowly  raised  his  broad-leafed 
Spanish  hat  with  an  air  of  most  imposing  pretension,  and 
bowed  reverently  to  himself, 

"  Come  sta  vostra  scnoria  ?  "  said  he. 

The  whole  gesture  and  style  of  this  proceeding  struck  me  as 
so  ridiculous,  that,  in  spite  of  all  my  efforts,  I  could  scarcely 
repress  a  laugh.  He  turned  quickly  round,  and  approached 
the  bed.  The  deep  shadow  of  the  sombrero  darkened  the 
upper  part  of  his  features,  but  I  could  distinguish  a  pair  of  fierce- 
looking  moustaches  beneath,  which  curled  upwards  towards 
his  eyes,  while  a  stiff  point  beard  stuck  straight  from  his  chin. 
Fearing  lest  my  rude  interruption  had  been  overheard,  I  was 
framing  some  polite  speech  in  Portuguese,  when  he  opened 
the  dialogue  by  asking  in  that  language  how  I  did. 

I  replied,  and  was  about  to  ask  some  questions  relative  to 
where,  and  under  whose  protection  I  then  was,  when  my  grave- 
looking  friend,  giving  a  pirouette  upon  one  leg,  sent  his  hat 
flying  into  the  air,  and  cried  out  in  a  voice  that  not  even  my 
memory  could  fail  to  recognize, — 

"  By  the  rock  of  Cashel  he's  cured  ! — he's  cured  ! — the  fever's 
over  !  Oh,  Master  Charles  dear  !  oh.  Master  darling  !  and  you 
ain't  mad,  after  all  ?  " 

"  Mad  !     no,  faith  !  but  I  shrewdly  suspect  you  must  be." 

"  Oh,  devil  a  taste  !  but  spake  to  me,  honey — spake  to  me, 
acushla." 

"  Where  am  I  ?  Whose  house  is  this  ?  What  do  you  mean 
by  that  disguise — that  beard " 

"  Whisht,  I'll  tell  you  all,  av  you  have  patience  ?  but  are  you 
cured  ? — ^tell  me  that  first ;  sure  they  was  going  to  cut  the  arm 
off  you,  till  you  got  out  of  bed,  and,  with  your  pistols,  sent 
them  flying,  one  out  of  the  window  and  the  other  downstairs  ; 
and  I  bate  the  little  chap  with  the  saw  myself  till  he  couldn't 
know  himself  in  the  glass." 

While  Mike  ran  on  at  this  rate,  I  never  took  my  eyes  from  him, 
and  it  was  all  my  poor  faculties  were  equal  too,  to  convince 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  6 1  ^ 

myself  that  the  whole  scene  was  not  some  vision  of  a  wander- 
ing intellect.  Gradually,  however,  the  well-known  features 
recalled  me  to  myself,  and,  as  my  doubts  gave  way  at  length, 
I  laughed  long  and  heartily  at  the  masquerade  absurdity  of 
his  appearance. 

Mike,  meanwhile,  whose  face  expressed  no  small  mistrust  at 
the  sincerity  of  my  mirth,  having  uncloaked  himself,  proceeded 
to  lay  aside  his  beard  and  moustaches,  saying,  as  he  did  so, — 

•'  There  now,  darling  ;  there  now,  master  dear ;  don't  be 
grinning  that  way  ;  I'll  not  be  a  Portigee  any  more,  av  you'll 
be  quiet  and  listen  to  reason." 

"  But,  Mike,  where  am  I  ?     Answer  me  that  one  question." 

"  You're  at  home,  dear  ;  where  else  would  you  be  ? " 

"  At  home  t  "  said  I,  with  a  start,  as  my  eye  ranged  over  the 
various  articles  of  luxury  and  elegance  around,  so  unlike  the 
more  simple  and  unpretending  features  of  my  uncle's  house — 
"  at  home  ?  " 

"  Ay,  just  so  ;  sure,  isn't  it  the  same  thing.  It's  ould  Don 
Emanuel  that  owns  it ;  and  won't  it  be  your  own — when  you're 
married  to  that  lovely  crayture  herself  1  " 

I  started  up,  and  placing  my  hand  upon  my  throbbing  temples, 
asked  myself  if  I  were  really  awake  ;  or  if  some  flight  of  fancy 
had  not  carried  me  away  beyond  the  bounds  of  reason  and 
sense.  "  Go  on,  go  on  !  "  said  I,  at  length,  in  a  hollow  voice, 
anxious  to  gather  from  his  words  something  like  a  clue  to  this 
mystery.     "  How  did  this  happen  ?  " 

"  Av  ye  mean  how  you  came  here,  faith,  it  was  just  this  way  : 
after  you  got  the  fever,  and  beat  the  doctors,  devil  acne  would 
go  near  you  but  myself  and  the  Major." 

"  The  Major — Major  Monsoon  ?  " 

"  No,  Major  Power  himself.  Well,  he  told  your  friends  up 
here  how  it  was  going  very  hard  with  you,  and  that  you  were 
like  to  die  ;  and  the  same  evening  they  sent  down  a  beautiful 
litter,  as  like  a  hearse  as  two  peas,  for  you,  and  brought  you  up 
iiere  in  state ;  devil  a  thing  was  wanting  but  a   few  people  to 


6i4  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

raise  the  cry  to  make  it  as  fine  a  funeral  as  ever  I  seen  ; 
and  sure,  I  set  up  a  whillilew  myself  in  the  Black  Horse  Square, 
and  the  devils  only  laughed  at  me. 

"  Well,  you  see  they  put  you  into  a  beautiful  elegant  bed,  and 
the  young  lady  herself  sat  down  beside  you,  betune  times 
fanning  you  with  a  big  fan,  and  then  drying  her  eyes,  for  she 
was  weeping  like  a  waterfall.  '  Don  Miguel,'  says  she  to  me, — 
for,  ye  see,  I  put  your  cloak  on  by  mistake  when  I  was  leaving 
the  quarters, — '  Don  Miguel,  questa   hidalgo  e'  vostro  amigo  .-' ' 

"  '  My  most  particular  friend,'  says  I ;  '  God  spare  him  many 
years  to  be  so.' 

"'Then  take  up  your  quarters  here,' said  she,  '  and  don't 
leave  him,  we'll  do  everything  in  our  power  to  make  you 
comfortable.' 

"  '  I'm  not  particular,'  says  I ;  '  the  run  of  the  house ' 

"Then  this  is  the  Villa  Nuova.''  "  said  I,  with  a  faint   sigh. 

"  The  same,"  replied  Mike  ;  "  and  a  sweet  place  it  is  for  eat- 
ing and  drinking — for  wine  in  buckets  full,  av  ye  axed  for  it, — 
for  dancing  and  singing  every  evening,  with  as  pretty  craytures 
as  ever  I  set  eyes  upon.  Upon  my  conscience,  it's  as  good  as 
Galway ;  and  good  manners  it  is  they  have.  What's  more, 
none  of  your  liberties  nor  familiarities  with  strangers,  but  it's 
Don  Miguel,  devil  a  less.  '  Don  Miguel,  av  it's  plazing  to  you 
to  take  a  drop  of  Xeres  before  your  meat .'' ' — or,  '  Would  you 
have  a  shaugh  of  a  pipe  or  cigar  when  you're  done  ? '  That's 
the  way  of  it." 

"  And  Sir  George  Dashwood,"  said  I,  "  has  he  been  here  ? 
has  he  inquired  for  me  ?  " 

"  Every  day,  either  himself  or  one  of  the  staff  comes  gallop- 
ing up  at  luncheon  time  to  ask  after  you;  and  then  they  have 
a  bit  of  tender  discourse  with  the  Senhora  herself.  Oh  !  devil 
a  bit  need  ye  fear  them,  she's  true  blue  ;  and  it  isn't  the  Major's 
fault, — upon  my  conscience  it  isn't ;  for  he  does  be  coming 
the  blarney  over  her  in  beautiful  style." 

"  Does    Miss    Dashwood  ever  visit  here .''  "  said   I,   with    a 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  615 

voice   faltering   and    uncertain    enough     to    have     awakened 
suspicion  in  a  more  practised  observer. 

"  Never  once  ;  and  that's  what  I  call  unnatural  behavior, 
after  you  saving  her  life  ;  and  if  she  wasn't " 

"  Be  silent,  I  say." 

"  Well — well,  there  ;  I  won't  say  any  more  ;  and  sure  it's  time 
for  me  to  be  putting  on  my  beard  again.  I'm  going  to  the  casino 
with  Catrina,  and  sure  it's  with  real  ladies  I  might  be  going 
av  it  wasn't  for  Major  Power,  that  told  them  I  wasn't  a  officer  ; 
but  it's  all  right  again.  I  gave  them  a  great  history  of  the 
Frees,  from  the  time  of  Cuilla  na  Toole,  that  was  one  of  the 
family,  and  a  cousin  of  Moses,  I  believe ;  and  they  behave 
well  to  one  that  comes  from  an  ould  stock." 

"  Don  Miguel  !  Don  Miguel  ! "  said  a  voice  from  the 
garden. 

"  I'm  coming,  my  angel  !  I'm  coming,  my  turtle-dove  !  "  said 
Mike,  arranging  his  moustaches  and  beard  with  amazing  dex- 
terity. "  Ah,  but  it  would  do  your  heart  good  av  you  could 
take  a  peep  at  us  about  twelve  o'clock,  dancing  '  Dirty  James  ' 
for  a  bolero,  and  just  see  Miss  Catrina,  the  lady's  maid,  doing 
'  cover  the  buckle  '  as  neat  as  nature.  There  now,  there's  the 
lemonade  near  your  hand,  and  I'll  leave  you  the  lamp,  and  you 
may  go  asleep  as  soon  as  you  please,  for  Miss  Inez  won't  come 
in  to  night  to  play  the  guitar,  for  the  doctor  said  it  might  do 
you  harm  now." 

So  saying,  and  before  I  could  summon  presence  of  mind  to 
ask  another  question,  Don  Miguel  wrapped  himself  in  tlie 
broad  folds  of  his  Spanish  cloak,  and  strode  from  the  room 
with  the  air  of  an  hidalgo. 

I  slept  but  little  that  night ;  the  full  tide  of  memory  rushing 
in  upon  me,  brought  back  the  hour  of  my  return  to  Lisbon 
and  the  wreck  of  all  my  hopes,  which,  from  the  narrative  of 
my  servant,  I  now  perceived  to  be  complete.  I  dare  not  vent- 
ure upon  recording  how  many  plans  suggested  themselves  to 
my   troubled    spirit,   and    were    in    turn    rejected.      To   meet 


6 1 5  CHARLES  O'MALLE  Y, 

Lucy  Dashvvood — to  make  a  full  and  candid  declaration — to 
acknowledge  that  flirtation  alone  with  Donna  Inez — a  mere 
passing,  boyish  flirtation — had  given  the  coloring  to  my  in- 
nocent passion,  and  that  in  heart  and  soul  I  was  hers,  and 
hers  only.  This  was  my  first  resolve  ;  but,  alas  !  if  I  had  not 
courage  to  sustain  a  common  interview,  to  meet  her  in  the 
careless  crowd  of  a  drawing-room,  what  could  I  do  under  cir- 
cumstances like  these  ?  Besides,  the  matter  would  be  cut 
very  short  by  her  coolly  declaring  that  she  had  neither  right 
nor  inclination  to  listen  to  such  a  declaration.  The  recollec- 
tion of  her  look  as  she  passed  me  to  her  carriage  came  flashing 
across  my  brain  and  decided  this  point.  No,  no  !  I'll  not 
encounter  that ;  however  appearances  for  the  moment  had  been 
against  me,  she  should  not  have  treated  me  thus  coldly  nad 
disdainfully.  It  was  quite  clear  she  had  never  cared  for  me; 
wounded  pride  had  been  her  only  feeling  ;  and  so  as  I  reasoned, 
I  ended  by  satisfying  myself  that  in  that  quarter  all  was  at  end 
forever. 

Now  then  for  dilemma  number  two,  I  thought.  The  Senhora 
— my  first  impulse  was  one  of  anything  but  gratitude  to  her, 
by  whose  kind,  tender  care  my  hours  of  pain  and  suffering  had 
been  soothed  and  alleviated.  But  for  her,  and  I  should  have 
been  spared  all  my  present  embarrassment — all  my  ship- 
wrecked fortunes ;  but  for  her  I  should  now  be  the  aide-de- 
camp residing  in  Sir  George  Dashwood's  own  house,  meeting 
with  Lucy  every  hour  of  the  day,  dining  beside  her,  riding  out 
with  her,  pressing  my  suit  by  every  means  and  with  every 
advantage  of  my  position ;  but  for  her  and  her  dark  eyes — 
and,  by-the-bye,  what  eyes  they  are  !  how  full  of  brilliancy- 
yet  how  teeming  with  an  expression  of  soft  and  melting  sweet, 
ness  ;  and  her  mouth,  too,  how  perfectly  chiselled  those  full  lips 
— how  different  from  the  cold,  unbending  firmness  of  Miss 
Dashwood's — not  but  I  have  seen  Lucy  smile  too,  and  what 
a  sweet  smile  ! — how  it  lighted  up  her  fair  cheek,  and  made 
her  blue  eyes  darken  and  deepen  till  they  looked  like  Heaven's 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  6 1  7 

own  vault.  Yes,  there  is  more  poetry  in  a  blue  eye.  But  still 
Inez  is  a  very  lovely  girl,  and  her  foot  never  was  surpassed  ; 
she  is  a  coquette,  too,  about  that  foot  and  ankle — I  rather  like 
a  woman  to  be  so.  What  a  sensation  she  would  make  in 
England — how  she  would  be  the  rage  !  and  then  I  thought  of 
home  and  Galway,  and  the  astonishment  of  some,  the  admira- 
tion of  others,  as  I  presented  her  as  my  wife  ;  the  congratula- 
tions of  my  friends,  the  wonder  of  the  men,  the  tempered  envy 
of  the  women.  Methought  I  saw  my  uncle,  as  he  pressed  her 
in  his  arms,  say,  "Yes,  Charley,  this  is  a  prize  worth  campaign- 
ing for." 

The  stray  sounds  of  a  guitar  which  came  from  the  garden 
broke  in  upon  my  musings  at  this  moment.  It  seemed  as  if  a 
finger  was  straying  heedlessly  across  the  strings  I  started 
up,  and  to  my  surprise  perceived  it  was  Inez.  Before  I  had 
time  to  collect  myself,  a  gentle  tap  at  the  window  arou?ed  me  ; 
it  opened  softly,  while  from  an  unseen  hand  a  bouquet  of  fresh 
flowers  was  thrown  upon  my  bed  ;  before  I  could  collect  myself 
to  speak,  the  sash  closed  again  and  I  was  alone. 


CHAPTER  LXXXI. 


THE    VISIT. 


Mike's  performances  at  the  masquerade  had  doubtless  been 
of  the  most  distinguished  character,  and  demanded  a  com- 
pensating period  of  repose,  for  he  did  not  make  his  ap- 
pearance the  entire  morning.  Towards  noon,  however,  the 
door  from  the  garden  gently  opened,  and  I  heard  a  step  upon 
the  stone  terrace,  and  something  which  sounded  to  my  ears 
like  the  clank  of  a  sabre.  I  lifted  my  head,  and  saw  Fred 
Power  beside  me. 

I  shall  spare  my  readers  the    recital  of  my  friend,   whichf. 


6i8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

however,  more  full  and  explanatory  of  past  events,  contained 
in  reality  little  more  than  Mickey  Free  had  already  told  me. 
In  fine,  he  informed  me  that  our  army,  by  a  succession  of 
retreating  movements,  had  deserted  the  northern  provinces. 
and  now  occupied  the  intrenched  lines  of  Torres  Vedras. 
That  Massena,  with  a  powerful  force,  was  still  in  march  :  rein- 
forcements daily  pouring  in  upon  him — and  every  expectation 
pointing  to  the  probability  that  he  would  attempt  to  storm  our 
position, 

"  The  wise-heads,"  remarked  Power,  "  talk  of  our  speedy 
embarkation — ^the  sanguine  and  the  hot-brained  rave  of  a  great 
victory,  and  the  retreat  of  Massena ;  but  I  was  up  at  head- 
quarters last  week  with  despatches,  and  saw  Lord  Wellington 
myself." 

"  Well,  what  did  you  make  out  t  Did  he  drop  any  hint  of 
his  own  views  ?  " 

"  Faith,  I  can't  say  he  did.  He  asked  me  some  questions 
about  the  troops  just  landed — he  spoke  a  little  of  the  commis- 
sary department — damned  the  blankets — said  that  green  forage 
was  bad  food  for  the  artillery  horses — sent  me  an  English 
paper  to  read  about  the  O.  P.  riots,  and  said  the  harriers  would 
throw  off  about  six  o'clock,  and  that  he  hoped  to  see  me  at 
dinner." 

I  could  not  restrain  a  laugh  at  Power's  catalogue  of  his 
Lordship's  topics.  "  So,"  said  I,  "  he  at  least  does  not  take  any 
gloomy  views  of  our  present  situation.'' 

"Who  can  tell  what  he  thinks?  he's  ready  to  fight,  if  fight- 
ing will  do  anything — and  to  retreat,  if  that  be  better.  But 
that  he'll  sleep  an  hour  less,  or  drink  a  glass  of  claret  more — 
come  what  will  of  it — I'll  believe  from  no  man  living. 

"We've  lost  one  gallant  thing  in  any  case,  Charley,"  re- 
sumed Power.  "  Busaco  was,  I'm  told,  a  glorious  day,  and 
our  people  were  in  the  heat  of  it.  So  that,  if  we  do  leave  the 
Peninsula  now — that  will  be  a  confounded  chagrin.  Not  for 
you,  my  poor  fellow,  for  you  could  not  stir  ;  but  I  was  so  cursed 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  619 

foolish  to  take  the  staff  appointment :  thus  one  folly  ever  en- 
tails another." 

There  was  a  tone  of  bitterness  in  which  these  words  were 
uttered,  that  left  no  doubt  upon  my  mind  some  arriere peusee 
remained  lurking  behind  them.  My  eyes  met  his — he  bit  his 
lip,  and,  coloring  deeply,  rose  from  the  chair,  and  walked 
towards  the  window. 

The  chance  allusion  of  my  man  Mike  flashed  upon  me  at  the 
moment,  and  I  dared  not  trust  myself  to  break  silence.  I 
now  thought  I  could  trace  in  my  friend's  manner  less  of  that 
gay  and  careless  buoyancy  which  ever  marked  him.  There 
was  a  tone,  it  seemed,  of  more  grave  and  sombre  character, 
and  even  when  he  jested,  the  smile  his  features  bore  was  not 
his  usual  frank  and  happy  one,  and  speedily  gave  way  to  an 
expression  I  had  never  before  remarked.  Our  silence,  which 
had  now  lasted  for  some  minutes,  was  becoming  embarrassing 
— that  strange  consciousness  that,  to  a  certain  extent,  we  were 
reading  each  other's  thoughts,  made  us  both  cautious  of  break- 
ing it;  and  when  at  length,  turning  abruptly  round,  he  asked, 
"  When  I  hoped  to  be  up  and  about  again  ?  "  I  felt  my  heart 
relieved  from  I  knewnot  well  what  load  of  doubt  and  difficulty 
that  oppressed  it.  We  chatted  on  for  some  little  time  longer, 
the  news  of  Lisbon,  and  the  daily  gossip  finishing  our 
topics. 

"  Plenty  of  gaiety,  Charley  !  dinners  and  balls  to  no  end  !  so 
get  well,  my  boy,   and  make  the  most  of  it." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I'll  do  my  best;  but  be  assured  the  first 
use  I'll  make  of  health  will  be  to  join  the  regiment.  I  am 
heartily  ashamed  of  myself  for  all  I  have  lost  already — though 
not  altogether  my  fault." 

"  And  will  you  really  join  at  once  ?  "  said  Power,  with  a 
look  of  eager  anxiety  I  could  not  possibly  account  for. 

"  Of  course  I  will ;  what  have  I — what  can  I  have  to  detain 
me  here  ?  " 

What  reply  he  was  about  to  make  at  this   moment    I   know 


620  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

not,  but  the  door  opened,  and  Mike  announced  Sir  George 
Dashwood. 

"  Gently  !  my  worthy  man,  not  so  loud,  if  you  please  ?  "  said 
the  mild  voice  of  the  General,  as  he  stepped  noiselessly  across 
the  room,  evidently  shocked  at  the  indiscreet  tone  of  my  fol- 
lower.   "  Ah,  Power,  you  here  !  and  our  poor  friend,  how  is  he  ?  " 

"  Able  to  answer  for  himself  at  last,  Sir  George,"  said  I, 
grasping  his  proffered  hand. 

"  My  poor  lad  !  you've  had  a  long  bout  of  it,  but  you've 
saved  your  arm,  and  that's  well  worth  the  lost  time.  Well, 
I've  come  to  bring  you  good  news  ;  there's  been  a  very  sharp 
cavalry  affair,  and  our  fellows  have  been  the  conquerors." 

"  There  again.  Power, — listen  to  that !  We  are  losing  every- 
thing !  " 

"  Not  so,  not  so,  my  boy,"  said  Sir  George,  smiling  blandly, 
but  archly.  "  There  are  conquests  to  be  won  here,  as  well 
as  there  ;  and,  in  your  present  state,  I  rather  think  you  better 
lilted  for  such  as  these." 

Power's  brow  grew  clouded,  he  essayed  a  smile,  but  it 
failed,  and  he  rose  and  hurried  towards  the  window. 

As  for  me,  my  confusion  must  have  led  to  a  very  erroneous 
impression  of  my  real  feelings,  and  I  perceived  Sir  George 
anxious  to  turn  the  channel  of  the  conversation. 

"You  see  but  little  of  your  host,  O'Malley,"  he  resumed; 
"  he  is  ever  from  home ;  but  I  believe  nothing  could  be  kinder 
than  his  arrangements  for  you.  You  are  aware  that  he  kid- 
napped you  from  us  ?  I  had  sent  Forbes  over  to  bring  you  to 
us,  your  room  was  prepared,  everything  in  readiness,  when  he 
met  your  man  Mike,  setting  forth  upon  a  mule,  who  told  him 
you  had  just  taken  your  departure  for  the  villa.  We  both 
had  our  claim  upon  you,  and,  I  believe,  pretty  much  on  the 
same  score.  By-the-bye,  you  have  not  seen  Lucy  since  your 
arrival.  I  never  knew  it  till  yesterday,  when  I  asked  if  she  did 
not  find  you  altered." 

I  blundered  out  some  absurd   reply,  blushed,  corrected  my- 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  6 i  t 

self,  and  got  confused.  Sir  George,  attributing  this,  doubtless, 
to  my  weak  state,  rose  soon  after,  and,  taking  Power  along 
with  him,  remarked,  as  he  left  the  room, — 

"  We  are  too  much  for  him  yet,  I  see  that ;  so  we'll  leave 
him  quiet  some  time  longer." 

Thanking  him  in  my  heart  for  his  true  appreciation  of  my 
state,  I  sank  back  upon  my  pillow  to  think  over  all  I  had  heard 
and  seen. 

"  Well,  Mister  Charles,"  said  Mike,  as  he  came  forward  with 
a  smile,  "  1  suppose  you  heard  the  news  }  The  Fourteenth  bate 
the  French  down  at  Merca  there,  and  took  seventy  prisoners  ; 
but,  sure,  it's  little  good  it'll  do,  after  all." 

"  And  why  not,  Mike  ?  " 

"  Musha  !  isn't  Boney  coming  himself  ?  He's  bringing  all 
the  Roossians  down  with  him,  and  going  to  destroy  us  en- 
tirely." 

"  Not  at  all,  man ;  you  mistake.  He's  nothing  to  do  with 
Russia,  and  has  quite  enough  on  his  hands  at  this  moment." 

"  God  grant  it  was  truth  you  were  talking !  But,  you  see,  I 
read  it  myself  in  the  papers, — or  Sergeant  Haggartydid,  which 
is  the  same  thing,  that  he's  coming  with  the  Cusacks." 

"  With  who  ?— with  what  ?  " 

"With  the  Cusacks." 

*'  What  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?     Who  are  they  ?  " 

"Oh,  Tower  of  Ivory  !  did  you  never  hear  of  the  Cusacks, 
with  the  red  beards,  and  the  red  breeches,  and  long  poles  with 
pike-heads  on  them,  that  docs  all  the  devilment  on  horse- 
back— spiking  and  spitting  the  people  like  larks  ?  " 

"  The  Cossacks,  is  it,  you  mean  ?     The  Cossacks  ? " 

"  Ay,  just  so,  the  Cusacks.  They're  from  Clare  Island,  and 
thereabouts  ;  and  there's  more  of  them  in  Meath.  They're 
my  mother's  people,  and  was  always  real  devils  for  fighting." 

I  burst  out  into  an  immoderate  fit  of  laughing  at  Mike's 
etymology,  which  tlius  converted  Hetman  Platofif  into  a  Gal- 
wav  man. 


622  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"Oh,  murder!  isn't  it  cruel  to  hear  you  laugh  that  way! 
There  now,  alanna  !  be  asy,  and  I'll  tell  you  more  news.  We've 
the  house  to  ourselves  to-day.  The  ould  gentleman's  down  at 
Behlem,  and  the  daughter's  in  Lisbon,  making  great  prepara- 
tion for  a  grand  ball  they're  to  give  when  you  are  quite  well." 

"  I  hope  I  shall  be  with  the  army  in  a  few  days,  Mike ;  and 
certainly,  if  I'm  able  to  move  about,  I'll  not  remain  longer  in 
Lisbon." 

"  Arrah  !  don't  say  so,  now  !  When  was  you  ever  so  comfort- 
able }  Upon  my  conscience,  it's  more  like  Paradise  than  any- 
thing else.  If  ye  see  the  dinner  we  sit  down  to  every  day  !  and, 
as  for  drink — if  it  wasn't  that  I  sleep  on  a  ground-floor,  I'd 
seldom  see  a  blanket." 

"  Well,  certainly,  Mike,  I  agree  with  you,  these  are  hard 
things  to  tear  ourselves  away  from." 

"  Aren't  they  now,  sir  ?  And  then  Miss  Catherine,  I'm  tach- 
ing  her  Irish  !  " 

"  Teaching  her  Irish  !  for  Heaven's  sake,  what  use  can  she 
make  of  Irish  ?  " 

•'  Ah,  the  crayture,  she  doesn't  know  better  ;  and,  as  she  was 
always  bothering  me  to  learn  her  English,  I  promised  one  day 
to  do  it ;  but  ye  see,  somehow,  I  never  was  very  proficient  in 
strange  tongues  ;  so  I  thought  to  myself  Irish  will  do  as  well. 
So,  you  perceive,  we're  taking  a  course  of  Irish  literature,  as 
Mr.  Lynch  says  in  Athlone  \  and,  upon  my  conscience,  she's  an 
apt  scholar." 

"  *  Good  morning  to  you,  Katey,'  says  Mr.  Power  to  her  the 
other  day,  as  he  passed  through  the  hall.     '  Good  morning  my 
dear ;  I  hear  you  speak  English  perfectly  now  ? ' 
'  ■  '*  ilonia  mo7i  diaotil,'  says  she,  making  a  curtsey. 

•  •  "  Be  the  powers,  I  thought  he'd  die  with  the  laughing. 

"  '  Well,  my  dear,  I  hope  you  don't  mean  it — do  you  know 
what  you're  saying  ? ' 

•  "  'Honor  bright.  Major  ! '  saysT— '  honor  bright !  '  and  I  gave 
him  a  wink  at  the  same  time. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiX.  (-,2^^ 

"  '  Oh,  that's  it ! '  said  he,  '  is  it ! '  and  so  he  went  off  holding 
his  hands  to  his  sides  with  the  bare  laughing  ;  and  your  honor 
knows  it  wasn't  a  blessing  she  wished  him,  for  all  that." 


CHAPTER  LXXXII. 

THE    CONFESSION. 

"What  a  strange  position  this  of  mine  !  "  thought  I,  a  few 
mornings  after  the  events  detailed  in  the  last  chapter.  "  How 
very  fascinating  in  some  respects — how  full  of  all  the  charm 
of  romance,  and  how  confoundedly  difficult  to  see  one's  way 
through ! " 

To  understand  my  cogitation  right,  figurez-vous,  my  dear 
yeader,  a  large  and  splendidly  furnished  drawing-room,  from 
one  end  of  which  an  orangery  in  full  blossom  opens  ;  from  the 
other  is  seen  a  delicious  little  boudoir,  where  books,  bronzes, 
pictures  and  statues,  in  all  the  artistique  disorder  of  a  lady's 
sanctum,  are  bathed  in  a  deep  purple  light  from  a  stained  glass 
window  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

At  a  small  table  beside  the  wood  fire,  whose  mellow  light  is 
ilirting  with  the  sunbeams  upon  the  carpet,  stands  an  antique 
silver  breakfast  service,  which  none  but  the  hand  of  Benvenuto 
could  have  chiselled ;  beside  it  sits  a  girl  young  and  beauti- 
ful, her  dark  eyes,  beaming  beneatii  their  long  lashes,  are  fixed 
with  an  expression  of  watchful  interest  upon  a  pale  and  sickly 
youth,  who,  lounging  upon  a  sofa  opposite,  is  carelessly  turning 
over  the  leaves  of  a  new  journal,  or  gazing  steadfastly  on  the 
fretted  gothic  of  the  ceiling,  while  his  thoughts  are  travelling 
many  a  mile  away.  The  lady  being  the  Senhora  Inez  ;  the 
nonchalant  invalid,  your  unworthy  acquaintance,  Charle* 
O'Malley. 

What  a  very  strange  position  to  be  sure. 


624  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"Then  you  are  not  equal  to  this  ball  to-night  ?"  said  she, 
after  a  pause  of  some  minutes. 

I  turned  as  she  spoke  ;  her  words  had  struck  audibly  upon  my 
ear — but,  lost  in  my  reverie,  I  could  but  repeat  my  own  fixed 
thought — how  strange  to  be  so  situated  ! 

"  You  are  really  very  tiresome,  Signor  ;  I  assure  you,  you  are. 
I  have  been  giving  you  a  most  elegant  description  of  the  Casino 
fete,  and  the  beautiful  costume  of  our  Lisbon  belles,  but  I  can 
get  nothing  from  you  but  this  muttered  something,  which  may 
be  very  shocking  for  aught  I  know.  I'm  sure  your  friend,  Major 
Power,  would  be  much  more  attentive  to  me ;  that  is,"  added 
she,  archly,  "  If  Miss  Dashwood  were  not  present." 

"  What — why — you  don't  mean  that  there  is  anything  there — 
that  Power  is  paying  attention  to " 

"  Madre  dh'ina^  how  that  seems  to  interest  you,  and  how  red 
you  are  !  If  it  were  not  that  you  never  met  her  before,  and 
that  your  acquaintance  did  not  seem  to  make  rapid  pro- 
gress, then  I  should  say  you  are  in  love  with  her  yourself." 

I  had  to  laugh  at  this,  but  felt  my  face  flushing  more.  "  And 
so, "  said  I,  affecting  a  careless  and  indifferent  tone,  "  the  gay 
Fred  Power  is  smitten  at  last ! " 

"  Was  it  so  very  difhcult  a  thing  to  accomplish  ? "  said  she, 
slily. 

"  He  seems  to  say  so,  at  least.  And  the  lady,  how  does  she 
appear  to  receive  his  attentions  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  should  say  with  evident  pleasure  and  satisfaction,  as 
all  girls  do  the  advances  of  men  they  don't  care  for,  nor  intend 
to  care  for." 

"Indeed,"  said  I,  slowly  ;  "indeed,  Senhora?  "  looking  into 
her  eyes  as  I  spoke,  as  if  to  read  if  the  lesson  were  destined 
for  my  benefit. 

"There,  don't  stare  so  ! — every  one  knows  that." 

"  So  you  don't  think,  then,  that  Lucy — I  mean  Miss  Dash- 
wood, — why  are  you  laughing  so  ?  " 

"  How  can   I  help  it ;  your  calling   her   Lucy  is    so  good, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  C25 

I  wish  she  heard  it ;  she's  the  very  proudest  gifl  I  ever 
knew." 

"  But  to  come  back  ;  you  really  think  she  does  not  care  for 
him  ? " 

"  Not  more  than  for  you  ;  and  I  may  be  pardoned  for  the 
simile,  having  seen  your  meeting.  But  let  me  give  you  the 
news  of  our  own /tie.  Saturday  is  the  day  fixed  ;  and  you  must 
be  quite  well — I  insist  upon  it.  IMiss  Dashwood  has  promised 
to  come — no  small  concession ;  for,  after  all,  she  has  never 
once  been  here  since  the  day  you  frightened  her.  I  can't  help 
laughing  at  my  blunder — the  two  people  I  had  promised  myself 
should  fall  desperately  in  love  with  each  other,  and  who  will 
scarcely  meet." 

"  But  I  trusted,"  said  I,  pettishly,  "  that  you  were  not  dis- 
posed to  resign  your  own  interest  in  me  ?  " 

"  Neither  was  I,"  said  she,  with  an  easy  smile,  "  except  that 
I  have  so  many  admirers.  I  might  even  spare  to  my  friends  ; 
though,  after  all,  I  should  be  sorry  to  lose  you^I  like 
you." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  half  bitterly,  "  as  girls  do  those  they  never 
intend  to  care  for ;  is  it  not  so  ? " 

"  Perhaps  yes,  and  perhaps But  is  it  going  to  rain  .' 

How  provoking  !  and  I  have  ordered  my  horse.  Well,  Signer 
Carlos,  I  leave  you  to  your  delightful  newspaper,  and  all  the 
magnificent  descriptions  of  battles,  and  sieges,  and  skirmishes 
for  which  you  seem  doomed  to  pine  without  ceasing.  There, 
don't  kiss  my  hand  twice  ;  that's  not  right." 

"  Well,  let  me  begin  again " 

"I  shall  not  breakfast  with  you  any  more  ;  but,  tell  me,  am 
I  to  order  a  costume  for  you  \n  Lisbon  ;  or  will  you  arrange  all 
that  yourself  ?     You  must  come  to  \\\Q.fc/e,  you  know." 

"  If  you  would  be  so  very  kind." 

"  I  will,  then,  be  so  very  kind  ;  and,  once  more,  aiiios."     So 
saying,  and   with  a  slight  motion   of  her  hand,  she  smiled  a 
good-bye,  and  left  me. 
40 


626  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"What  a  lovely  girl!"  thought  I,  as  I  rose  and  walked  to 
the  window,  muttering  to  myself  Othello's  line,  and 

"  when  I  love  thee  not,  chaos  is  come  again." 

In  fact,  it  was  the  perfect  expression  of  my  feeling — the  only 
solution  to  all  the  difficulties  surrounding  me,  being  to  fall  des- 
perately, irretrievably  in  love  with  the  fair  Senhora,  which,  all 
things  considered,  was  not  a  very  desperate  resource  for  a 
gentleman  in  trouble.  As  I  thought  over  the  hopelessness  of 
one  attachment,  I  turned  calmly  to  consider  all  the  favorable 
points  of  the  other.  She  was  truly  beautiful,  attractive  in  every 
sense  ;  her  manner  most  fascinating,  and  her  disposition,  so 
far  as  I  could  pronounce,  perfectly  amiable.  I  felt  already 
something  more  than  interest  about  her ;  how  very  easy  would 
be  the  transition  to  a  stronger  feeling  !  There  was  an  eclat,  too, 
about  being  her  accepted  lover  that  had  its  charm.  She  was 
the  belle /«r  excellence  of  Lisbon  ;  and  then  a  sense  of  pique 
crossed  my  mind  as  I  reflected,  what  whould  Lucy  say  of  him 
whom  she  had  slighted  and  insulted,  when  he  became  the 
husband  of  the  beautiful  and  millionaire  Senhora  Inez  ? 

As  my  meditations  had  reached  thus  far,  the  door  opened 
stealthily,  and  Catherine  appeared,  her  finger  upon  her  lips, 
and  her  gesture  indicating  caution.  She  carried  on  her  arm  a 
mass  of  drapery  covered  by  a  large  mantle,  which,  throwing 
ofif  as  she  entered,  she  displayed  before  me  a  rich  blue  domino 
with  silver  embroidery.  It  was  large  and  loose  in  its  folds,  so 
as  thoroughly  to  conceal  the  figure  of  any  wearer.  This  she 
held  up  before  me  for  an  instant  without  speaking  ;  when  at 
length,  seeing  my  curiosity  €ully  excited,  she  said, — 

"  This  is  the  Senhora's  domino.  I  should  be  ruined  if  she 
knew  I  showed  it;  but  I  promised — that  is,  I  told " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  understand,"  relieving  her  embarrassment  about 
the  source  of  her  civilities  ;  "go  on." 

"Well,  there  are  several  others  like  it,  but  with  this  small 
difference,  instead  of  a  carnation,  which  .all  the  others  have 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  627 

embroidered  upon  the  cuff,  I  have  made  it  a  rose — you  per- 
ceive ?  La  Senhora  knows  nothing  of  this — none  save  your- 
self knows  it.     I'm  sure  I  may  trust  you  with  the  secret." 

"  Fear  not  in  the  least,  Catherine  ;  you  have  rendered  me  a 
great  service.  Let  me  look  at  it  once  more  ;  ah,  there's  no 
difficulty  in  detecting  it.  And  you  are  certain  she  is  unaware 
of  it  ? " 

"  Perfectly  so  ;  she  has  several  other  costumes,  but  in  this  one 
I  know  she  intends  some  surprise,  so  be  upon  your  guard." 

"  With  these  words,  carefully  once  more  concealing  the  rich 
dress  beneath  the  mantle,  she  withdrew ;  while  I  strolled  forth 
to  wonder  what  mystery  might  lie  beneath  this  scheme,  and 
speculate  how  far  I  myself  was  included  in  the  plot  she  spoke 

of. 

******** 

******** 

For  the  few  days  which  succeeded,  I  passed  my  time  much 
alone.  The  Senhora  was  but  seldom  at  home;  and  I  remarked 
that  Power  rarely  came  to  see  me.  A  strange  feeling  of  half- 
coolness  had  latterly  grown  between  us,  and,  instead  of  the 
open  confidence  we  formerly  indulged  in  when  together,  we 
appeared  now  rather  to  chat  over  things  of  mere  every-day 
interest  than  of  our  own  immediate  plans  and  prospects.  There 
was  a  kind  of  preoccupation,  too,  in  his  manner  that  struck  me  ; 
his  mind  seemed  ever  straying  from  the  topics  he  talked  of  to 
something  remote,  and,  altogether,  he  was  no  longer  the  frank 
and  reckless  dragoon  I  had  ever  known  him.  What  could  be 
the  meaning  of  this  change  ?  Had  he  found  out  by  any 
accident  tliat  I  was  to  blame  in  my  conduct  towards  Lucy — had 
any  erroneous  impression  of  my  interview  with  her  reached  his 
ears?  This  was  most  improbable;  besides,  tliere  was  nothing 
in  that  to  draw  down  liis  ccinsure  or  coiKK'nuialion,  however 
represented  ;  and  was  it  that  he  was  himself  in  love  with  her 
— that,  devoted  heart  and  soul  to  Lucy,  he  regarded  me  as  a 
successful  rival,  preferred  before  him  !     Oh,  how  could  I  have 


628  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

SO  long  blinded  myself  to  the  fact !  This  was  the  true  solution 
of  the  whole  difficulty.  I  had  more  than  once  suspected  this 
to  be  so  ;  now  all  the  circumstances  of  proof  poured  in  upon 
me.  I  called  to  mind  his  agitated  manner  the  night  of  my 
arrival  in  Lisbon,  his  thousand  questions  concerning  the  rea- 
sons of  my  furlough ;  and  then,  lately,  the  look  of  unfeigned 
pleasure  with  which  he  heard  me  resolve  to  join  my  regiment 
the  moment  I  was  sufficiently  recovered.  I  remembered  also 
how  assiduously  he  pressed  his  intimacy  with  the  Senhora, 
Lucy's  dearest  friend  here  ;  his  continual  visits  at  the  villa ; 
those  long  walks  in  the  garden,  where  his  very  look  betokened 
some  confidential  mission  of  the  heart.  Yes,  there  was  no 
doubt  of  it,  he  loved  Lucy  Dashwood  !  Alas  !  there  seemed 
to  be  no  end  to  the  complication  of  my  misfortunes ;  one  by 
one  I  appeared  fated  to  lose  whatever  had  a  hold  upon  my 
affections,  and  to  stand  alone,  unloved  and  uncared  for  in  the 
world.  My  thoughts  turned  towards  the  Senhora,  but  I  could 
not  deceive  myself  into  any  hope  there.  My  own  feelings 
were  untouched,  and  hers  I  felt  to  be  equally  so.  Young  as  I 
was,  there  was  no  mistaking  the  easy  smile  of  coquetry,  the 
merry  laugh  of  flattered  vanity,  for  a  deeper  and  holier  feeling. 
And  then  I  did  not  wish  it  otherwise.  One  only  had  taught 
me  to  feel  how  ennobling,  how  elevating,  in  all  its  impulses 
can  be  a  deep-rooted  passion  for  a  young  and  beautiful  girl ! 
From  her  eyes  alone  had  I  caught  the  inspiration — that  made 
me  pant  for  glory  and  distinction.  I  could  not  transfer  the 
allegiance  of  my  heart,  since  it  had  taught  that  very  heart  to 
beat  high  and  proudly.  Lucy,  lost  to  me  forever  as  she  must 
be,  was  still  more  than  any  other  woman  ever  could  be ;  all  the 
past  clung  to  her  memory,  all  the  prestige  of  the  future  must 
point  to  it  also. 

And  Power,  why  had  he  not  trusted — why  had  he  not  confided 
in  me  ?  Was  this  like  my  old  and  tried  friend  ?  Alas  !  I  was 
forgetting  that  in  his  eye  I  was  the  favored  rival,  and  not  the 
despised,  rejected  suitor. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  629 

"  It  is  past  now,"  thought  I,  as  I  rose  and  walked  into  the 
garden  ;  "  the  dream  that  made  life  a  fairy  tale  is  dispelled : 
the  cold  reality  of  the  world  is  before  me,  and  my  path  lies  a 
lonely  and  solitary  one."  My  first  resolution  was  to  see 
Power,  and  relieve  his  mind  of  any  uneasiness  as  regarded  my 
pretensions ;  they  existed  no  longer.  As  for  me,  I  was  no 
obstacle  to  his  happiness  ;  it  was,  then,  but  fair  and  honorable 
that  I  should  tell  him  so  ;  this  done,  I  should  leave  Lisbon  at 
once ;  the  cavalry  had  for  the  most  part  been  ordered  to  the 
rear ;  still  there  was  always  something  going  forward  at  the 
outposts. 

The  idea  of  active  service,  the  excitement  of  a  campaigning 
life,  cheered  me,  and  I  advanced  along  the  dark  alley  of  the 
garden  with  a  lighter  and  a  freer  heart.  My  resolves  were 
not  destined  to  meet  delay ;  as  I  turned  the  angle  of  a  walk, 
Power  was  before  me.  He  was  leaning  against  a  tree,  his 
hands  crossed  upon  his  bosom,  his  head  bowed  forward,  and 
his  whole  air  and  attitude  betokening  deep  reflection. 

He  started  as  I  came  up,  and  seemed  almost  to  change 
color. 

"  Well,  Charley,"  said  he,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "you  look 
better  this  morning.     How  goes  the  arm  t  " 

"The  arm  is  ready  for  service  again,  and  its  owner  most 
anxious  for  it.  Do  you  know,  Fred,  I'm  thoroughly  weary  of 
this  life." 

"They're  little  better,  however,  at  the  lines.  The  French 
are  in  position,  but  never  adventure  a  movement ;  and,  except 
some  few  affairs  at  the  pickets,  there  is  really  nothing  to  do." 

"  No  matter,  remaining  here  can  never  serve  one's  interests, 
and  besides,  I  have  accomplished  what  I  came  for " 

I  was  about  to  add,  "  the  restoration  of  my  health,"  when  he 
suddenly  interrupted  me,  eyeing  me  fixedly  as  he  spoke. 

"  Indeed  !  indeed  !     Is  that  so  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  half  puzzled  at  the  tone  and  manner  of  the 
speecli  ;  "  I  can  join  now  when  I   please  ;  meanwhile,  Fred,  I 


630  CHARLES    a M ALLEY, 

have  been  thinking  of  you.  Yes,  don't  be  surprised,  at  the 
very  moment  we  met  you  were  in  my  thoughts." 

I  took  his  arm  as  I  said  this,  and  led  him  down  the  alley. 

"  We  are  too  old,  and,  I  trust,  too  true  friends,  Fred,  to  have 
secrets  from  each  other,  and  yet  we  have  been  playing  this 
silly  game  for  some  weeks  past.  Now,  my  dear  fellow,  I  have 
yours,  and  it  is  only  fair  justice  you  should  have  mine,  and, 
faith,  I  feel  you'd  have  discovered  it  long  since,  had  your 
thoughts  been  as  free  as  I  have  known  them  to  be.  Fred,  you 
are  in  love  ;  there,  don't  wince,  man,  I  know  it ;  but  hear  me 
out.  You  believe  me  to  be  so  also  ;  nay,  more,  you  think  that 
my  chances  of  success  are  better,  stronger  than  your  own  ; 
learn,  then,  that  I  have  none — absolutely  none.  Don't  interrupt 
me  now,  for  this  avowal  cuts  me  deeply ;  my  own  heart  alone 
knows  what  I  suffer  as  I  record  my  wrecked  fortunes  ;  but  I 
repeat  it,  my  hopes  are  at  end  forever  ;  but,  Fred,  my  boy,  I 
cannot  lose  my  friend  too.  If  I  have  been  the  obstacle  to 
your  path,  I  am  so  no  more.  Ask  me  not  why ;  it  is  enough 
that  I  speak  in  all  truth  and  sincerity.  Ere  three  days  I  shall 
leave  this,  and  with  it  all  the  hopes  that  once  beamed  upon  my 
fortunes,  and  all  the  happiness, — nay,  not  all,  my  boy,  for  I  feel 
some  thrill  at  my  heart  yet,  as  I  think  that  I  have  been  true  to 
you." 

I  know  not  what  more  I  spoke,  nor  how  he  replied  to  me.  I 
felt  the  warm  grasp  of  his  hand,  I  saw  his  delighted  smile ; 
the  words  of  grateful  acknowledgments  his  lips  uttered  conveyed 
but  an  imperfect  meaning  to  my  ear,  and  I  rem.embered  no 
more. 

The  courage  which  sustained  me  for  the  moment  sank  grad- 
ually as  I  meditated  over  my  avowal,  and  I  could  scarce  help 
accusing  Power  of  a -breach  of  friendship  for  exacting  a  con- 
fession which,  in  reality,  I  had  volunteered  to  give  him.  How 
Lucy  herself  would  think  of  my  conduct  was  ever  occurring  to 
my  thoughts,  and  I  felt,  as  I  ruminated  upon  the  conjectures 
it  might  give  rise  to,  how  much  more  likely  a  favorable  opinion 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  631 

might  now  be  formed  of  me,  than  when  such  an  estimation 
could  have  crowned  me  with  delight. 

"Yes,"  thought  I,  "she  will  at  last  learn  to  know  him,  who 
loved  her  with  truth  and  with  devoted  affection  ;  and,  when  the 
blight  of  all  his  hopes  is  accomplished,  the  fair  fame  of  his 
fidelity  will  be  proved.  The  march,  the  bivouac,  the  battle- 
field, are  now  all  to  me,  and  the  campaign  alone  presents  a 
prospect  which  may  fill  up  the  aching  void  that  disappointed 
and  ruined  hopes  have  left  behind  them." 

How  I  longed  for  the  loud  call  of  the  trumpet,  the  clash  of 
the  steel,  the  tramp  of  the  warhorse  ;  though  the  proud  dis- 
tinction of  a  soldier's  life  were  less  to  me  in  the  distance  than 
the  mad  and  whirlwind  passion  of  a  charge,  and  the  loud  din  of 
the  rolling  artillery. 

It  was  only  some  hours  after,  as  I  sat  alone  in  my  chamber, 
that  all  the  circumstances  of  our  meeting  came  back  clearly  to 
my  memory,  and  I  could  not  help  muttering  to  myself, — 

"  It  is  indeed  a  hard  lot,  that,  to  cheer  the  heart  of  my  friend, 
I  must  bear  witness  to  the  despair  that  shed  darkness  on  my 
own." 


CHAPTER  LXXXIII. 


MV    CHARGER. 


Although  I  felt  my  heart  relieved  of  a  heavy  load  by  the  con- 
fession I  had  made  to  Power,  yet  still  I  shrank  from  meeting 
him  for  some  days  after ;  a  kind  of  fear  lest  he  should  in  any 
way  recur  to  our  conversation  continually  beset  me,  and  I  felt 
that  the  courage  which  bore  me  up  for  my  first  effort  would 
desert  me  on  the  next  occasion. 

My  determination  to  join  my  regiment  was  now  made  up, 
and  I  sent  forward  a  resignation  of  my  appointment  to  Sir 
George  Dashwood's  staff,  which  f  had  never  been  in  health  to 


632  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fulfil,  and  commenced  with  energy  all  my  preparations  for  a 
speedy  departure. 

The  reply  to  my  rather  formal  letter  was  a  most  kind  note 
written  by  himself.  He  regretted  the  unhappy  cause  which 
had  so  long  separated  us,  and  though  wishing,  as  he  expressed 
it,  to  have  me  near  him,  perfectly  approved  of  my  resolution. 

"  Active  service  alone,  my  dear  boy,  can  ever  place  you  in 
the  position  you  ought  to  occupy,  and  I  rejoice  the  more  at 
your  decision  in  this  matter,  as  I  feared  the  truth  of  certain 
reports  here,  which  attributed  to  you  other  plans  than  those 
which  a  campaign  suggests.  My  mind  is  now  easy  on  this 
score,  and  I  pray  you  forgive  me  if  my  congratulations  are  7nal 
a  propos.''^ 

After  some  hints  for  my  future  management,  and  a  promise 
of  some  letters  to  his  friends  at  head-quarters,  he  con- 
cluded : — 

"  As  this  climate  does  not  seem  to  suit  my  daughter,  I  have 
applied  for  a  change,  and  am  in  daily  hope  of  obtaining  it. 
Before  going,  however,  I  must  beg  your  acceptance  of  the  char- 
ger which  my  groom  will  deliver  to  your  servant  with  this.  I 
was  so  struck  with  his  figure  and  action,  that  I  purchased  him 
before  leaving  England,  without  well  knowing  w^hy  or  wherefore. 
Pray  let  him  see  some  service  under  your  auspices,  which  he 
is  most  unlikely  to  do  under  mine.  He  has  plenty  of  bone  to 
be  a  weight-carrier,  and  they  tell  me  also  that  he  has  speed 
enough  for  anything." 

Mike's  voice  in  the  lawn  beneath  interrupted  my  reading 
further,  and,  on  looking  out,  I  perceived  him  and  Sir  George 
Dashwood's  servant  standing  beside  a  large  and  striking-look- 
ing horse,  which  they  were  both  examining  with  all  the  critical 
accuracy  of  adepts. 

"  Arrah,  isn't  he  a  darling,  a  real  beauty,  every  inch  of 
him  ? " 

"That  'ere  splint  don't  signify  nothing  ;  he  aren't  the  worse 
of  it,"  said  the  English  groom, 


THE  JRISII  DRAGOON.  633 

"  Of  coorse  it  doesn't,"  replied  Mike.  *'  What  a  forehand  ! 
and  the  legs,  clean  as  a  whip." 

"  There's  the  best  of  him,  though,"  interrupted  the  other, 
patting  the  strong  hind-quarters  with  his  hand.  "  There's  the 
stuff  to  push  him  along  through  heavy  ground  and  carry  him 
over  timber." 

"  Or  a  stone  wall,"  said  Mike,  thinkini,^  of  Galway. 

My  own  impatience  to  survey  my  present  had  now  brought 
me  into  the  conclave,  and  before  many  minutes  were  over  I 
had  him  saddled,  and  was  cantering  around  the  lawn  with  a 
spirit  and  energy  I  had  not  felt  for  months  long.  Some  small 
fences  lay  before  me,  and  over  these  he  carried  me  with 
all  the  ease  and  freedom  of  a  trained  hunter.  My  courage 
mounted  with  the  excitement,  and  I  looked  eagerly  around  for 
some  more  bold  and  dashing  leap. 

"  You  may  take  him  over  the  avenue  gate,"  said  the  English 
groom,  divining,  with  a  jockey's  readiness,  what  I  looked  for ; 
"  he'll  do  it,  never  fear  him." 

Strange  as  my  equipment  was,  with  an  undress  jacket  flying 
loosely  open,  and  a  bare  head,  away  I  went.  The  gate  which 
the  groom  spoke  of  was  a  strongly  barred  one  of  oak  timber, 
nearly  five  feet  high — its  difficulty  as  a  leap  only  consisted  in 
the  winding  approach,  and  the  fact  that  it  opened  upon  a  hard 
road  beyond  it. 

In  a  second  or  two  a  kind  of  half  fear  came  across  me.  My 
long  illness  had  unnerved  me,  and  my  limbs  felt  weak  and 
yielding  ;  but  as  I  pressed  into  the  canter,  that  secret  sympathy 
between  the  horse  and  his  rider  shot  suddenly  through  me,  I 
pressed  my  spurs  to  his  flanks,  and  dashed  him  at  it. 

Unaccustomed  to  such  treatment,  the  noble  animal  bounded 
madly  forward  ;  with  two  tremendous  plunges  he  sprang  wildly 
in  the  air,  and  shaking  his  long  mane  with  passion,  stretched 
out  at  the  gallop. 

My  own  blood  boiled  now  as  tempestuously  as  his  ;  and, 
with  a  shout  of  reckless  triumph,  I  rose  him  at  the  gate.     Just 


634  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

at  the  instant  two  figures  appeared  before  it — the  copse  had 
concealed  their  approach  hitherto — but  they  stood  now,  as  if 
transfixed  ;  the  wild  attitude  of  the  horse,  the  not  less  wild 
cry  of  his  rider,  had  deprived  them  for  a  time  of  all  energy  ; 
and,  overcome  by  the  sudden  danger,  they  seemed  rooted  to  the 
ground.  What  I  said,  spoke,  begged,  or  imprecated.  Heaven 
knows — not  I.  But  they  stirred  not !  One  moment  more,  and 
they  must  lie  trampled  beneath  my  horse's  hoofs — he  was 
already  on  his  haunches  for  the  bound  ;  when,  wheeling  half 
aside,  I  faced  him  at  the  wall.  It  was  at  least  a  foot  higher, 
and  of  solid  stone  masonry,  and  as  I  did  so,  I  felt  that  I  was 
perilling  my  life  to  save  theirs.  One  vigorous  dash  of  the  spur 
I  gave  him,  as  I  lifted  him  to  the  leap — he  bounded  beneath  it 
quick  as  lightning — still,  with  a  spring  like  a  rocket,  he  rose 
into  the  air,  cleared  the  wall,  and  stood  trembling  and  frightened 
on  the  road  outside. 

'•Safe,  by  Jupiter!  and  splendidly  done  too,"  cried  a  voice 
near  me,  that  I  immediately  recognized  as  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood's. 

''  Lucy,  my  love,  look  up — Lucy,  my  dear,  there's  no  danger 
now.  She  has  fainted.  O'Malley,  fetch  some  water — fast. 
Poor  fellow — your  own  nerves  seem  shaken,  ^^'hy,  you've  let 
your  horse  go  !  Come  here,  for  Heaven's  sake  ! — support  her 
for  an  instant.     I'll  fetch  some  water." 

It  appeared  to  me  like  a  dream — I  leaned  against  the  pillar 
of  the  gate — the  cold  and  death-like  features  of  Lucy  Dash- 
wood  lay  motionless  upon  my  arm — her  hand,  falling  heavily 
upon  my  shoulder,  touched  my  cheek — the  tramp  of  my  horse, 
as  he  galloped  onward,  was  the  only  sound  that  broke  the 
silence,  as  I  stood  there,  gazing  steadfastly  upon  the  pale  brow 
and  paler  cheek,  down  which  a  solitary  tear  was  slowly  steal- 
ing. I  knew  not  how  the  minutes  passed— my  memory  took 
no  note  of  time,  but  at  length  a  gentle  tremor  thrilled  her 
frame,  a  slight,  scarce-perceptible  blush  colored  her  fair  face, 
her  lips  slightly  parted,  and  heaving  a  deep  sigh,  she  looked 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOA'.  635 

around  her.  Gradually  her  eyes  turned  and  met  mine.  Oh, 
the  bliss  unutterable  of  that  moment.  It  was  no  longer  the 
look  of  cold  scorn  she  had  given  me  last — the  expression  was 
one  of  soft  and  speaking  gratitude — she  seemed  to  read  my 
very  heart,  and  know  its  truth  :  there  was  a  tone  of  deep  and 
compassionate  interest  in  the  glance  ;  and  forgetting  all — every- 
thing that  had  passed — all  save  my  unaltered,  unalterable  love, 
I  kneeled  beside  her,  and,  in  words  burning  as  my  own  heart 
burned,  poured  out  my  tale  of  mingled  sorrow  and  affection 
with  all  the  eloquence  of  passion.  I  vindicated  my  unshaken 
faith — reconciling  the  conflicting  evidences  with  the  proofs  I 
proffered  of  my  attachment.  If  my  moments  were  measured 
— I  spent  them  not  idly  ;  I  called  to  witness  how  every  action 
of  my  soldier's  life  emanated  from  her — how  her  few  and  chance 
words  had  decided  the  character  of  my  fate — if  aught  of  fame 
or  honor  were  my  portion,  to  her  I  owed  it.  As,  hurried 
onwards  by  my  ardent  hopes,  I  forgot  Power  and  all  about 
him — a  step  up  the  gravel  walk  came  rapidly  nearer,  and  I  had 
but  time  to  assume  my  former  attitude  beside  Lucy  as  her 
father  came  up. 

"  Well,  Charley,  is  she  better  ?  Oh,  I  see  she  is  :  here,  we 
have  the  whole  household  at  our  heels."  So  saying,  he  pointed 
to  a  string  of  servants  pressing  eagerly  forward  with  every 
species  of  restorative  that  Portuguese  ingenuity  has  invented. 

The  next  moment  we  were  joined  by  the  Senhora,  who,  pale 
with  fear,  seemed  scarcely  less  in  need  of  assistance  than  her 
friend. 

yVmid  questions  innumerable — explanations  sought  for  on  all 
side — mistakes  and  misconceptions  as  to  the  whole  occurrence 
— we  took  our  way  towards  the  villa,  Lucy  walking  between 
Sir  George  and  Donna  Inez,  while  I  followed,  leaning  upon 
Power's  arm. 

"They've  caught  him  again,  O'Malley,"  said  the  General, 
turning  half  round  to  me  ;  "  he,  too,  seemed  as  much  frightened 
as  anv  of  us." 


636  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  It  is  time,  Sir  George,  I  should  think  of  thanking  you.  I 
never  was  so  mounted  in  my  life " 

"  A  splendid  charger,  by  Jove  !  "  said  Power  ;  "  but,  Charley, 
my  lad,  no  more  feats  of  this  nature,  if  you  love  me.  No  girl's 
heart  will  stand  such  continual  assaults  as  your  winning  horse- 
manship submits  it  to." 

I  was  about  making  some  half-angry  reply,  when  he  con- 
tinued :  "  There,  don't  look  sulky  ;  I  have  news  for  you.  Quill 
has  just  arrived.  I  met  him  at  Lisbon  ;  he  has  got  leave  of 
absence  for  a  few  days,  and  is  coming  to  our  masquerade  here 
this  evening." 

"  This  evening  !  "  said  I,  in  amazement  ;  "  why,  is  it  so 
soon  ? " 

"  Of  course  it  is.  Have  you  not  got  all  your  trappings  ready  ? 
The  Dashwoods  came  out  here  on  purpose  to  spend  the  day — 
but  come,  I'll  drive  you  into  town.  My  tilbury  is  ready,  and 
we'll  both  look  out  for  our  costumes."  So  saying,  he  led  me 
along  towards  the  house,  when,  after  a  rapid  change  of  my 
toilet,  we  set  out  for  Lisbon. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 

MAURICE. 

It  seemed  a  conceded  matter  between  Power  and  myself  that 
we  should  never  recur  to  the  conversation  we  held  in  the 
garden  ;  and  so,  although  we  dined  tete-a-tete  that  day,  neither 
of  us  ventured,  by  any  allusion  the  most  distant,  to  advert  to 
•what  it  was  equally  evident  was  uppermost  in  the  minds  of 
both. 

All  our  endeavors,  therefore,  to  seem  easy  and  unconcerned, 
were  in  vain  ;  a  restless  anxiety  to  seem  interested  about  things 
and  persons  we  were  totally  indifferent  to,  pervaded   all  our 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  637 

essays  at  conversation.  By  degrees,  we  grew  weary  of  the 
parts  we  were  acting,  and  each  relapsed  into  a  moody  silence, 
thinking  over  his  plans  and  projects,  and  totally  forgetting  the 
existence  of  the  other. 

The  decanter  was  passed  across  the  table  without  speaking, 
a  half  nod  intimated  the  bottle  was  standing ;  and,  except  an 
occasional  malediction  upon  an  intractable  cigar,  nothing  was 
heard. 

Such  was  the  agreeable  occupation  we  were  engaged  in,  when, 
towards  nine  o'clock,  the  door  opened,  and  the  great  Maurice 
himself  stood  before  us. 

"  Pleasant  fellows,  upon  my  conscience,  and  jovial  over  their 
liquor!  Confound  your  smoking  !  That  may  do  very  well  in 
a  bivouac.     Let  us  have  something  warm  !  " 

Quill's  interruption  was  a  most  welcome  one  to  both  parties, 
and  we  rejoiced  with  a  sincere  pleasure  at  his  coming. 

"  \\'hat  shall  it  be,  Maurice  ?  Port  or  sherry  mulled,  and  ar^. 
anchovy  ? " 

"  Or,  what  say  you  to  a  bowl  of  bishop  ? "  said  I. 

"  Hurrah  for  the  church,  Charley  !  Let  us  have  the  bishop  ; 
and,  not  to  disparage  Fred's  taste,  we'll  be  eating  the  anchovy 
while  the  liquor's  concocting." 

"  Well,  Maurice,  and  now  for  the  news.  How  arc  matters 
at  Torres  Vedras  ?     Anything  like  movement  in  that  quarter  ?  " 

"  Nothing  very  remarkable.  Massena  made  a  reconnaissance 
some  days  since,  and  one  of  our  batteries  threw  a  shower  of 
grape  among  the  staff,  which  spoiled  the  procession,  and  sent 
them  back  in  very  disorderly  time.  Then  we've  had  a  few 
skirmishes  to  the  front  with  no  great  results — a  few  courts- 
martial — bad  grub,  and  plenty  of  grumbling." 

"Why,  what  would  they  have?  It's  a  great  thing  to  hold 
the  French  army  in  check  within  a  few  marches  of  Lisbon." 

"  Charley,  my  man,  who  cares  twopence  for  the  French 
army,  or  Lisbon,  or  the  Portuguese,  or  the  Junta,  or  anything 
about  it? — every  man  is  pondering  over  his  own  affairs.     C)ne 


638  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fellow  wants  to  get  home  again,  and  be  sent  upon  some  re- 
cruiting station.  Another  wishes  to  get  a  step  or  two  in  pro- 
motion, to  come  to  Torres  Vedras,  where  even  \}i\^gra7ide  anuee 
can't.  Then  some  of  us  are  in  love,  and  some  of  us  are  in 
debt.  There  is  neither  glory  nor  profit  to  be  had.  But  here's 
the  bishop,  smoking  and  steaming,  with  an  odor  of  nectar ! " 

"  And  our  fellows,  have  you  seen  them  lately  .-• " 

"  I  dined  with  yours  on  Tuesday.— Was  it  Tuesday  ?  Yes.  I 
dined  with  them.  By-the-bye,  Sparks  was  taken  prisoner  that 
morning." 

"  Sparks  taken  prisoner  !  Poor  fellow.  I  am  sincerely 
sorry.     How  did  it  happen,  Maurice  .-•  " 

"  Very  simply.  Sparks  had  a  forage  patrol  towards  Vieda, 
and  set  out  early  in  the  morning  with  his  party.  It  seemed 
that  they  succeeded  perfectly,  and  were  returning  to  the  lines, 
when  poor  Sparks,  always  susceptible  where  the  sex  are  con- 
cerned, saw,  or  thought  he  saw,  a  lattice  gently  open  as  he 
rode  from  the  village  and  a  very  taper  finger  make  a  signal  to 
him.  Dropping  a  little  behind  the  rest,  he  waited  till  his  men 
had  debouched  upon  the  road,  when,  riding  quietly  up,  he 
coughed  a  couple  of  times  to  attract  the  fair  unknown — a 
handkerchief  waved  from  the  lattice  in  reply,  which  was  speedily 
closed,  and  our  valiant  Cornet  accordingly  dismounted  and 
entered  the  house. 

"  The  remainder  of  the  adventure  is  soon  told ;  for,  in  a  few 
seconds  after,  two  men  mounted  on  one  horse  were  seen  gallop- 
ing at  top  speed  towards  the  French  lines, — the  foremost  being 
a  French  officer  of  the  4th  Cuirassiers ;  the  gentleman  with  his 
face  to  the  tail,  our  friend  Sparks  ;  the  lovely  unknown  being 
a  vicille  moustache  of  Loison's  corps,  who  had  been  wounded  in 
a  skirmish  some  days  before,  and  lay  waiting  an  opportunity 
of  rejoining  his  party.  One  of  our  prisoners  knew  this  fellow 
well ;  he  had  been  promoted  from  the  ranks,  and  was  a  Her- 
cules for  feats  of  strength ;  so  that,  after  all,  Sparky  cQuId  not; 
help  hiipself," 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  639 

"  Well,  I'm  really  sorry ;  but,  as  you  say,  Sparks's  tender 
nature  is  always  the  ruin  of  him." 

"Of  him!  ay,  and  of  you — and  of  Power — and  of  myself — 
of  all  of  us.  Isn't  it  the  sweet  creatures  that  make  fools  of  us 
from  Father  Adam  down  to  Maurice  Quill,  neither  sparing  age 
nor  rank  in  the  service,  half-pay,  nor  the  veteran  battalion — 
it's  all  one  ?     Pass  the  jug,  there.     O'Shaughnessy " 

"  Ah,  by-the-bye,  how's  the  Major  ?  " 

"  Charmingly ;  only  a  little  bit  in  a  scrape  just  now.  Sir 
Arthur — Lord  Wellington,  I  mean — had  him  up  for  his  fellows 
being  caught  pillaging,  and  gave  him  a  devil  of  a  rowing  a  few 
days  ago. 

"  '  Very  disorderly  corps  yours.  Major  O'Shaughnessy,'  said 
the  General  ;  '  more  men  up  for  punishment  than  any  regiment 
in  the  service.' 

"  Shaugh  muttered  something ;  but  his  voice  was  lost  in  a 
loud  cock  a-doo-do-doo,  that  some  bold  chanticleer  set  up  at 
the  moment. 

'"  If  the  officers  do  their  duty.  Major  O'Shaughnessy,  these 
acts  of  insubordination  do  not  occur. 

"  '  Cock-a-doo-do-doo,'  was  the  reply.  Some  of  the  staflf 
found  it  hard  not  to  laugh  ;  but  the  General  went  on  : — 

" '  If,  therefore,  the  practice  does  not  cease,  I'll  draft  the 
men  into  West  India  regiments.' 

"  '  Cock-a-doo-do-doo.' 

"  '  And  if  any  articles  pillaged  from  the  inhabitants  are 
detected  in  the  quarters,  or  about  the  person  of  the  troops ' 

"  '  Cock-a-doo-do-^/^f,'  screamed  louder  here  than  ever. 

"  '  Damn  that  cock.     Where  is  it  ?  " 

"  There  was  a  general  look  around  on  all  sides,  which  seemed 
in  vain  ;  when  a  tremendous  repetition  of  the  cry  resounded 
from  O'Shaughnessy's  coat  pocket :  thus  detecting  the  valiant 
Major  himself  in  the  very  practice  of  his  corps.  There  was 
no  standing  this  :  every  one  burst  out  into  a  peal  of  laughing  ; 
and  T.ord  Wellington  himself  could  not  resist,  but  turned  away, 


640  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

muttering  to  himself  as  he  went,  '  Damned  robbers — every 
man  of  them  ! '  while  a  final  war-note  from  the  Major's  pocket 
closed  the  interview." 

"  Confound  you,  Maurice,  you've  always  some  villanous 
narrative  or  other.  You  never  crossed  a  street  for  shelter 
without  making  something  out  of  it." 

"  True  this  time,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Maurice ;  but  the 
bowl  is  empty." 

"  Never  mind,  here  comes  its  successor.  How  long  can  you 
stay  amongst  us  ?  " 

"  A  few  days  at  most.  Just  took  a  run  off  to  see  the  sights  ; 
I  was  all  over  Lisbon  this  morning  ;  saw  the  Inquisition  and 
the  cells,  and  the  place  where  they  tried  the  fellows — the  kind 
of  grand  jury  room,  with  the  great  picture  of  Adam  and  Eve 
at  the  end  of  it.  What  a  beautiful  creature  she  is  !  hair  down 
to  her  waist,  and  such  eyes  !  '  Ah,  ye  darling  !  '  said  I  to 
myself,  '  small  blame  to  him  for  what  he  did.  Wouldn't  I  ate 
every  crab  in  the  garden,  if  ye  asked  me  ! '  " 

"  I  must  certainly  go  to  see  her,  Maurice.  Is  she  very  Port- 
uguese in  her  style  ?  " 

"  Devil  a  bit  of  it.  She  might  be  a  Limerick  woman,  with 
elegant  brown  hair,  and  blue  eyes,  and  a  skin  like  snow." 

"  Come,  come,  they've  pretty  girls  in  Lisbon  too.  Doctor." 

"  Yes,  faith,"  said  Power,  "  that  they  have." 

"  Nothing  like  Ireland,  boys ;  not  a  bit  of  it ;  they're  the 
girls  for  my  money ;  and  where's  the  man  can  resist  them  ? 
From  St.  Patrick,  that  had  to  go  and  live  in  the  Wicklow 
mountains " 

"  St.  Kevin,  you  mean.  Doctor." 

"  Sure  it's  all  the  same,  they  were  twins.  I  made  a  little 
song  about  them  one  evening  last  week — the  women  I  mean." 

"  Let  us  have  it,  Maurice  ;  let  us  have  it,  old  fellow.  What's 
the  measure  ? " 

"  Short  measure  ;  four  little  verses,  devil  a  more," 

"  But  the  time,  1  mean  j* " 


THE  IRISff  dragoon:  641 

"  Whenever  you  like  to  sing  it ;  here  it  is  : — 

"THE   GIRLS   OF   THE    WEST. 

Air — '  Teddy,  ye  Gander^ 
(  With  feeling;   but  not  too  slow^ 

"  You  may  talk ,  if  you  please, 

Of  the  brown  Portuguese, 
But,  wherever  you  roam,  wherever  you  roam. 

You  nothing  will  meet, 

Half  so  lovely  or  sweet, 
As  the  girls  at  home,  the  girls  at  home. 

"  Their  eyes  are  not  sloes. 

Nor  so  long  is  their  nose. 
But,  between  me  and  you,  between  me  and  you. 

They  are  just  as  alarming. 

And  ten  times  more  charming, 
With  hazel  and  blue,  with  hazel  and  blue. 

"  They  don't  ogle  a  man. 

O'er  the  top  of  their  fan. 
Till  his  heart's  in  a  flame,  till  his  heart's  in  a  flame  ; 

But  though  bashful  and  shy. 

They've  a  look  ir.  their  eye. 
That  just  comes  to  the  same,  just  comes  to  the  same. 

"  No  mantillas  they  sport. 

Rut  a  petticoat  short, 
Shows  an  ankle  the  best,  an  ankle  the  best. 

And  a  leg — but,  O  murther  ! 

I  dare  not  go  further, 
So  here's  to  the  West ;  so  licre's  to  the  West." 

"  Now  that  really  is  a  sweet  little  thing.     Moore's,  isn't  it.? ' 
"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  my  own  muse,  every  word  of  it." 
"And  the  music?"  said  I. 

"  My  own,  too.  Too  much  spice  in  that  bowl ;  that's  an  in- 
variable error  in  your  devisers  of  drink,  to  suppose  that  the 
tipple  you  start  with  can  please  your  palate  to  the  last ;  they 
forget  that  as  we  advance  either  in  years  or  lush,  our  tastes 
simplify," 

"  A^ous  revetiotis  a  nos  premieres  amours.      Isn't  that  it  ?  " 
"  No,  not  exactly,  for  we  go  even  further  ;  for  if  you  mark  the 
progression    of    a    sensible    man's  fluids,  you'll  find  what  an 
4' 


642  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

emblem  of  life  it  presents  to  you.  What  is  his  initiatory  glass 
of  '  Chablis '  that  he  throws  down  with  his  oysters  but  the  bud- 
ding expectancy  of  boyhood — the  appetizing  sense  of  pleasure 
to  come  ;  then  follows  the  sherry  with  his  soup,  that  warming 
glow  which  strength  and  vigor  in  all  their  consciousness  im- 
part, as  a  glimpse  of  life  is  opening  before  him.  Then  youth 
succeeds — buoyant,  wild,  tempestuous  youth — foaming  and 
sparkling,  like  the  bright  champagne,  whose  stormy  surface 
subsides  into  a  myriad  of  bright  stars." 

"  CEil  de  perdrix. ' ' 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it ;  woman's  own  eye ;  brilliant,  sparkling, 
life-giving " 

"  Devil  take  the  fellow,  he's  getting  poetical." 

"  Ah,  Fred  !  if  that  could  only  last :  but  one  must  come  to 
the  burgundies  with  his  maturer  years.  Your  first  glass  of  her- 
mitage is  the  algebraic  sign  for  five-and-thirty — the  glorious 
burst  is  over  ;  the  pace  is  still  good,  to  be  sure,  but  the  great 
enthusiasm  is  past.  You  can  afford  to  look  forward,  but,  con- 
found it,  you've  a  long  way  to  look  back  also." 

"  I  say,  Charley,  our  friend  has  contrived  to  finish  the  bishop 
during  his  disquisition  ;  the  bowl's  quiet  empty." 

"  You  don't  say  so,  Fred.  To  be  sure,  how  a  man  does  forget 
himself  in  abstract  speculations  ;  but  let  us  have  a  little  more, 
I've  not  concluded  my  homily." 

"  Not  a  glass,  Maurice  ;  it's  already  past  nine ;  we  are  all 
pledged  to  the  masquerade,  and  before  we've  dressed  and  got 
there,  'twill  be  late  enough." 

"  But  I'm  not  disguised  yet,  my  boy,  nor  half." 

"  Well,  they  must  take  you  mi  nature/,  as  our  countrymen  do 
their  potatoes." 

"  Yes,  Doctor,  Fred's  right ;  we  had  better  start." 

"  Well,  I  can't  help  it ;  I've  recorded  my  opposition  to  the 
motion,  but  I  must  submit ;  and  now  that  I'm  on  my  legs, 
explain  to  me  what's  that  very  dull-looking  old  lamp,  up 
there?" 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  643 

"That's  the  moon,  man  ;  the  full  moon." 
"Well,   I've  no  objection;   I'm  full  too :   so   come   along, 
lads." 


CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

THE   MASQUERADE. 

To  form  one's  impression  of  a  masked  ball  from  the  attempts 
at  this  mode  of  entertainment  in  our  country,  is  but  to  conceive 
a  most  imperfect  and  erroneous  notion.  With  us,  the  first 
coup  d''<zil  is  everything ;  the  nuns,  the  shepherdesses,  the 
Turks,  sailors,  eastern  princes,  watchmen,  moonshees,  mile- 
stones, devils,  and  Quakers,  are  all  very  well  in  their  way  as 
they  pass  in  the  review  before  us,  but  when  we  come  to  mix  in 
the  crowd,  we  discover  that,  except  the  turban  and  the  cowl, 
the  crook  and  the  broadbrim,  no  further  disguise  is  attempted 
or  thought  of.  *  The  nun,  forgetting  her  vow  and  her  vestments, 
is  flirting  with  the  devil;  the  watchman,  a  very  fastidious  ele- 
gant, is  ogling  the  fishwomen  through  his  glass,  while  the  Quaker 
is  performing  a  pas  sail  Alberti  might  be  proud  of  in  a  qua- 
drille of  riotous  Turks  and  half-tipsy  Hindoos ;  in  fact,  the 
whole  wit  of  the  scene  consists  in  absurd  associations.  Apart 
from  this,  the  actors  have  rarely  any  claims  upon  your  atten- 
tion :  for  even  supposing  a  person  clever  enough  to  sustain 
his  character,  whatever  it  be,  you  must  also  supply  the  other 
personages  of  the  drama,  or,  in  stage  phrase,  he'll  have  nothing 
to  "  play  up  to."  What  would  be  Bardolph  without  Pistol } 
what  Sir  Lucius  O'Trigger  without  Acres?  It  is  the  relief 
which  throws  out  the  disparities  and  contradictions  of  life  that 
afford  us  most  amusement ;  hence  it  is,  that  one  swallow  can 
no  more  make  a  summer,  than  one  well-sustained  character 
can  give  life  to  a  masquerade.  Without  such  sympathies,  such 
points  of  contact,  all  the  leading  features  of  the  individual, 


644  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

making  him  act  and  be  acted  upon,  are  lost ;  the  characters 
being  mere  parallel  lines,  which,  however  near  they  approach, 
never  bisect  or  cross  each  other. 

This  is  not  the  case  abroad :  the  domino,  which  serves  for 
mere  concealment,  is  almost  the  only  dress  assumed,  and  the 
real  disguise  is  therefore  thrown  from  necessity  upon  the  tal- 
ents, whatever  they  be,  of  the  wearer.  It  is  no  longer  a  ques- 
tion of  a  beard  or  a  spangled  mantle,  a  Polish  dress  or  a  paste- 
board nose ;  the  mutation  of  voice,  the  assumption  of  a 
different  manner,  walk,  gesture,  and  mode  of  expression,  are 
all  necessary,  and  no  small  tact  is  required  to  effect  this  success- 
fully. 

I  may  be  pardoned  this  little  digression,  as  it  serves,  to  ex- 
plain in  some  measure  how  I  felt  on  entering  the  splendidly 
lit  up  salons  of  the  villa,  crowded  with  hundreds  of  figures  in 
all  the  varied  costumes  of  a  carnival.  The  sounds  of  laughter, 
mingled  with  the  crash  of  the  music  ;  the  hurrying  hither  and 
thither  of  servants  with  refreshments  ;  the  crowds  gathered 
around  fortune-tellers,  whose  predictions  threw  the  parties  at 
each  moment  into  shouts  of  merriment ;  the  eager  following  of 
some  disappointed  domino,  interrogating  every  one  to  find  out 
a  lost  mask.  For  some  time  I  stood  an  astonished  spectator 
at  the  kind  of  secret  intelligence  which  seemed  to  pervade  the 
whole  assemblage,  when  suddenly  a  mask,  who  for  some  time 
had  been  standing  beside  me,  whispered  in  French, — 

"  If  you  pass  your  time  in  this  manner,  you  must  not  feel 
surprised  if  your  place  be  occupied." 

I  turned  hastily  round,  but  she  was  gone.  She,  I  say,  for 
the  voice  was  clearly  a  woman's ;  her  pink  domino  could  be 
no  guide,  for  hundreds  of  the  same  color  passed  me  every  in- 
stant ;  the  meaning  of  the  allusion  I  had  little  doubt  of.  I 
turned  to  speak  to  Power,  but  he  was  gone  ;  and,  for  the  first 
moment  of  my  life,  the  bitterness  of  rivalry  crossed  my  mind. 
It  was  true  I  had  resigned  all  pretensions  in  his  favor  ;  my 
last  meeting  with  Lucy  had  been  merely  to  justify  my  owm  char- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  645 

acter  against  an  impression  that  weighed  heavily  on  me;  still,  I 
thought  he  might  have  waited  ;  another  day  and  I  should  be 
far  away,  neither  to  witness  nor   grieve  over  his  successes. 

"  You  still  hesitate,"  whispered  some  one  near  me. 

I  wheeled  round  suddenly,  but  could  not  detect  the  speaker, 
and  was  again  relapsing  into  my  own  musings,  when  the  same 
voice  repeated, —  * 

"  The  white  domino  with  the  blue  cape.     Adieu." 

Without  waiting  to  reflect  upon  the  singularity  of  the  oc- 
currence, I  now  hurried  along  through  the  dense  crowd,  search- 
ing on  every  side  for  the  domino. 

"  Isn't  that  O'Malley?"  said  an  Englishman  to  his  friend. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  other  ;  "  the  very  man  we  want.  O'Malley, 
find  a  partner ;  we  have  been  searching  a  vis-^-vis  this  ten 
minutes." 

The  speaker  was  an  officer  I  had  met  at  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood's. 

"  How  did  you  discover  me  ?  "  said  I,  suddenly. 

"  Not  a  very  difficult  thing,  if  you  carry  your  mask  in  your 
hand  that  way,"  was  the  answer. 

And  I  now  perceived  that  in  the  distraction  of  my  thoughts 
I  had  been  carrying  my  mask  in  this  manner  since  my  coming 
into  the  room. 

"There  now,  what  say  you  to  the  blue  domino  ?  I  saw  her 
foot,  and  a  girl  with  such  an  instep  must  be  a  waltzer." 

I  looked  round,  a  confused  effort  at  memory  passing  across  my 
mind  ;  my  eyes  fell  at  the  instant  upon  the  embroidered  sleeve  of 
the  domino,  where  a  rosebud  worked  in  silver  at  once  reminded 
me  of  Catrina's  secret.  "  Ah  !  "  thought  I,  "  la  Senhora  her- 
self!  "  She  was  leaning  upon  the  arm  of  a  tall  and  portly 
figure  in  black  ;  who  this  was  I  knew  not,  nor  sought  to  dis- 
cover, but  at  once  advancing  towards  Donna  Inez  asked  her  to 
waltz. 

Without  replying  to  me  she  turned  towards  her  companion, 
who  seemed  as  it  were  to  press  her  acceptance  of  my  offer  ;  she 


646  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

hesitated,  however,  for  an  instant,  and,  curtseying  deeply,  de- 
clined it,  "  Well,"  thought  I,  "  she  at  least  has  not  recognized 
me." 

"  And  yet,  Senhora,"  said  I,  half  jestingly,  "  I  have  seen  you 
join  a  bolero  before  now." 

"You  evidently  mistake  me,"  was  the  reply,  but  in  a  voice 
so  well  feigned  as  almost  to  convince  me  she  was  right. 

"  Nay,  more,"  said  I,  "  under  your  own  fair  auspices  did  I 
myself  first  adventure  one." 

"  Still  in  error,  believe  me ;  I  am  not  known  to  you." 

"  And  yet  I  have  a  talisman  to  refresh  your  memory,  should 
you  dare  me  further." 

At  this  instant  my  hand  was  grasped  warmly  by  a  passing 
mask.  I  turned  round  rapidly,  and  Power  whispered  in  my 
ear, — 

"  Yours  forever,  Charley  ;  you've  made  my  fortune." 

As  he  hurried  on  I  could  perceive  that  he  supported  a  lady 
on  his  arm,  and  that  she  wore  a  loose  white  domino  with  a  deep 
blue  cape.  In  a  second  all  thought  of  Inez  was  forgotten, 
and  anxious  only  to  conceal  my  emotion,  I  turned  away  and 
mingled  in  the  crowd.  Lost  to  all  around  me,  I  wandered 
carelessly,  heedlessly  on,  neither  noticing  the  glittering  throng 
around,  nor  feeling  a  thought  in  common  with  the  gay  and 
joyous  spirits  that  flitted  by.  The  night  wore  on,  my  melan- 
choly and  depression  growing  ever  deeper,  yet  so  spell-bound 
was  I  that  I  could  not  leave  the  place.  A  secret  sense  that  it 
was  the  last  time  we  were  to  meet  had  gained  entire  possession 
of  me,  and  I  longed  to  speak  a  few  words  ere  we  parted  for- 
ever. 

I  was  leaning  at  a  window  which  looked  out  upon  the  court- 
yard, when  suddenly  the  tramp  of  horses  attracted  my  attention, 
and  I  saw  by  the  clear  moonlight  a  group  of  mounted  men, 
whose  long  cloaks  and  tall  helmets  announced  dragoons,  stand- 
ing around  the  porch.  At  the  same  moment  the  door  of  the 
salon  opened  and  an  officer  in  undress,  splashed  and  travel- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  647 

Stained,  entered.  Making  his  way  rapidly  through  the  crowd 
he  followed  the  servant,  who  introduced  him  towards  the  sup- 
perroom.  Thither  the  dense  mass  now  pressed  to  learn  the 
meaning  of  the  singular  apparition,  while  my  own  curiosity, 
not  less  excited,  led  me  towards  the  door  ;  as  I  crossed  the 
hall,  however,  my  progress  was  interrupted  by  a  group  of 
persons,  among  whom  I  saw  an  aide-de-camp  of  Lord  Welling- 
ton's staff,  narrating,  as  it  were,  some  piece  of  newly-arrived 
intelligence.  I  had  no  time  for  further  inquiry,  when  a  door 
opened  near  me,  and  Sir  George  Dashwood,  accompanied  by 
several  general  officers,  came  forth,  the  officer  I  had  first  seen 
enter  the  ball-room  along  with  them.  Every  one  was  by  this 
unmasked,  and  eagerly  looking  to  hear  what  had  occurred. 

"  Then,  Dashwood,  you'll  send  ofif  an  orderly  at  once  ?  "  said 
an  old  general  officer  beside  me. 

"This  instant,  my  Lord.  I'll  despatch  an  aide-de-camp. 
The  troops  shall  be  in  marching  order  before  noon.  Oh,  here's 
the  man  I  want !  O'Malley,  come  here.  Mount  your  horse 
and  dash  into  town.  Send  for  Brotherton  and  M'Gregor  to 
quarters,  and  announce  the  news  as  quickly  as  possible." 

"  But  what  am  1  to  announce.  Sir  George  ?  " 

"  That  the  French  are  in  retreat — Massena  in  retreat,  my 
lad." 

A  tremendous  cheer  at  this  instant  burst  from  the  hundreds 
in  the  salon,  who  now  heard  the  glorious  tidings.  Another 
cheer  and  another  followed — ten  thousand  vivas  rose  amid  the 
crash  of  the  band,  as  it  broke  into  a  patriotic  war  chant.  Such 
a  scene  of  enthusiasm  and  excitement  I  never  witnessed.  Some 
wept  with  joy.  Others  threw  themselves  into  their  friends' 
arms. 

"  They're  all  mad,  every  mother's  son  of  them !  "  said 
Maurice  Quill,  as  he  elbowed  his  way  through  the  mass  ;  "  and 
here's  an  old  vestal  won't  leave  my  arm.  She  has  already 
embraced  me  three  times,  and  we've  finislied  a  llask  of  Malaga 
between  us." 


648  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

"  Come,  O'Malley,  are  you  ready  for  the  road  ? " 

My  horse  was  by  this  time  standing  saddled  at  the  front.  1 
sprang  at  once  to  the  saddle,  and,  without  waiting  for  a  second 
order,  set  out  for  Lisbon.  Ten  minutes  had  scarce  elapsed — 
the  very  shouts  of  joy  of  the  delighted  city  were  still  ringing 
in  my  ears — when  I  was  once  again  back  at  the  villa.  As  I 
mounted  the  steps  into  the  hall,  a  carriage  drew  up ;  it  was 
Sir  George  Dashwood's ;  he  came  forward — his  daughter 
leaning  upon  his  arm. 

"  Why,  O'Malley,  I  thought  you  had  gone." 

"  I  have  returned.  Sir  George.  Colonel  Brotherton  is  in 
waiting,  and  the  staff  also.  I  have  received  orders  to  set  out 
for  Benejos,  where  the  14th  are  stationed,  and  have  merely 
delayed  to  say  adieu." 

"  Adieu,  my  dear  boy,  and  God  bless  you  !  "  said  the  warm- 
hearted old  man,  as  he  pressed  my  hand  between  both  his. 
"Lucy,  here's  your  old  friend  about  to  leave;  come  and  say 
good-bye." 

Miss  Dashwood  had  stopped  behind  to  adjust  her  shawl.  I 
flew  to  her  assistance.  "  Adieu,  Miss  Dashwood,  and  for- 
ever !  "  said  I,  in  a  broken  voice,  as  I  took  her  hand  in  mine. 
"  This  is  not  your  domino,"  said  I,  eagerly,  as  a  blue  silk  one 
peeped  from  beneath  her  mantle  ;  "  and  the  sleeve,  too — did 
you  wear  this  ? "     She  blushed  slightl}^,  and  assented. 

"  I  changed  with  the  Senhora,  who  wore  mine  all  the  evening." 

"  And  Power,  then,  was  not  your  partner  ? " 

"  I  should  think  not — for  I  never  danced." 

"  Lucy,  my  love,  are  you  ready  ?     Come,  be  quick." 

"  Good-bye,  Mr.  O'Malley,  and  an  revoir,  li'est-ce pas  1  " 

I  drew  her  glove  from  her  hand  as  she  spoke,  and,  pressing 
my  lips  upon  her  fingers,  placed  her  within  the  carriage. 
"Adieu,  and  a//  revoir  /  "  said  I;  the  carriage  turned  away, 
and  a  white  glove  was  all  that  remained  to  me  of  Lucy  Dash- 
wood ! 

The  carriage  had  turned  the  angle  of  the  road,  and  its  retir- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  649 

ing  sounds  were  growing  gradually  fainter,  ere  I  recovered  my- 
self sufficiently  to  know  where  I  stood.  One  absorbing 
thought  alone  possessed  me.  Lucy  was  not  lost  to  me  for- 
ever; Power  was  not  my  rival  in  that  quarter — that  was 
enough  for  me.  I  needed  no  more  to  nerve  my  arm  and 
steel  my  heart.  As  I  reflected  thus,  the  long  loud  blast  of 
a  trumpet  broke  upon  the  silence  of  the  night,  and  ad- 
monished me  to  depart.  I  hurried  to  my  room  to  make  my 
few  preparations  for  the  road,  but  Mike  had  already  antici- 
pated everything  here,  and  all  was  in  readiness. 

But  one  thing  now  remained — to  make  my  adieu  to  the  Sen- 
hora.  With  this  intent,  I  descended  a  narrow  winding  stair 
which  led  from  my  dressing-room,  and  opened  by  a  little 
terrace  upon  the  flower-garden  beside  her  apartments, 

As  I  crossed  the  gravelled  alley,  I  could  not  but  think  of 
the  last  time  I  had  been  there.  It  was  on  the  eve  of  departure 
for  the  Douro.  I  recalled  the  few  and  fleeting  moments  of  our 
leave-taking,  and  a  .thought  flashed  upon  me — what  if  she 
cared  for  me  ! — what,  if,  half  in  coquetry,  half  in  reality,  her 
heart  was  mixed  up  in  those  passages  which  daily  association 
gives  rise   to  ? 

I  could  not  altogether  acquit  myself  of  all  desire  to  make  her 
believe  me  her  admirer  ;  nay,  more,  with  the  indolent  abandon 
of  my  country,  I  had  fallen  into  a  lh(nisand  little  schemes  to 
cheat  the  long  hours  away,  which,  having  no  other  object  than 
the  happiness  of  the  moment,  might  yet  color  all  her  after- 
life with  sorrow. 

Let  no  one  rashly  pronounce  me  a  coxcomb,  vain  and  pre- 
tentious, for  all  this.  In  my  inmost  heart  I  had  no  feeling  of 
selfishness  mingled  with  the  consideration.  It  was  from  no 
sense  of  my  own  merits,  no  calculation  of  my  own  chances 
of  success,  that  I  thought  thus.  Fortunately,  at  eighteen  one's 
heart  is  uncontaminated  with  such  an  alloy  of  vanit}'.  The 
first  emotions  of  youth  are  pure  and  lioly  things,  tempering  our 
fiercer  passions,  and  calming  the  rude    effervescence  of  our 


650  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

boyish  spirit;  and  when  we  strive  to  please,  and  hope  to  win 
affection,  we  insensibly  fashion  ourselves  to  nobler  and  higher 
thoughts,  catching  from  the  source  of  our  devotion  a  portion 
of  that  charm  that  idealizes  daily  life,  and  makes  our  path 
in  it  a  glorious  and  bright  one. 

Who  would  not  exchange  all  the  triumph  of  his  later  days, 
the  proudest  moments  of  successful  ambition,  the  richest 
trophies  of  hard-won  daring,  for  the  short  and  vivid  flash  that 
first  shot  through  his  heart  and  told  him  he  was  loved.  It  is 
the  opening  consciousness  of  life,  the  first  sense  of  power  that 
makes  of  the  mere  boy  a  man — a  man  in  all  his  daring  and  his 
pride — and  hence  it  is  that  in  early  life  we  feel  ever  prone  to 
indulge  those  fancied  attachments  which  elevate  and  raise  us 
in  our  own  esteem.  Such  was  the  frame  of  my  mind  as  I 
entered  the  little  boudoir,  where  once  before  I  had  ventured 
on  a  similar  errand. 

As  I  closed  the  sash-door  behind  me,  the  gray  dawn  of 
breaking  day  scarcely  permitted  my  seeing  anything  around 
me,  and  I  felt  my  way  towards  the  door  of  an  adjoining  room, 
where  I  supposed  it  was  likely  I  should  find  the  Senhora.  As 
I  proceeded  thus,  with  cautious  step  and  beating  heart,  I 
thought  I  heard  a  sound  near  me.  I  stopped  and  listened,  and 
was  about  again  to  move  on,  when  a  half-stifled  sob  fell  upon 
my  ear.  Slowly  and  silently  guiding  my  steps  toward  the 
sounds,  I  reached  a  sofa,  when,  my  eyes  growing  by  degrees 
more  accustomed  to  the  faint  light,  I  could  detect  a  figure 
which,  at  a  glance,  I  recognized  as  Donna  Inez.  A  cashmere 
shawl  was  loosely  thrown  around  her,  and  her  face  was  buried 
in  her  hands.  As  she  lay,  to  all  seeming,  still  and  insensible 
before  me,  her  beautiful  hair  fell  heavily  upon  her  back  and 
across  her  arm,  and  her  whole  attitude  denoted  the  very 
abandonment  of  grief.  A  short  convulsive  shudder  which 
slightly  shook  her  frame  alone  gave  evidence  of  life,  except 
when  a  sob,  barely  audible  in  the  death-like  silence,  escaped 
her, 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  651 

I  knelt  silently  down  beside  her,  and,  gently  withdrawing  her 
hand,  placed  it  within  mine.  A  dreadful  feeling  of  self-condem- 
nation shot  through  me  as  I  felt  the  gentle  pressure  of  her 
taper  fingers,  which  rested  without  a  struggle  in  my  grasp. 
My  tears  fell  hot  and  fast  upon  that  pale  hand,  as  I  bent  in 
sadness  over  it,  unable  to  utter  a  word.  A  rush  of  conflicting 
thoughts  passed  through  my  brain,  and  I  knew  not  what  to  do. 
I  now  had  no  doubt  upon  my  mind  that  she  loved  me,  and 
that  her  present  affliction  was  caused  by  my  approaching  de- 
parture. 

"  Dearest  Inez  !  "  I  stammered  out  at  length,  as  I  pressed 
her  hands  to  my  lips ;  "  dearest  Inez  !  " — a  faint  sob  and  a 
slight  pressure  of  her  hand,  was  the  only  reply.  "  I  have 
come  to  say  good-bye,"  continued  I,  gaining  a  little  courage  as 
I  spoke;  "a  long  good-bye,  too,  in  all  likelihood.  You  have 
heard  that  we  are  ordered  away, — there,  don't  sob,  dearest, 
and,  believe  me,  I  had  wished  ere  we  parted  to  have  spoken 
to  you  calmly  and  openly ;  but,  alas  !  I  cannot — I  scarcely 
know  what  I  say." 

"You  will  not  forget  me?"  said  she,  in  a  low  voice,  that 
sank  into  my  very  heart.  "  You  will  not  forget  me  ?  "  As  she 
spoke,  her  hand  dropped  heavily  upon  my  shoulder,  and  her 
rich  luxuriant  hair  fell  upon  my  cheek.  What  a  devil  of  a 
thing  is  proximity  to  a  downy  cheek  and  a  black  eyelash,  more 
especially  when  they  belong  to  one  whom  you  are  disposed  to 
believe  not  indifferent  to  you  !  What  I  did  at  this  precise  mo- 
ment there  is  no  necessity  for  recording,  even  had  not  an  adage 
interdicted  such  confessions,  nor  can  I  now  remember  what  1 
said  ;  but  I  can  well  recollect  how,  gradually  warming  with 
my  subject,  I  entered  into  a  kind  of  half-declaration  of  attach- 
ment, intended  most  honestly  to  be  a  mere  expose  of  my  own 
unworthiness  to  win  her  favor,  and  my  resolution  to  leave 
Lisbon  and  its  neighborhood  forever. 

Let  not  any  one  blame  me  rashly  if  he  has  not  experienced 
the  difficulty  of  my  position.     The  impetus  of  love-making  is 


652  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

like  the  ardor  of  a  fox-hunt.  You  care  little  that  the  six-bar  gate 
before  you  is  the  boundary  of  another  gentleman's  preserves, 
or  the  fence  of  his  pleasure-ground.  You  go  slap  along  at  a 
smashing  pace,  with  your  head  up,  and  your  hand  low,  clearing 
all  before  you,  the  opposing  difficulties  to  your  progress  giving 
half  the  zest,  because  all  the  danger  to  your  career.  So  it  is 
with  love ;  the  gambling  spirit  urges  one  ever  onward,  and  the 
chance  of  failure  is  a  reason  for  pursuit,  where  no  other  argu- 
ment exists. 

"  And  you  do  love  me .? "  said  the  Senhora,  with  a  soft,  low 
whisper,  that  most  unaccountably  suggested  anything  but  com- 
fort to  me. 

"  Love  you,  Inez  ?  By  this  kiss — I'm  in  an  infernal  scrape  !  " 
said  I,  muttering  this  last  half  of  my  sentence  to  myself. 

"And  you'll  never  be  jealous  again  ?  " 

"  Never,  by  all  that's  lovely  ! — j^our  own  sweet  lips.  That's 
the  very  last  thing  to  reproach  me  with," 

"  And  you  promise  me  not  to  mind  that  foolish  boy.?  For, 
after  all,  you  know,  it  was  mere  flirtation — if  even  that." 

"I'll  never  think  of  him  again,"  said  I,  while  my  brain  was 
burning  to  make  out  her  meaning.  "  But,  dearest,  there  goes 
the  trumpet-call " 

"And,  as  for  Pedro  Mascarenhas,  I  never  liked  him." 

"  Are  you  quite  sure,  Inez  1 " 

"  I  swear  it ! — so  no  more  of  him.  Gonzales  Cordenza — I've 
broke  with  him  long  since.  So  that  you  see,  dearest 
Frederic " 

"  Frederic  !  "  said  I,  starting  almost  to  my  feet  with  amaze- 
ment, while  she  continued  : — 

"  I'm  your  own — all  your  own  !  " 

"  Oh  !  the  coquette,  the  heartless  jilt !  "  groaned  I,  half- 
aloud.     "  And  O'Malley,  Inez,  poor  Charley  ! — what  of  him  ?  " 

"  Poor  thing  !  I  can't  help  him.  But  he's  such  a  puppy, 
the  lesson  may  do  him  good." 

"  But  perhaps  he  loved  you,  Inez  ?  ** 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOA\  655 

"  To  be  sure  he  did  ;  I  wished  him  to  do  so, — I  can't  bear 
not  to  be  loved.  But,  Frederic,  tell  me,  may  I  trust  you — will 
you  keep  faithful  to  me  ?  " 

"  Sweetest  Inez  !  by  this  last  kiss  I  swear,  that  such  as  I 
kneel  before  you  now,  you'll  ever  find  me." 

A  foot  upon  the  gravSl-walk  without,  now  called  me  to  my 
feet — I  sprang  towards  the  door,  and  before  Inez  had  lifted 
her  head  from  the  sofa,  I  had  reached  the  garden.  A  figure 
muffled  in  a  cavalry  cloak  passed  near  me,  but  without  notic- 
ing me,  and  the  next  moment  I  had  cleared  the  paling,  and 
was  hurrying  towards  the  stable,  where  I  had  ordered  Mike  to 
be  in  waiting. 

The  faint  streak  of  dull  pink  which  announces  the  coming 
day  stretched  beneath  the  dark  clouds  of  the  night,  and  the 
chill  air  of  the  morning  was  already  stirring  in  the  leaves. 

As  I  passed  along  by  a  low  beech  hedge  which  skirted  the 
avenue,  I  was  struck  by  the  sound  of  voices  near  me.  I 
stopped  to  listen,  and  soon  detected  in  one  of  the  speakers 
my  friend  Mickey  Free  ;  of  the  other  I  was  not  long  in 
ignorance. 

"  Love  you,  is  it — bathershin  ?  It's  worship  you — adore  you 
my  darling — that's  the  word — there,  acushla,  don't  cry — dry 
your  eyes — oh,  murther,  it's  a  cruel  thing  to  tear  one's  self  away 
from  the  best  of  living,  with  the  run  of  the  house  in  drink  and 
kissing.  Bad  luck  to  it  f(jr  campaigning,  anyway,  I  never 
liked  it  ! " 

Catrina's  reply, — for  it  was  she — I  could  not  gather  ;  but 
Mike  resumed  : — 

"  Ay,  just  so,  sore  bones  and  wet  grass,  accadentd,  and  half- 
rations.  Oh,  that  I  ever  saw  the  day  when  I  took  to  it ! 
Listen  to  me  now,  honey  ;  here  it  is,  on  my  knees  I  am  before 
you,  and  throth  it's  not  more  nor  three,  maybe  four,  young 
women  I'd  say  the  like  to;  bad  scran  to  me  if  I  wouldn't 
marry  you  out  of  a  face  this  blessed  morning  just  as  soon  as 
I'd  look  at  ye.     Arrah,  there  now,  don't  be  screeching  and 


654  CiiARLES  O'M ALLAY, 

i 

bawling;  what'll  the  neighbors  think  of  us,  and  my  Own  heart's     \ 
destroyed  with  grief  entirely." 

Poor  Catrina's  voice  returned  an  inaudible  answer,  and  not 
wishing  any  longer  to  play  the  eavesdropper,  I  continued  my 
path  towards  the  stable.  The  distant  noises  from  the  city  an- 
nounced a  state  of  movement  and  preparation,  and  more  than 
one  orderly  passed  the  road  near  me  at  a  gallop.  As  I  turned 
into  the  wide  court-yard,  Mike,  breathless  and  flurried  with 
running,  overtook  me, 

"Are  the  horses  ready,  Mike?"  said  I ;  "we  must  start  this 
instant? " 

"  They've  just  finished  a  peck  of  oats  apiece,  and  faix  that 
same  may  be  a  stranger  to  them  this  day  six  months." 

"  And  the  baggage,  too  ?  " 

"  On  the  cars,  with  the  staff  and  the  light  brigade.  It  was 
down  there  I  was  now,  to  see  all  was  right." 

"Oh,  I'm  quite  aware;  and  now  bring  out  the  cattle.  I  hope 
Catrina  received  your  little  consolations  well.  That  seems  a 
very  sad  affair." 

"  Murder,  real  murder,  devil  a  less  !  It's  no  matter  where 
you  go,  from  Clonmel  to  Chayney,  it's  all  one  ;  they've  a  way 
of  getting  round  you.  Upon  my  soul,  it's  like  the  pigs  they 
are." 

"  Like  pigs,  Mike  ?  That  appears  a  strange  compliment 
you've  selected  to  pay  them." 

"  Ay,  just  like  the  pigs,  no  less.  Maybe  you've  never  heard 
what  happened  to  myself  up  at  Moronha  ?  " 

"  Look  to  that  girth  there.     Well,  go  on." 

"  I  was  coming  along  one  morning,  just  as  day  was  beginning 
to  break,  when  I  sees  a  slip  of  a  pig  trotting  before  me,  with 
nobody  near  him  ;  but  as  the  road  was  lonely,  and  myself 
rather  down  in  heart,  I  thought,  Musha  !  but  yer  fine  company, 
anyhow,  av  a  body  could  only  keep  you  with  him.  But,  ye 
see,  a  pig — saving  your  presence — is  a  baste  not  easily  flattered, 
so  I  didn't  waste  time  and  blarney  upon  him,  but  I  took  off  my 


THE  IKIHH  DRAGOON.  655 

belt,  and  put  it  round  its  neck  as  neat  as  need  be ;  but,  as  the 
devil's  luck  would  have  it,  I  didn't  go half-an-hour  when  ahorse 
came  galloping  up  behind  me.  I  turned  round,  and,  by  the 
blessed  light,  it  was  sir  Dinny  himself  was  on  it !  " 

"  Sir  Dennis  Pack  ?  " 

"  Yes,  bad  luck  to  his  hook  nose.  '  What  are  you  doing  there, 
my  fine  fellow  ? '  says  he.  '  What's  that  you  have  dragging 
there  behind  you  ? ' 

"  '  A  boneen,  sir,'  says  I.  '  Isn't  he  a  fine  crayture  ? — av  he 
wasn't  so  troublesome.' 

"  '  Troublesome,  troublesome — what  do  you  mean  ?  ' 

"  '  Just  so,'  says  I.  '  Isn't  he  parsecuting  the  life  out  of  me  the 
whole  morning,  following  me  about  everywhere  I  go  ?  Contrary 
bastes  they  always  was.' 

"  '  I  advise  you  to  try  and  part  company,  my  friend,  notwith- 
standing,' says  he  ;  'or  maybe  it's  the  same  end  you'll  be  com- 
ing to,  and  not  long  either.'  And  faix,  I  took  his  advice  ;  and 
ye  see,  Mister  Charles,  it's  just  as  I  was  saying,  they're  like  the 
women,  the  least  thing  in  life  is  enough  to  bring  them  after  us, 
av  ye  oJily  put  the  ^  comether^  upon  them." 

"And  now  adieu  to  the  Villa  Nuova,"  said  I,  as  I  rode 
slowly  down  the  avenue,  turning  ever  and  anon  in  my  saddle  to 
look  back  on  each  well-known  spot. 

A  heavy  sigh  from  Mike  responded  to  my  words. 

"  A  long,  a  last  farewell  ! "  said  I,  w-aving  my  hand  towards 
the  trclliscd  walls,  now  half-hidden  by  the  trees ;  and,  as  I 
spoke,  that  heaviness  of  the  heart  came  over  me  that  seems  in- 
separable from  leave-taking.  The  hour  (if  parting  seems  like  a 
warning  to  us,  that  all  our  enjoyments  and  pleasures  here  are 
destined  to  a  short  and  merely  fleeting  existence  ;  and,  as  each 
scene  of  life  passes  away  never  to  return,  we  are  made  to  feel 
that  youth  and  hope  are  passing  with  them  ;  and  that,  although 
the  fair  world  be  as  bright,  and  its  pleasures  as  rich  in  abun- 
dance, our  capacity  of  enjoyment  is  daily,  hourly  diminishing  ; 


656  cj/akLks  crM alley, 

and  while  all  around  us  smiles  in  beauty  and  happiness,  that  we, 
alas  !  are  not  what  we  were. 

Such  was  the  tenor  of  my  thoughts  as  I  reached  the  road,  when 
they  were  suddenly  interrupted  by  my  man  Mike,  whose  medi- 
tations were  following  a  somewhat  similar  channel,  though  at 
last  inclining  to  different  conclusions.  He  coughed  a  couple  of 
times  as  if  to  attract  my  attention,  and  then,  as  it  were  half 
thinking  aloud,  he  muttered  : — 

"  I  wonder  if  we  treated  the  young  ladies  well,  anyhow. 
Mister  Charles,  for,  faix,  I've  my  doubts  on  it." 


CHAPTER   LXXXVI. 


THE     LINES. 


When  we  reached  Lescas,  we  found  that  an  officer  of  Lord 
Wellington's  staff  had  just  arrived  from  the  lines,  and  was  occu- 
pied in  making  known  the  general  order  from  head-quarters ; 
which  set  forth,  with  customary  brevity,  that  the  French  armies, 
under  the  command  of  Massena,  had  moved  from  their  position, 
and  were  in  full  retreat :  the  second  and  third  corps,  which  had 
been  stationed  at  Villa  Franca,  having  marched  during  the 
night  of  the  15th,  in  the  direction  of  Manal.  The  officers  in 
command  of  divisions  were  ordered  to  repair  instantly  to  Pero 
Negro,  to  consult  upon  a  forward  movement.  Admiral  Berkeley 
being  written  to,  to  provide  launches  to  pass  over  General 
Kill's,  or  any  other  corps  which  might  be  selected,  to  the  left 
bank  of  the  Tagus.  All  now  was  excitement,  heightened  by 
the  unexpected  nature  of  an  occurrence  which  not  even  specu- 
lation had  calculated  upon.  It  was  but  a  few  days  before,  and 
the  news  had  reached  Torres  Vedras,  that  a  powerful  reinforce- 
ment was  in  march  to  join  Massena's  army,  and  their  advanced 
guard  had  actually  reached  Santarem.     The  confident  expec- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  657 

tation  was,  therefore,  that  an  attack  upon  the  lines  nas  medi- 
tated. Now,  however,  this  prospect  existed  no  longer ;  for 
scarcely  had  the  heavy  mists  of  the  lowering  day  disappeared, 
when  the  vast  plain,  so  lately  peopled  by  the  thickened  ranks 
and  dark  masses  of  a  great  army,  was  seen  in  its  whole  extent 
deserted  and  untenanted. 

The  smouldering  fires  of  the  pickets  alone  marked  where  the 
troops  had  been  posted,  but  not  a  man  of  that  immense  force 
was  to  be  seen.  General  Fane,  who  had  been  despatched  with 
a  brigade  of  Portuguese  cavalry  and  some  artillery,  hung  upon 
the  rear  of  the  retiring  army,  and  from  him  we  learned  that  the 
enemy  were  continuing  their  retreat  northward,  having  occupied 
Santarem  with  a  strongforce  to  cover  the  movement.  Craufurd 
was  ordered  to  the  front  with  the  light  division,  the  whole  army 
following  in  the  same  direction,  except  Hill's  corps,  which,  cross- 
ing the  river  at  Velada,  was  intended  to  harass  the  enemy's 
flank,  and  assist  our  future  operations. 

Such,  in  brief,  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  I  reached  Villa 
Franca  towards  noon,  and  received  orders  to  join  my  regiment, 
then  forming  part  of  Sir  Stapleton's  Cotton's  brigade. 

It  must  be  felt,  to  be  thoroughly  appreciated,  the  enthusiastic 
pleasure  with  which  one  greets  his  old  corps  after  some  months 
of  separation  ;  the  bounding  ecstasy  with  which  the  weary  eye 
rests  on  the  old  familar  faces,  dear  by  every  association  of  affec- 
tion and  brotherhood  ;  the  anxious  look  for  this  one,  and  for 
that;  the  thrill  of  delight  sent  through  the  heart  as  the  well- 
remembered  march  swells  upon  the  ear  ;  the  very  notes  of  tliat 
rough  voice,  whicii  we  have  heard  amid  the  crash  of  battle  and 
the  rolling  of  artillery,  speaks  softly  to  our  senses,  like  a  father's 
welcome  ;  from  the  well-tattered  flag  that  waves  above  us,  to 
the  proud  steed  of  the  war-worn  trumpeter — each  has  a  niche  in 
our  affection. 

If  ever  there  was  a  corps  calculated  to  increase  and  foster 
these  sentiments,  the  14th  Light  Dragoons  was  such.    The  warm 
affection,  the  truly  heartfelt  regard,  which  existed  among  my 
42 


65^  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

brother  officers,  made  of  our  mess  a  happy  home.  Ourveterati 
Colonel,  grown  gray  in  campaigning,  was  like  a  father  to  us; 
while  the  senior  officers,  tempering  the  warm  blood  of  impet- 
uous youth  with  their  hard-won  experience,  threw  a  charm  of 
peace  and  tranquillity  over  all  our  intercourse  that  made  us 
happy  when  together,  and  taught  us  to  feel  that,  whether  seated 
around  the  watch-fire,  or  charging  amid  the  squadrons  of  the 
enemy,  we  were  surrounded  by  those  devoted  heart  and  soul  to 
aid  us. 

Gallant  Fourteenth  ! — ever  first  in  every  gay  scheme  of  youth- 
ful jollity,  as  foremost  in  the  van  to  meet  the  foe — how  happy 
am  1  to  recall  the  memory  of  your  bright  looks  and  bold  hearts  ! 
— of  your  manly  daring  and  your  bold  frankness — of  your  merry 
voices,  as  I  have  heard  them  in  the  battle  or  in  the  bivouac ! 
Alas,  and  alas  !  that  I  should  indulge  such  recollections  alone  ! 
How  few — how  very  few — are  left  of  those  with  whom  I  trod 
the  early  steps  of  life  !  whose  bold  cheer  I  have  heard  above 
the  clashing  sabres  of  the  enemy — whose  broken  voice  I  have 
listened  to  above  the  grave  of  a  comrade  !  The  dark  pines  of 
the  Pyrenees  w-ave  above  some,  the  burning  sands  of  India 
cover  others,  and  the  wide  plains  of  Salamanca  are  now  your 
abiding-place. 

"  Here  comes  O'Malley !  "  shouted  a  well-known  voice  as  I 
rode  down  the  little  slope,  at  the  foot  of  which  a  group  of 
officers  were  standing  beside  their  horses. 

"  Welcome,  thou  man  of  Galway  !  "  cried  Hampden  ; 
"  delighted  to  have  you  once  more  amongst  us.  How  con- 
foundedly well  the  fellow  is  looking  !  " 

"  Lisbon  beef  seems  better  prog  than  commissariat  biscuit !  " 
said  another. 

"A'  weel,  Charlie?"  said  my  friend,  the  Scotch  Doctor; 
"how's  a'  wi'  ye,  man  ?  Ye  seem  to  thrive  on  your  mishaps  ! 
How  cam'  ye  by  thatbraw  beastie  ye're  mounted  on  .'' " 

"  A  present.  Doctor  ;  the  gift  of  a  very  warm  friend." 

"  I  hope  you  invited  him  to  the  mess,  O'Alalley  !     For,  by 


THE  IKISII  DKAGOOX. 


^59 


Jove,  our  stables  stand  in  need  of  his  kind  offices  !  There  he 
goes !  Look  at  him !  What  a  slashing  pace  for  a  heavy 
fellow  !  "  This  observation  was  made  with  reference  to  a  well- 
known  officer  on  the  Commander-in-Chief's  stafif,  whose  weight 
— some  two  and  twenty  stone — never  was  any  impediment  to 
his  bold  riding. 

"  Egad,  O'Malley,  you'll  soon  be  as  pretty  a  light-weight  as 
our  friend  yonder.  Ah  !  there's  a  storm  going  on  there  !  Here 
comes  the  Colonel !  " 

"  Well,  O'Malley,  are  you  come  back  to  us  ?  Happy  to  see 
you,  boy ! — hope  we  shall  not  lose  you  again  in  a  hurry  ! — We 
can't  spare  the  scapegraces  !  There's  plenty  of  skirmishing 
going  on  ! — Craufurd  always  asks  for  the  scapegraces  for  the 
pickets  !  " 

I  shook  my  gallant  Colonel's  hand,  while  I  acknowledged, 
as  best  I  might,  his  ambiguous  compliment. 

"  I  say,  lads,"  resumed  the  Colonel,  "  squad  your  men  and 
form  on  the  road  !  Lord  W^ellington's  coming  down  this  way 
to  have  a  look  at  you  !  O'Malley,  I  have  General  Craufurd's 
orders  to  offer  you  your  old  appointment  on  his  staff;  without 
you  prefer  remaining  with  the  regiment !  " 

"  I  can  never  be  sufficiently  grateful,  sir,  to  the  General : 
but,  in  fact — I  think — that  is,  I  believe " 

"  You'd  rather  be  among  your  own  fellows.  Out  witii  it,  boy  ! 
I  like  you  all  the  better  !  but  come,  we  mustn't  let  the  General 
know  that;  so  that  I  shall  forget  to  tell  you  all  about  it.  Eh  ? 
isn't  that  best .''  But  join  your  troop  now  ;  I  hear  the  staff  com- 
ing this  way." 

As  he  spoke,  a  crowd  of  horsemen  were  seen  advancing  to- 
wards us  at  a  sharp  trot  ;  thuir  waving  plumes  and  gorgeous 
aiguilettes  denoting  tlieir  rank  as  generals  of  division.  In  the 
midst,  as  they  came  nearer,  I  could  distinguish  one  wiiom, 
once- seen,  there  was  no  forgetting;  his  plain  blue  frock  and 
gray  trousers,  unstrapped  beneath  his  boots,  not  a  little  unlike 
the  trim  accuracy  of  costume  around  him.     As  he  rode  to  the 


66o  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

head  of  the  leading  squadron,  the  staff  fell  back  and  he  stood 
alone  before  us ;  for  a  second  there  was  a  dead  silence, 
but  the  next  instant — by  what  impulse  tell  who  can — one 
tremendous  cheer  burst  from  the  entire  regiment.  It  was  like 
the  act  of  one  man  ;  so  sudden,  so  spontaneous.  While  every 
cheek  glowed,  and  every  eye  sparkled  with  enthusiasm,  he  alone 
seemed  cool  and  unexcited,  as,  gently  raising  his  hand,  he  mo- 
tioned them  to  silence. 

"  Fourteenth,  you  are  to  be  where  you  always  desire  to  be — 
in  the  advanced  guard  of  the  army.  I  have  nothing  to  say  on 
the  subject  of  your  conduct  in  the  field.  I  know  you ;  but,  if  in 
pursuit  of  the  enemy,  I  hear  of  any  misconduct  towards  the 
people  of  the  country,  or  any  transgression  of  the  general 
orders  regarding  pillage,  by  G — ,  I'll  punish  you  as  severely 
as  the  worst  corps  in  the  service,  and  you  know  me." 

"  Oh  !  tear  an  ages,  listen  to  that ;  and  there's  to  be  no  plunder 
after  all !  "  said  Mickey  Free  ;  and  for  an  instant  the  most  I 
could  do  was  not  to  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter.  The  word 
"  Forward !  "  was  given  at  the  moment,  and  we  moved  past  in 
close  column,  while  that  penetrating  eye,  which  seemed  to  read 
our  very  thoughts,  scanned  us  from  one  end  of  the  line  to  the 
other. 

"I  say,  Charley,"  said  the  Captain  of  my  troop  in  a  whisper 
— "  I  say,  that  confounded  cheer  we  gave  got  us  that  lesson  ; 
he  can't  stand  that  kind  of  thing." 

"  By  Jove  !  I  never  felt  more  disposed  than  to  repeat  it," 
said  I. 

"  No,  no,  my  boy,  we'll  give  him  the  honors,  nine  times  nine  ; 
but  wait  till  evening.  Look  at  old  Merivale  there.  I'll  swear 
he's  saying  something  devilish  civil  to  him.  Do  you  see  the 
old  fellow's  happy  look?" 

And  so  it  was  ;  the  bronzed,  hard-cast  features  of  the  veteran 
soldier  were  softened  into  an  expression  of  almost  boyish 
delight,  as  he  sat,  bare-headed,  bowing  to  his  very  saddle,  while 
Lord  Wellington  was  speaking. 


THE  IRISH  DRACO  ON.  66 1 

As  I  looked,  my  heart  throbbed  painfully  against  my  side, 
my  breath  came  quick,  and  I  muttered  to  myself,  "  What  would 
I  not  give  to  be  in  his  place  now !  " 


CHAPTER  LXXXVII. 

THE  RETREAT  OF  THE  FRENCH. 

It  is  not  my  intention,  were  I  even  adequate  to  the  task,  to 
trace  with  anything  like  accuracy  the  events  of  the  war  at  this 
period.  In  fact,  to  those  who,  like  myself,  were  performing  a 
mere  subaltern  character,  the  daily  movements  of  our  own 
troops,  not  to  speak  of  the  continual  changes  of  the  enemy, 
were  perfectly  unknown,  and  an  English  newspaper  was  more 
ardently  longed  for  in  the  Peninsula  than  by  the  most  eager 
crowd  of  a  London  coffee-room  ;  nay,  the  results  of  the  very 
engagements  we  were  ourselves  concerned  in,  more  than  once, 
first  reached  us  through  the  press  of  our  own  country.  It  is 
easy  enough  to  understand  this.  The  officer  in  command  of 
the  regiment,  and,  how  much  more,  the  captain  of  a  troop,  or 
the  subaltern  under  him,  knows  nothing  beyond  the  sphere  of 
his  own  immediate  duty  ;  by  the  success  or  failure  of  his  own 
party  his  knowledge  is  bounded,  but  how  far  he  or  his  may 
influence  the  fortune  of  the  day,  or  of  wliat  is  taking  place 
elsewhere,  he  is  totally  ignorant ;  and  an  old  Fourteenth  man 
did  not  badly  explain  his  ideas  on  the  matter,  who  described 
Busacoas  "a  great  noise  and  great  smoke,  booming  artillery  and 
rattling  small-arms,  infernal  confusion,  and,  to  all  seeming,  inces- 
sant l)lundering,  orders  and  counter-orders,  ending  with  a  crush- 
ing charge,  when,  not  being  hurt  himself,  nor  having  hurt  anybody, 
he  felt  much  pleased  to  learn  that  they  had  gained  a  victory."  It 
is  then  sufficient  for  all  the  purposes  of  my  narrative,  when  I 
mention  that  Massena  continued  his  retreat  by  Santarem  and 


662  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

Thomar,  followed  by  the  allied  army,  who,  however  desirous  of 
pressing  upon  the  rear  of  their  enemy,  were  still  obliged  to 
maintain  their  communication  with  the  lines,  and  also  to  watch 
the  movement  of  the  large  armies  which,  under  Ney  and  Soult, 
threatened  at  any  unguarded  moment  to  attack  them  in  flank. 

The  position  which  Massena  occupied  at  Santarem,  naturally 
one  of  great  strength,  and  further  improved  by  intrench- 
ments,  defied  any  attack  on  the  part  of  Lord  Wellington,  until 
the  arrival  of  the  long-expected  reinforcements  from  England. 
These  had  sailed  in  the  early  part  of  January,  but,  delayed  by 
adverse  winds,  only  reached  Lisbon  on  the  2nd  of  March,  and 
so  correctly  was  the  French  Marshal  apprised  of  the  circum- 
stance, and  so  accurately  did  he  anticipate  the  probable  result, 
that  on  the  fourth  he  broke  up  his  encampment,  and  recom- 
menced his  retrograde  movement,  with  an  army  now  reduced 
to  forty  thousand  fighting  men,  and  with  two  thousand  sick  ; 
destroying  all  his  baggage  and  guns  that  could  not  be  horsed. 
By  a  demonstration  of  advancing  upon  the  Zezere,  by  which  he 
held  the  allies  in  check,  he  succeeded  in  passing  his  wounded 
to  the  rear,  while  Ney,  appearing  with  a  large  force  suddenly 
at  Leiria,  seemed  bent  upon  attacking  the  lines  :  by  these 
stratagems  two  days'  march  were  gained,  and  the  French 
retreated  upon  Torres  Novas  and  Thomar,  destroying  the 
bridges  behind  them  as  they  passed. 

The  day  was  breaking  on  the  12th  of  March,  when  the 
British  first  came  in  sight  of  the  retiring  enemy.  We  were  then 
ordered  to  the  front,  and,  broken  up  into  small  parties,  threw 
out  our  skirmishers.  The  French  chasseurs,  usually  not  indis- 
posed to  accept  this  cpecies  of  encounter,  showed  now  less  of 
incUnation  than  usual,  and  either  retreated  before  us,  or 
hovered  in  masses  to  check  our  advance  ;  in  this  way  the 
morning  was  passed,  when  towards  noon  we  perceived  that 
the  enemy  was  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  occupying  the  height 
above  the  village  of  Redinha.  This  little  straggling  village  is 
situated  in  a  hollow,  traversed  by  a  narrow  causeway,  which 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  663 

opens  by  a  long  and  dangerous  defile  upon  abridge  ;  on  either 
side  of  which  a  dense  wood  afforded  a  shelter  for  light  troops, 
while  upon  the  commanding  eminence  above  a  battery  of  heavy 
guns  was  seen  in  position. 

In  front  of  the  village  a  brigade  of  artillery  and  a  division  of 
infantry  were  drawn  up  so  skilfully  as  to  give  the  appearance 
of  a  considerable  force,  so  that,  when  Lord  Wellington  came 
up,  he  spent  some  time  in  examining  the  enemy's  position. 
Erskine's  brigade  was  immediately  ordered  up,  and  the  Fifty- 
second  and  Ninety-fourth,  and  a  company  of  the  Forty  third 
were  led  against  the  wooded  slopes  upon  the  French  right. 
Picton  simultaneously  attacked  the  left,  and,  in  less  than  an 
hour,  both  were  successful,  and  Ney's  position  was  laid  bare  : 
his  skirmishers,  however,  continued  to  hold  their  ground  in 
front,  and  I.a  Ferriere,  a  colonel  of  hussars,  dashing  boldly 
forward  at  this  very  moment,  carried  off  fourteen  prisoners 
from  the  very  front  of  our  line.  Deceived  by  the  confidence 
of  the  enemy,  Lord  Wellington  now  prepared  for  an  attack  in 
force.  The  infantry  were  therefore  formed  into  line,  and,  at 
the  signal  of  three  shots  fired  from  the  centre,  began  their 
foremost  movement. 

Bending  up  a  gentle  curve,  the  whole  plain  glistened  with 
the  glancing  bayonets,  and  the  troops  marched  majestically 
onward ;  while  the  liglit  artillery  and  the  cavalry,  bounding 
forward  from  the  left  and  center,  rushed  eagerly  towards  the 
foe.  One  deafening  discharge  from  the  French  guns  opened 
at  the  moment,  with  a  general  volley  of  small-arms.  The 
smoke  for  an  instant  obscured  everything ;  and  when  that 
cleared  away  no  enemy  was  to  be  seen. 

The  British  pressed  madly  on,  like  heated  bloodhounds ; 
but,  when  they  descended  the  slope,  the  village  of  Redinha 
was  in  flames,  and  the  French  in  full  retreat  beyond  it;  a 
single  howitzer  seemed  our  only  trophy,  and  even  this  we  were 
not  destined  to  boast  of,  for,  from  the  midst  of  the  crashing 
flame    and  dense  smoke   of   tlie    burning  village,  a  troop  of 


664  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

dragoons  rushed  forward,  and,  charging  our  infantry,  carried  it 
off.  The  struggle,  though  but  for  a  moment,  cost  them  dear  : 
twenty  of  their  comrades  lay  dead  upon  the  spot ;  but  thev 
were  resolute  and  determined,  and  the  officer  who  led  them 
on,  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  a  soldier  of  the  Forty-second, 
cheered  them  as  they  retired.  His  gallant  bearing,  and  his 
coat  covered  with  decorations,  bespoke  him  one  of  note,  and 
well  it  might ;  he  who  thus  perilled  his  life  to  maintain  the 
courage  of  his  soldiers  at  the  commencement  of  a  retreat,  was 
no  other  than  Ney  himself,  le  J)Ius  brave  des  braves.  The 
British  pressed  hotly  on,  and  the  light  troops  crossed  the 
river  almost  at  the  same  time  with  the  French.  Ney,  however, 
fell  back  upon  Condeixa,  where  his  main  body -was  posted,  and 
all  further  pursuit  was  for  the  present  abandoned. 

At  Casa  Noval  and  at  Fez  d'Aronce  the  allies  were  success- 
ful ;  but  the  French  still  continued  to  retire,  burning  the  towns 
and  villages  in  their  rear,  and  devastating  the  country  along  the 
whole  line  of  march  by  every  expedient  of  cruelty  the  heart  of 
man  has  ever  conceived.  In  the  words  of  one  whose  de- 
scriptions, however  fraught  with  the  most  wonderful  power  of 
painting,  are  equally  marked  by  truth — "  Every  horror  that 
could  make  war  hideous  attended  this  dreadful  march.  Distress, 
conflagration,  death  in  all  modes — from  wounds,  from  fatigue, 
from  water,  from  the  flames,  from  starvation — vengeance,  un- 
limited vengeance — was  on  every  side."  The  country  was  a 
desert  ! 

Such  was  the  exhaustion  of  the  allies,  who  suffered  even 
greater  privations  than  the  enemy,  that  they  halted  upon  the 
1 6th,  unable  to  proceed  farther,  and  the  river  Ceira,  swollen 
and  unfordable,  flowed  between  the  rival  armies. 

The  repose  of  even  one  day  was  a  most  grateful  interruption 
to  the  harassing  career  we  had  pursued  for  some  time  past ; 
and  it  seemed  that  my  comrades  felt,  like  myself,  that  such  an 
<)pportunity  was  by  no  means  to  be  neglected  ;  but,  while  I 
arn  devoting  so  much  space,  and  trespassing  on  my  reader's 


71IE  IRISH  DRAGOOK.  665 

patience  thus  far  with  narrative  of  flood  and  field,  let  me  steal 
a  chapter  for  what  will  sometimes  seem  a  scarcely  less  con- 
genial topic,  and  bring  back  the  recollection  of  a  glorious  night 
in  the  Peninsula. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 

Patrick's  day  in  the  peninsula. 

The  reveil  had  not  yet  sounded,  when  I  felt  my  shoulder 
shaken  gently  as  I  lay  wrapped  up  in  my  cloak  beneath  a  prickly 
pear-tree. 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  sir  ;  a  letter,  sir  ;  a  bit  of  a  note,  your 
honor,"  said  a  voice  that  bespoke  the  bearer  and  myself  were 
countrymen.  I  opened  it,  and,  with  difficulty,  by  the  uncertain 
light,  read  as  follows  : — 

"  Dear  Charley, 

"  As  Lord  Wellington,  like  a  good  Irishman  as  he  is,  wouldn't 
spoil  Patrick's  Day  by  marching,  we've  got  a  little  dinner  at  our  quarters 
to  celebrate  the  holy  times,  as  my  uncle  would  call  it.  Maurice,  Phil 
Orady,  and  some  regular  trumps,  will  all  come ;  so  don't  disappoint  us. 
I've  been  making  punch  all  night,  and  Casey,  who  has  a  knack  at  pastry, 
has  made  a  goose-pie  as  big  as  a  portmanteau.  Sharp  seven,  after  parade. 
The  second  battalion  of  the  Fusiliers  are  quartered  at  Melante,  and  we 
are  next  them.  Bring  any  of  yours  worth  their  liquor.  Power  is,  I 
know,  absent  with  the  staff  ;  perhaps  the  .Scotch  Doctor  would  come, — 
try  him.     Carry  over  a  little  mustard   with  you,  if  there   be  such  in  your 

parts. 

"  Yours, 

"  D.  O'SUAUGHNESSY. 

"  Patrick's  Day,  and  raining  like  blazes." 

Seeing  that  the  bearer  expected  an  answer,  I  scrawled  the 
words  "  I'm  there  "  with  my  pencil  on  the  back  of  the  note,  and 
again  turned  myself  round  to  sleep.     My  slumbers  were,  how- 


666  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

ever,  soon  interrupted  once  more  ;  for  the  bugles  of  the  light 
infantry,  and  the  hoarse  trumpet  of  the  cavalry,  sounded  the 
call,  and  I  found  to  my  surprise  that,  though  halted,  we  were 
by  no  means  destined  to  a  day  of  idleness.  Dragoons  were  al- 
ready mounted,  carrying  orders  hither  and  thither,  and  staff- 
officers  were  galloping  right  and  left.  A  general  order  com- 
manded an  inspection  of  the  troops,  and  within  less  than  an 
hour  from  daybreak  the  whole  army  was  drawn  up  under  arms. 
A  thin,  drizzling  rain  continued  to  fall  during  the  early  part 
of  the  day,  but  the  sun  gradually  dispelled  the  heavy  vapor ; 
and,  as  the  bright  verdure  glittered  in  its  beams,  sending  up  all 
the  perfumes  of  a  southern  clime,  I  thought  I  had  never  seen 
a  more  lovely  morning.  The  staff  were  stationed  upon  a  little 
knoll  beside  the  river,  round  the  base  of  which  the  troops  de- 
filed, at  first  in  orderly,  then  in  quick  time,  the  bands  play- 
ing, and  the  colors  flying.  In  the  same  brigade  with  us  the 
Eighty-eighth  came,  and,  as  they  neared  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  their  quick  step  was  suddenly  stopped,  and,  after  a  pause 
of  a  few  seconds,  the  band  struck  up  "  St.  Patrick's  Day  ;  "  the 
notes  were  caught  up  by  the  other  Irish  regiments,  and,  amid 
one  prolonged  cheer  from  the  whole  line,  the  gallant  fellows 
moved  past. 

The  grenadier  company  were  drawn  up  beside  the  road,  and 
I  was  not  long  in  detecting  my  friend  O'Shaughnessy,  who 
wore  a  tremendous  shamrock  in  his  chako. 

"  Left  face,  wheel !  quick  march  !  Don't  forget  the  mustard  !  " 
said  the  bold  Major  ;  and  a  loud  roar  of  laughing  from  my 
brother  officers  followed  him  off  the  ground.  I  soon  explained 
the  injunction,  and,  having  invited  some  three  or  four  to  ac- 
company me  to  the  dinner,  waited  with  all  patience  for  the  con- 
clusion of  the  parade. 

The  sun  was  setting  as  I  mounted,  and,  joined  by  Hampden, 
Baker,  the  Doctor,  and  another,  set  out  for  O'Shaughnessy's 
quarters.  As  we  rode  along,  we  were  continually  falling  in 
with  others  bent  upon  the   same  errand  as  ourselves,  and  ere 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  667 

we  arrived  at  Melante  our  party  was  some  thirty  strong  ;  and 
truly  a  most  extraordinary  procession  did  we  form.  Few  of 
the  invited  came  without  some  contribution  to  the  general  stock ; 
and  while  a  staff-officer  flourished  a  ham,  a  smart  hussar  might 
be  seen  with  a  plucked  turkey,  trussed  for  roasting  ;  most 
carried  bottles,  as  the  consumption  of  fluid  was  likely  to  be 
considerable  ;  and  one  fat  old  major  jogged  along  on  a  broken- 
winded  pony,  with  a  basket  of  potatoes  on  his  arm.  Good 
fellowship  was  the  order  of  the  day,  and  certainly  a  more  jovial 
squadron  seldom  was  met  together  than  ours.  As  we  turned 
the  angle  of  a  rising  ground,  a  hearty  cheer  greeted  us,  and 
we  beheld  in  front  of  an  old  ordnance  marquee  a  party  of  some 
fifty  fellows  engaged  in  all  the  pleasing  duties  of  the  cuisine. 
Maurice,  conspicuous  above  all,  with  a  white  apron,  and  a 
ladle  in  his  hand,  was  running  hither  and  thither,  advis- 
ing, admonishing,  instructing,  and  occasionally  imprecating. 
Ceasing  for  a  second  his  functions,  he  gave  us  a  cheer  and  a 
yell  like  that  of  an  Indian  savage,  and  then  resumed  his  duties 
beside  a  huge  boiler,  which,  from  the  frequency  of  his  ex- 
plorations into  its  contents,  we  judged  to  be  punch. 

"  Charley,  my  son,  I've  a  place  for  you ;  don't  forget. 
Where's  my  learned  brother  ? — haven't  you  brought  him  with 
you  ?     Ah,  Doctor,  how  goes  it  ?  " 

"Nae  that  bad.  Master  Quell:  a'  things  considered,  we've 
had  an  awfu'  time  of  it  lately." 

"  You  know  my  friend  Hampden,  Maurice.  Let  me  intro- 
duce Mr.  Baker — Mr.  Maurice  Quill.     Where's  the  Major  ?  " 

"  Here  I  am,  my  darling,  and  delighted  to  see  you.  Some 
of  yours,  O'Malley,  ain't  they  ?  Proud  to  have  you,  gentlemen. 
Charley,  we  are  obliged  to  have  several  tables ;  but  you  are  to 
be  beside  Maurice,  so  take  your  friends  with  you.  There  goes 
the  '  Roast  Beef ; '  my  heart  warms  to  that  old  tune." 

Amid  a  hurried  recognition,  and  shaking  of  hands  on  every 
side,  I  elbowed  my  way  into  the  tent,  and  soon  reached  a  cor- 
ner, where,  at  a  table  for  eight,  I  found  Maurice  seated  at  one 


663  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

end ;  a  huge,  purple-faced  old  major,  whom  he  presented  to  us 
as  Bob  Mahon,  occupied  the  other.  O'Shaughnessy  presided 
at  the  table  next  to  us,  but  near  enough  to  join  in  all  the  con- 
viviality of  ours. 

One  must  have  lived  for  some  months  upon  hard  biscuit 
and  harder  beef  to  relish  as  we  did  the  fare  before  us,  and  to 
form  an  estimate  of  our  satisfaction.  If  the  reader  cannot 
fancy  Van  Amburgh's  lions  in  red  coats  and  epaulettes,  he  must 
be  content  to  lose  the  effect  of  the  picture.  A  turkey  rarely 
fed  more  than  two  people,  and  few  were  abstemious  enough  to 
be  satisfied  with  one  chicken.  The  order  of  the  viands,  too, 
observed  no  common  routine,  each  party  being  happy  to  get 
what  he  could,  and  satisfied  to  follow  up  his  pudding  with  fish, 
or  his  tart  with  a  sausage.  Sherry,  champagne,  London  porter, 
Malaga,  and  even,  I  believe,  Harvey's  sauce,  were  hobnobbed 
in,  while  hot  punch,  in  teacups  or  tin  vessels,  was  unsparingly 
distributed  on  all  sides.  Achilles  himself,  they  say,  got  tired 
of  eating,  and  though  he  consumed  something  like  a  prize  ox 
to  his  own  cheek,  he  at  length  had  to  call  for  cheese,  so  that 
we  at  last  gave  in,  and,  having  cleared  away  the  broken  tum- 
brels and  baggage-carts  of  our  army,  cleared  for  a  general 
action. 

"  Now,  lads  !  "  cried  the  Major,  "  I'm  not  going  to  lose  your 
time  and  mine  by  speaking ;  but  there  are  a  couple  of  toasts  I 
must  insist  upon  your  drinking  with  all  the  honors ;  and,  as  I 
like  despatch,  we'll  couple  them.  It  so  happens  that  our  old 
island  boasts  of  two  of  the  finest  fellows  that  ever  wore  Russia 
ducks.  None  of  your  nonsensical  geniuses,  like  poets,  or 
painters,  or  anything  like  that;  but  downright,  straightforward, 
no-humbug  sort  of  devil-may-care  and  bad-luck-to-you  kind  of 
chaps — real  Irishmen !  Now,  it's  a  strange  thing  that  they 
both  had  such  an  antipathy  to  vermin,  they  spent  their  life  in 
hunting  them  down  and  destroying  them  ;  and  whether  they  met 
toads  at  home,  or  Johnny  Crapaud  abroad,  it  was  all  one 
(Cheers.)     Just  sOj  boys ;  they  made  them  leave  that    but  I 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  669 

rfee  you  are  impatient,  so  I'll  not  delay  you,  but  fill  to  the  brim, 
and,  with  the  best  cheer  in  your  body,  drink  with  me  the  two 
greatest  Irishmen  that  ever  lived,  '  St.  Patrick  and  Lord 
Wellington.'  " 

The  Englishmen  laughed  long  and  loud,  while  we  cheered 
with  an  energy  that  satisfied  even  the  Major. 

"  Who  is  to  give  us  the  chant  ?  Who  is  to  sing  St.  Patrick  ?  " 
cried  Maurice.     "  Come,  Bob,  out  with  it." 

"  I'm  four  tumblers  too  low  for  that  yet,"  growled  out  the 
Major. 

"Well,  then,  Charley,  be  you  the  man  ;  or  why  not  Dennis 
himself?  Come,  Dennis,  we  cannot  better  begin  our  evening 
tlian  with  a  song ;  let  us  have  our  old  friend  *  Larry 
M'Hale.'  " 

"  Larry  M'Hale  !  "  resounded  from  all  parts  of  the  room, 
while  O'Shaughnessy  rose  once  more  to  his  legs. 

"Faith,  boys,  I'm  always  ready  to  follow  your  lead;  but 
wliat  analogy  can  exist  between  '  Larry  M'Hale '  and  the  toast 
we  have  just  drank  I  can't  see  for  the  life  of  me  ;  not  b»i*t 
T,arry  would  have  made  a  strapping  light  company  man  had  he 
joined  the  army." 

"  The  song,  the  song  !  ""  cried  several  voices. 

"  Well,  if  you  will  have  it,  here  goes  : — 

"  LARRY  M'HALK. 

Air — '  //V  a  bit  of  a  thiug^  etc. 

"  Oh!   I-.irr>'  M'Hale  he  had  httle  to  fear, 

And  never  could  want  when  the  crops  didn't  fail, 
He'd  a  house  and  demesne  and  eiglit  hundred  a  year. 

And  the  heart  for  to  spend  it,  had  Larry  JM'IIalet 
The  soul  of  a  party, — the  life  of  a  feast. 

And  an  illigant  song  he  could  sing,  I'll  be  bail ; 
He  would  ride  with  the  rector,  and  drink  with  the  priest. 

Oh!  the  broth  of  a  boy  was  old  Larry  M'Hale. 

"  It's  little  he  cared  for  the  judge  or  recorder. 
His  house  was  as  big  and  as  strong  as     goal ; 
With  a  rruel  fnur-|pi>under  he  kept  in  great  order. 
He'd  niurdei  the  country,  would  Larry  M'Hale. 


6/0  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

He'd  a  blunderbuss  too ;  of  horse-pistols  a  pair 

But  his  favorite  weapon  was  always  a  fiail ; 
I  wish  you  could  see  how  he'd  empty  a  fair, 

For  he  handled  it  neatly,  did  Larry  M'Hale. 

"  His  ancestors  were  kings  before  Moses  was  born, 

His  mother  descended  from  great  Grana  Uaile ; 
He  laughed  all  the  Blakes  and  the  Frenches  to  scorn; 

They  were  mushrooms  compared  to  old  Larry  M'Hale. 
He  sat  down  every  day  to  a  beautiful  dinner, 

With  cousins  and  uncles  enough  for  a  tail ; 
And,  though  loaded  with  debt,  oh !  the  devil  a  thinner, 
■    Could  law  or  the  sheriff  make  Larry  M'Hale. 

"  With  a  larder  supplied  and  a  cellar  well  stored, 

None  lived  half  so  well,  from  Fair-Head  to  Kinsale, 
As  he  piously  said,  '  I've  a  plentiful  board, 

And  the  Lord  he  is  good  to  old  Larry  M'Hale.' 
So  iill  up  your  glass,  and  a  high  bumper  give  him, 

It's  little  we'd  care  for  the  tithes  or  repale ; 
For  ould  Erin  would  be  a  fine  country  to  live  in. 

If  we  only  had  plenty  like  Larry  M'Hale." 

"Very  singular  style  of  person  your  friend  Mr,  M'Hale,'* 
lisped  a  spooney-looking  Cornet  at  the  end  of  the  table. 

"  Not  in  the  country  he  belongs  to,  I  assure  you,"  said 
Maurice  ;  "  but  I  presume  you  were  never  in  Ireland." 

"You  are  mistaken  there,"  resumed  the  other;  "  I  was  in 
Ireland,  though  I  confess  not  for  a  long  time." 

"  If  I  might  be  so  bold,"  cried  Maurice,  "  how  long  ?  " 

"  Half-an-hour,  by  a  stop-watch,"  said  the  other,  pulling  up 
his  stock  ;  "  and  I  had  quite  enough  of  it  in  that  time." 

"  Pray  give  us  your  experiences,"  cried  out  Bob  Mahon. 
"  They  should  be  interesting,  considering  your  opportunities." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  the  Cornet ;  "  they  were  so ;  and,  as 
they  illustrate  a  feature  in  your  amiable  country,  you  shall 
have  them." 

A  general  knocking  upon  the  table  announced  the  impa- 
tience of  the  company,  and  when  silence  was  restored  the 
Cornet  began  : — 

"  When  the  Bermuda  transport  sailed  from  Portsmouth  for 
Lisbon,  I  happened  to  mak^  one   of  some  four  hundred  in- 


THE  IRISH  DRA  G  0  ON.  6  7  i 

teresting  individuals  who,  before  they  become  food  for  powder, 
were  destined  to  try  their  constitutions  on  pickled  pork.  The 
second  day  after  our  saiUng,  the  winds  became  adverse  ;  it 
blew  a  hurricane  from  every  corner  of  the  compass  but  the 
one  it  ought,  and  the  good  ship,  that  should  have  been  stand- 
ing straight  for  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  was  scudding  away  under  a 
double-reefed  topsail  towards  the  coast  of  Labrador.  For  six 
days  we  experienced  every  sea-manoeuvre  that  usually  pre- 
ludes a  shipwreck,  and  at  length,  when,  what  from  sea-sickness 
and  fear,  we  had  become  utterly  indifferent  to  the  result,  the 
storm  abated,  the  sea  went  down,  and  we  found  ourselves  lying 
comfortably  in  the  harbor  of  Cork,  with  a  strange  suspicion 
on  our  minds  that  the  frightful  scenes  of  the  past  week  had 
been  nothing  but  a  dream, 

" '  Come,  Mr.  Medlicot,'  said  the  Skipper  to  me,  '  we  shall 
be  here  for  a  couple  of  days  to  refit ;  had  you  not  better  go 
ashore  and  see  the  country  ?  " 

"  I  sprang  to  my  legs  with  delight ;  visions  of  cowslips,  larks, 
daisies,  and  mutton  chops  floated  before  my  excited  imagina- 
tion, and  in  ten  minutes  I  found  myself  standing  at  that 
pleasant  little  inn  at  Cove  which,  opposite  Spike  Island,  re- 
joices in  the  name  of  the  Goat  and  Garters. 

"  '  Breakfast,  waiter,'  said  I  ;  '  a  beefsteak — fresh  beef,  mark 
ye  ;  fresh  eggs,  bread,  milk,  and  butter,  all  fresh. — No  more 
hard  tack,'  thought  I ;  '  no  salt  butter,  but  a  genuine  land  break- 
fast.' 

"  Upstairs,  No.  4,  sir,'  said  the  waiter,  as  he  flourished  a 
dirty  napkin,  indicating  the  way. 

"  Upstairs  I  went,  and  in  due  time  the  appetizing  little  meal 
made  its  appearance.  Never  did  a  minor's  eye  revel  over  his 
broad  acres  with  more  complacent  enjoyment  than  did  mine 
skim  over  the  mutton  and  the  muffin,  the  teapot,  the  trout,  and 
the  devilled  kidney,  so  invitingly  spread  out  before  me.  '  Yes,' 
thought  I,  as  I  smacked  my  lips,  'this  is  the  reward  of  virtue; 
pickled  pork  is  a  probationary  state  that  admirably  fits  us  for 


672  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

future  enjoyments.'  I  arranged  my  napkin  upon  my  knee, 
seized  my  knife  and  fork,  and  proceeded  with  most  critical 
acumen  to  bisect  a  beefsteak.  Scarcely,  however,  had  I 
touched  it,  when,  with  a  loud  crash,  the  plate  smashed  beneath 
it,  and  the  gravy  ran  piteously  across  the  cloth.  Before  I  had 
time  to  account  for  the  phenomenon,  the  door  opened  hastily, 
and  the  waiter  rushed  into  the  room,  his  face  beaming  with 
smiles,  while  he  rubbed  his  hands  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight. 

"'  It's  all  over,  sir,'  said  he;  'glory  be  to  God  I  it's  all 
done.' 

"  '■  What's  over  ?  what's  done  ? '  inquired  I,  with  impatience. 

'"  Mr.  M'Mahon  is  satisfied,'  replied  he,  'and  so  is  the  other 
gentleman.' 

"  '  Who  and  what  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?  * 

"  *  It's  over,  sir,  I  say,'  replied  the  waiter  again  ;  '  he  fired 
in  the  air.' 

"  '  Fired  in  the  air !  Was  there  a  duel  in  the  room  below 
stairs  ? ' 

"  'Yes,  sir,'  said  the  waiter,  with  a  benign  smile. 

" '  That  will  do,'  said  I,  as,  seizing  my  hat,  I  rushed  out  of 
the  house,  and,  hurrying  to  the  beach,  took  a  boat  for  the  ship. 
Exactly  half-an-hour  had  elapsed  since  my  landing,  but  even 
those  short  thirty  minutes  had  fully  as  many  reasons  that, 
although  there  may  be  few  more  amusing,  there  are  some  safer 
places  to  live  in  than  the  Green  Isle." 

A  general  burst  of  laughter  followed  the  Cornet's  story, 
which  was  heightened  in  its  effect  by  the  gravity  with  which 
he  told  it. 

"And,  after  all,"  said  Maurice  Quill,  "now  that  people 
have  given  up  making  fortunes  for  the  insurance  companies, 
by  living  to  the  age  of  Methuselah,  there's  nothing  like  being 
an  Irishman.  In  what  other  part  of  the  habitable  globe  can 
yon  cram  so  much  of  adventure  into  one  year  ?  Where  can 
you  be  so  often  in  love,  in  liquor,  or  in  debt  ?  and  where  can 
you  get  so  merrily  out  of  the  three  ?     Where  are  promises  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  673 

marry  and  promises  to  pay  treated  with  the  same  gentleman- 
hke  forbearance  ?  and  where,  when  you  have  lost  your  heart 
and  your  fortune,  are  people  found  so  ready  to  comfort  you  in 
your  reverses  ?  Yes,"  said  Maurice,  as  he  filled  his  glass  up 
to  the  brim,  and  eyed  it  lusciously  for  a  moment — "yes,  dar- 
ling, here's  your  health  ;  the  only  girl  I  ever  loved — in  that 
part  of  the  country,  I  mean.  Give  her  a  bumper,  lads,  and  I'll 
give  you  a  chant  ?  " 

"  Name  !  name  !  name  !  "  shouted  several  voices  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  table. 

"  Mary  Draper !  "  said  Maurice,  filling  his  glass  once  more, 
while  the  name  was  re-echoed  by  every  lip  at  table. 

"  The  song  !  the  song  !  " 

"  Faith,  I  hope  I  haven't  forgotten  it,"  quoth  Maurice. 
"  No  ;  here  it  is." 

So  saying,  after  a  couple  of  efforts  to  assure  the  pitch  of 
his  voice,  the  worthy  Doctor  began  the  following  words  to  that 
very  popular  melody,  "  Nancy  Dawson  :  " — • 

"  MARY   DRAPER. 

Air — '  Nancy  Dawson.^ 

"  Don't  talk  to  me  of  London  dames, 
Nor  rave  about  your  foreign  flames, 
Tliat  never  lived, — except  in  draraes, 

Nor  shone  except  on  paper ; 
I'll  sing  you  'bout  a  girl  I  knew. 
Who  lived  in  Ballywhacmacrew, 
And,  let  me  tell  you,  mighty  few 

Could  equal  Mary  Draper. 

"  Her  cheeks  were  red,  her  eyes  were  blue, 
Her  hair  was  brown,  of  deepest  hue. 
Her  foot  was  small,  and  neat  to  view, 

Her  waist  was  slight  and  taper ; 
Her  voice  was  music  to  your  car, 
A  lovely  brogue,  so  rich  and  clear, 
f)h,  the  like  I  ne'er  again  shall  hear, 
As  from  sweet  Mary  Draper. 

"  She'd  ride  a  wall,  she'd  drive  a  team. 
Or  with  a  fly  she'd  whip  a  stream, 
Or  maybe  sing  you  '  Rousseau's  Dream,' 

43 


074  CHARLES  aM ALLEY, 

For  nothing  could  escape  her; 
I've  seen  her,  too — upon  my  word — 
At  sixty  yards  bring  down  her  bird, 
Oh !  she  charmed  all  the  Forty-third, 

Did  lovely  Mary  Draper. 

"  And  at  the  spring  assizes'  ball, 
The  junior  bar  would  one  and  all 
For  all  her  favorite  dances  call, 
'  And  Harry  Deane  would  caper; 

Lord  Clare  would  then  forget  his  lore. 
King's  Counsel,  TOting  law  a  bore, 
Were  proud  to  figure  on  the  floor, 
For  love  of  Mary  Draper. 

"  The  parson,  priest,  sub-sheriff  too. 
Were  all  her  slaves,  and  so  would  you, 
If  you  had  only  but  one  view. 

Of  such  a  face  and  shape,  or 
Her  pretty  ankles — but,  ohone, 
It's  only  west  of  old  Athlone 
Such  girls  were  found — and  now  they're  gone— 

So  here's  to  Mary  Draper !  " 

"  So  here's  to  Mary  Draper  ! "  sang  out  every  voice,  in  such 
efforts  to  catch  the  tune  as  pleased  the  taste  of  the  motley 
assembly. 

"  For  Mary  Draper  and  Co.,  I  thank  you,"  said  Maurice. 
"  Quill  drinks  to  Dennis,"  added  he,  in  a  grave  tone,  as  he 
nodded  to  O'Shaughnessy.  "  Yes,  Shaugh,  few  men  better 
than  ourselves  know  these  matters ;  and  few  have  had  more 
experience  of  the  three  perils  of  Irishmen — love,  liquor,  and 
the  law  of  arrest." 

"  It's  little  the  latter  has  ever  troubled  my  father's  son," 
replied  O'Shaughnessy  ;  "  our  family  have  been  writ  proof  for 
centuries,  and  he'd  have  been  a  bold  man  who  would  have  vent- 
ured with  an  original  or  a  true  copy  within  the  precincts  of 
Killinahoula." 

"  Your  father  had  a  touch  of  Larry  M'Hale  in  him,"  said  I, 
"  apparently." 

"  Exactly  so,"  replied  Dennis ;  "  not  but  they  caught  him  at 
last ;  and  a  scurvy  trick  it  was,  and  well  worthy  of  him  who  did 
it !     Yes,"  said  he,  with  a  sigh,  "  it  is  only  another  among  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiW  675 

many  instances  where  the  better  features  of  our  nationaUty 
have  been  used  by  our  enemies  as  instruments  for  our  destruc- 
tion ;  and,  should  we  seek  for  the  causes  of  unhappiness  in 
our  wretched  country,  we  should  find  them  rather  in  our  virtues 
than  in  our  vices,  and  in  the  bright  rather  than  in  the  darker 
phases  of  our  character." 

"  Metaphysics,  by  Jove !  "  cried  Quill  ;  "  but  all  true  at  the 
same  time.  There  was  a  messmate  of  mine  in  the  Roscommon, 
who  never  paid  car-hire  in  his  life.  '  Head  or  harp,  Paddy  ! ' 
he  would  cry.  '  Two  tenpennies,  or  nothing.'  '  Harp  !  for 
the  honor  of  ould  Ireland,'  was  the  invariable  response,  and 
my  friend  was  equally  sure  to  make  head  come  uppermost ;  and, 
upon  my  soul,  they  seem  to  know  the  trick  at  the  Home  Office." 

"  That  must  have  been  the  same  fellow  that  took  my  father," 
cried  O'Shaughnessy,  with  energy. 

"  Let  us  hear  the  story,  Dennis,"  said  I. 

"  Yes,"  said  Maurice,  "  for  the  benefit  of  self  and  fellows, 
let  us  hear  the  stratagem  !  " 

"  The  way  of  it  was  this,"  resumed  O'Shaughnessy  ;  "  my 
father,  who,  for  reasons  registered  in  the  King's  Bench, 
spent  a  great  many  years  of  his  life  in  that  part  of  Ireland  geo- 
graphically known  as  lying  west  of  the  law,  was  obliged,  for 
certain  reasons  of  family,  to  come  up  to  Dublin.  This  he  pro- 
ceeded to  do  with  due  caution.  Two  trusty  servants  formed 
an  advanced  guard,  and  patrolled  the  country  for  at  least  five 
miles  in  advance  ;  after  them  came  a  skirmishing  body  of  a 
few  tenants,  who,  for  the  consideration  of  never  paying  rent, 
would  have  charged  the  whole  Court  of  Chancery,  if  needful. 
My  father  himself,  in  an  old  chaise  victualled  like  a  fortress, 
brought  up  the  rear ;  and,  as  I  said  before,  he  were  a  bold 
man  who  would  have  attempted  to  have  laid  siege  to  him.  As 
tiie  column  advanced  into  the  enemy's  country,  they  assumed 
a  closer  order,  the  patrol  and  the  picket  falling  back  upon  the 
main  body  ;  and  in  this  way  they  reached  that  most  interesting 
city  called  Kilbeggan.     What  a  fortunate  thing  it  is  for   us  in 


676  CHARLES  CMALLEY, 

Ireland  that  we  can  see  so  much  of  the  world  without  foreign 
travel,  and  that  any  gentleman  for  six-and-eightpence  can  leave 
Dublin  in  the  morning,  and  visit  Timbuctoo  against  dinner- 
time !  Don't  stare!  it's  truth  I'm  telling;  for  dirt,  misery, 
smoke,  unaffected  behavior,  and  black  faces,  I'll  back  Kilbeg- 
gan  against  all  Africa.  Free-and-easy,  pleasant  people  ye  are, 
with  a  skin  as  begrimed  and  as  rugged  as  your  own  potatoes ! 
But,  to  resume.  The  sun  was  just  rising  in  a  delicious  morning 
of  June,  when  my  father — whose  loyal  antipathies  I  have  men- 
tioned made  him  also  an  early  riser — was  preparing  for  the 
road.  A  stout  escort  of  his  followers  were  as  usual  under 
arms  to  see  him  safe  in  the  chaise,  the  passage  to  and  from 
which  every  day  being  the  critical  moment  of  my  father's  life. 

"  '  It's  all  right,  your  honor,'  said  his  own  man,  as,  armed 
with  a  blunderbuss,  he  opened  the  bedroom  door. 

"  '  Time  enough,  Tim,*  said  my  father ;  '  close  the  door,  for 
I  haven't  finished  my  breakfast.' 

"  Now,  the  real  truth  was,  that  my  father's  attention  was  at 
that  moment  withdrawn  from  his  own  concerns,  by  a  scene 
which  was  taking  place  in  a  field  beneath  his  window. 

"  But  a  few  minutes  before,  a  hack-chaise  had  stopped  upon 
the  roadside,  out  of  which  sprang  three  gentlemen,  who,  pro- 
ceeding into  the  field,  seemed  bent  upon  something,  which, 
whether  a  survey  or  a  duel,  my  father  could  not  make  out. 
He  was  not  long,  however,  to  remain  in  ignorance.  One,  with 
an  easy,  lounging  gait,  strode  towards  a  distant  corner  ;  another 
took  an  opposite  direction ;  while  a  third,  a  short,  pursy 
gentleman,  in  a  red  handkerchief  and  rabbit-skin  waistcoat, 
proceeded  to  open  a  mahogany  box,  which,  to  the  critical  eyes  of 
my  respected  father,  was  agreeably  suggestive  of  bloodshed 
and  murder. 

"  '  A  duel,  by  Jupiter !  '  said  my  father,  rubbing  his  hands. 
'  What  a  heavenly  morning  the  scoundrels  have  !  not  a  leaf 
Stirring,  and  a  sod  like  a  billiard-table  !  ' 

"  Meanwhile,  the  little  man  who  officiated  as  second,  it  would 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  677 

appear,  to  both  parties,  bustled  about  with  an  activity  little 
congenial  to  his  shape  ;  and,  what  between  snapping  the  pistols, 
examining  the  flints,  and  ramming  down  the  charges,  had  got 
himself  into  a  sufficient  perspiration  before  he  commenced  to 
measure  the  ground. 

"  '  Short  distance  and  no  quarter  ! '  shouted  one  of  the  com- 
batants, from  the  corner  of  the  field. 

"  '  Across  a  handkerchief,  if  you  like  ! '  roared  the  other. 

"  '  Gentlemen,  every  inch  of  them  ! '  responded  my  father. 

"  '  Twelve  paces  ! '  cried  the  little  man.  '  No  more  and  no 
less.     Don't  forget  that  I  am  alone  in  this  business  ! ' 

"  '  A  very  true  remark  ! '  observed  my  father ;  '  and  an 
awkward  predicament  yours  will  be  if  they  are  not  both 
shot !  ' 

"  By  this  time  the  combatants  had  taken  their  places,  and 
the  little  man,  having  delivered  the  pistols,  was  leisurely  retiring 
to  give  the  word.  My  father,  however,  whose  critical  eye  was 
never  at  fault,  detected  a  circumstance  which  promised  an 
immense  advantage  to  one  at  the  expense  of  the  other ;  in  fact, 
one  of  the  parties  was  so  placed  with  his  back  to  the  sun,  that 
his  shadow  extended  in  a  straight  line  to  the  very  foot  of  his 
antagonist. 

"'Unfair,  unfair!'  cried  my  father,  opening  the  window  as 
he  spoke,  and  addressing  himself  to  him  of  the  rabbit-skin. 
'  r  crave  your  pardon  for  the  interruption,'  said  he;  'but  I  feel 
bound  to  observe  that  that  gentleman's  shadow  is  likely  to 
make  a  shade  of  him.' 

"  '  And  so  it  is,'  observed  the  short  man  ;  '  a  thousand  thanks 
for  your  kindness ;  but  the  truth  is,  I  am  totally  unaccus- 
tomed to  this  kind  of  thing,  and  the  affair  will  not  admit  of 
delay. 

"  '  Not  an  hour  !  '  said  one. 

"  '  Not  five  minutes  !'  growled  the  other  of  the  combatants. 

"  '  Put  them  up  north  and  south  !  '  said  my  father. 

'"  Is  it  thus?' 


678  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

/"Exactly  SO.  But  now  again,  the  gentleman  in  the  brown 
coat  is  covered  with  the  ash-tree.' 

" '  And  so  he  is ! "  said  rabbit-skin,  wiping  his  forehead 
with  agitation. 

"  '  Move  them  a  little  to  the  left,'  said  he. 

"  '  That  brings  me  upon  an  eminence,'  said  the  gentleman  in 
blue.     '  I'll  be  d — d  if  I  be  made  a  cock  shot  of ! ' 

"  *  What  an  awkward  little  thief  it  is  in  the  hairy  waistcoat ! ' 
said  my  father  ;  '  he's  lucky  if  he  don't  get  shot  himself ! ' 

"' May  I  never,  if  I'm  not  sick  of  you  both!'  ejaculated 
rabbit-skin,  in  a  passion.  '  I've  moved  you  round  every  point 
of  the  compass,  and  the  devil  a  nearer  we  are  than  ever.' 

"  '  Give  us  the  word,'  said  one. 

"  '  The  word  ! ' 

"  '  Downright  murder;'  said  my  father. 

" '  I  don't  care,'  said  the  little  man  ;  '  we  shall  be  here  till 
doomsday.' 

"  '  I  can't  permit  this,'  said  my  father  ;  *  allow  me.'  So  saying, 
he  stepped  upon  the  window-sill,  and  leaped  down  into  the 
field. 

"  *  Before  I  can  accept  of  your  politeness,'  said  he  of  the 
rabbit-skin,  '  may  I  beg  to  know  your  name  and  position  in 
society  ? ' 

"  '  Nothing  more  reasonable,'  said  my  father.  '  I'm  Miles 
O'Shaughnessy.  Colonel  of  the  Royal  Raspers  :  here  is  my 
card.' 

"  The  piece  of  pasteboard  was  complacently  handed  from 
one  to  the  other  of  the  party,  who  saluted  my  father  with  a 
smile  of  most  courteous  benignity. 

*'  'Colonel  O'Shaughnessy,'  said  one. 

"  '  Miles  O'Shaughnessy,'  said  the  other. 

'•' '  Of  Killinahoula  Castle,'  said  the  third. 

"  '  At  your  service,'  said  my  father,  bowing  as  he  presented  his 
snuff-box ;  *  and  now  to  business,  if  you  please  ;  for  my  time 
also  is  limited.' 


THE  JKlsn  JJKACUON.  679 

** '  Very  true,'  observed  he  of  the  rabbit-skin  ;  '  and,  as  you 
observe,  now  to  business ;  in  virtue  of  which,  Colonel  Miles 
O'Shaughnessy,  I  hereby  arrest  you  in  the  King's  name. 
Here  is  the  writ ;  it's  at  the  suit  of  Barnaby  Kelly,  of  Loughrea, 
for  the  sum  of   ^1482  19^.  lYzd.,  which " 

"  Before  he  could  conclude  the  sentence,  my  father  discharged 
one  obligation,  by  implanting  his  closed  knuckles  in  his  face. 
The  blow,  well  aimed  and  well  intentioned,  sent  the  little  fellow 
summersetting  like  a  sugar  hogshead.  But,  alas  !  it  was  of  no 
use  ;  the  others,  strong  and  able-bodied,  fell  both  upon  him, 
and  after  a  desperate  struggle  succeeded  in  getting  him  down. 
To  tie  his  hands,  and  convey  him  to  the  chaise,  was  the  work 
of  a  few  moments ;  and,  as  my  father  drove  by  the  inn,  the 
last  object  which  caught  his  view  was  a  bloody  encounter  be- 
tween his  own  people  and  the  myrmidons  of  the  law,  who,  in 
great  numbers,  had  laid  siege  to  the  house  during  his  capture. 
Thus  was  my  father  taken  ;  and  thus,  in  reward  for  yielding  to  a 
virtuous  weakness  in  his  character,  was  he  consigned  to  the 
ignominious  durance  of  a  prison.  Was  I  not  right,  then,  in 
saying  that  such  is  the  melancholy  position  of  our  country,  the 
most  beautiful  traits  in  our  character  are  converted  into  the  ele- 
ments of  our  ruin  ?  " 

"  I  dinna  think  ye  ha'e  made  out  your  case,  Major,"  said 
the  Scotch  Doctor,  who  felt  sorely  puzzled  at  my  friend's  logic. 
"If  your  faether  had  na  gi'en  the  bond ' 

"  There  is  no  saying  what  he  wouldn't  have  done  to  the 
bailiffs,"  interrupted  Dennis,  who  was  following  up  a  very  differ- 
ent train  of  reasoning. 

"  J  fear  me.  Doctor,"  observed  Quill,  "you  are  much  behind 
us  in  Scotland.  Not  but  that  some  of  your  chieftains  are 
respectable  men,  and  wouldn't  get  on  badly  even  in  Gal- 
way." 

"  I  thank  ye  muckle  for  the  compliment,"  said  the  Doctor 
dryly  ;  "  but  I  ha'e  my  doubts  they'd  think  it  ane,  and  they're 
crusty  carls  that's  no'  ower  safe  to  meddle  wi." 


68o  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

"  I'd  as  soon  propose  a  hand  of  spoiled  five  to  the  Pope  of 
Rome,  as  a  joke  to  one  of  them,"  returned  Maurice. 

"Maybe  ye  are  na  wrang  there,  Maister  Quell." 

"  Well,"  cried  Hampden,  "  if  I  may  be  allowed  an  opinion, 
I  can  safely  aver  I  know  no  quarters  like  Scotland.  Edin- 
burgh beyond  anything  or  anywhere  I  was  ever  placed  in." 

"  Always  after  Dublin,"  interposed  Maurice  ;  while  a  general 
chorus  of  voices  re-echoed  the  sentiment. 

"You  are  certainly  a  strong  majority,"  said  my  friend, 
"  against  me  ;  but  still  I  recant  not  my  original  opinion.  Edin- 
burgh before  the  world.  For  a  hospitality  that  never  tires ; 
for  pleasant  fellows  that  improve  every  day  of  your  acquaint- 
ance ;  for  pretty  girls  that  make  you  long  for  a  repeal  of  the 
canon  about  being  only  singly  blessed,  and  lead  you  to  long 
for  a  score  of  them  ;  Edinburgh,  I  say  again,  before  the  world." 

"  Their  ankles  are  devilish  thick,"  whispered  Maurice. 

"  A  calumny,  a  base  calumny  !  " 

"  And  then  they  drink " 

"  Oh " 

"  Yes  ;  they  drink  very  strong  tea." 

"  Shall  we  ha'e  a  glass  o'  sherry  together,  Hampden  ?  "  said 
the  Scotch  Doctor,  willing  to  acknowledge  his  defence  of  auld 
Reekie. 

"  And  we'll  take  O'Malley  in,"  said  Hampden  ;  "  he  looks 
imploringly." 

"  And  now  to  return  to  the  charge,"  quoth  Maurice.  "  In 
what  particular  dare  ye  contend  the  palm  with  Dublin  ?  We'll 
not  speak  of  beauty.  'l  can't  suffer  any  such  profane  turn  in 
the  conversation  as  to  dispute  the  superiority  of  Irishwomen's 
lips,  eyes,  noses,  and  eyebrows,  to  anything  under  heaven. 
We'll  not  talk  of  gay  fellows  ;  egad,  we  needn't.  I'll  give  you 
the  garrison — a  decent  present ;  and  I'll  back  the  Irish  bar  for 
more  genuine  drollery,  more  wit,  more  epigram,  more  ready 
sparkling  fun,  than  the  whole  rest  of  the  empire — ay,  and  all 
her  colonies — can  boast  of." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  68 1 

"  They  are  nae  remarkable  for  passing  the  bottle,  if  they 
resemble  their  very  gifted  advocate,"  observed  the  Scotchman. 

"  But  they  are  for  filling  and  emptying  both,  making  its 
current,  as  it  glides  by,  like  a  rich  stream  glittering  in  the  sun- 
beams with  the  sparkling  lustre  of  their  wit.  Lord,  how  I'm 
blown  !  Fill  my  pannikin,  Charley.  There's  no  subduing  a 
Scot.  Talk  with  him,  drink  wdth  him,  fight  with  him,  and  he'll 
always  have  the  last  of  it ;  there's  only  one  way  of  concluding 
the  treaty " 

"  And  that  is " 


"  Blarney  him.  Lord  bless  you,  he  can't  stand  it.  Tell 
him  Holyrood's  like  Versailles,  and  the  Trossach's  finer  than 
Mont  Blanc ;  that  Geordie  Buchanan  was  Homer,  and  the 
Canongate,  Herculaneum, — ^then  ye  have  him  on  the  hip. 
Now  ye  never  can  humbug  an  Irishman  that  way ;  he'll  know 
you're  quizzing  him  when  you  praise  his  country." 

"  Ye  are  right,  Hampden,"  said  the  Scotch  Doctor,  in 
reply  to  some  observation.  "  We  are  vara  primitive  in  the 
hielands,  and  w'e  keep  to  our  ain  national  customs  in  dress 
and  everything  ;  and  we  are  vara  slow  to  learn  ;  and  even  when 
we  try  we  are  nae  ower  successfu'  in  our  imitations,  which 
sometimes  cost  us  dearly  enough.  Ye  may  have  heard,  maybe, 
of  the  M'Nab  o'  that  ilk,  and  what  happened  him  with  the 
King's  equerry  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  quite  certain,"  said  Hampden,  "  if  I  ever  heard 
liie  story." 

"  It's  nae  mucklc  of  a  story  ;  but  the  way  of  it  was  this  : — 
When  Montrose  came  back  from  London,  he  brought  with  him 
a  few  Englishers  to  show  them  the  Highlands,  and  let  them  see 
something  of  deer-stalking ;  among  the  rest,  a  certain  Sir 
George  Sowerby,  an  aide-de-camp  or  an  equerry  of  the  Prince. 
He  was  a  vara  fine  gentleman,  that  never  loaded  his  ain  gun, 
and  a'most  thought  it  too  much  trouble  to  pull  the  trigger.  He 
went  out  every  morning  to  shoot  with  his  hair  curled  like  a 
woman,  and  dressed  like  a  dancing-master.     N"ow,   there    hap- 


682  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

pened  to  be  at  the  same  time  at  the  castle  the  Laird  o'  M'Nab  ; 
he  was  a  kind  of  cousin  of  the  Montrose,  and  a  rough  old  tyke  of 
the  true  hieland  breed,  wha'  thought  that  the  head  of  a  clan  was 
fully  equal  to  any  king  or  prince.  He  sat  opposite  to  Sir  George 
at  dinner  the  day  of  his  arrival,  and  could  not  conceal  his  sur- 
prise at  the  many  new-fangled  ways  of  feeding  himself  the 
Englisher  adopted.  He  ate  his  saumon  wi'  his  fork  in  ae 
hand,  and  a  bittock  of  bread  in  the  other  ;  he  would  na'  touch 
the  whisky;  helped  himself  to  a  cutlet  wi'  his  fingers  ;  but  what 
was  maist  extraordinary  of  all,  he  wore  a  pair  o'  braw  white 
gloves  during  the  whole  time  o'  dinner ;  and,  when  they  came 
to  tak'  away  the  cloth,  he  drew  them  off  with  a  great  air,  and 
threw  them  into  the  middle  of  it,  and  then,  leisurely  taking  an- 
ither  pair  off  a  silver  salver  which  his  ain  man  presented,  he 
pat  them  on  for  dessert.  The  M'Nab,  who,  although  an  auld- 
fashioned  carl,  was  aye  fond  of  bringing  something  new  hame 
to  his  friends,  remarked  the  Englisher's  proceeding  with  great 
care,  and  the  next  day  he  appeared  at  dinner  wi'  a  huge  pair 
of  hieland  mittens,  which  he  wore  to  the  astonishment  of  all  and 
the  amusement  of  most,  through  the  whole  three  courses;  and, 
exactly  as  the  Englishman  changed  his  gloves,  the  M'Nab 
produced  a  fresh  pair  of  goats'  wool,  four  times  as  large  as  the 
first,  which,  drawing  on  with  prodigious  gravity,  he  threw  the 
others  into  the  middle  of  the  cloth,  remarking,  as  he  did  so, — 
" '  Ye  see,  Captain,  we  are  never  ower  auld  to  learn.' 
"  All  propriety  was  now  at  an  end,  and  a  hearty  burst  of 
laughter  from  one  end  of  the  table  to  the  other  convulsed  the 
whole  company  ;  the  M'Nab  and  the  Englishman  being  the 
only  persons  who  did  not  join  in  it,  but  sat  glowering  at  each 
other  like  twa  tigers  ;  and,  indeed,  it  needed  a'  the  Montrose's 
interference  that  they  had  na  quarrelled  upon  it  in  the  morn- 
ing.' 

"  The  M'Nab  was  a  man  after  my  own  heart,"  said  Maurice ; 
"  there  was  something  very  Irish  in  the  lesson  he  gave  the 
Englishman," 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOO.V.  683 

"  I'd  rather  ye'd  told  him  that  than  me,"  said  the  Doctor, 
dryly :  "  he  would  na  hae  thanked  ye  for  mistaking  him  for  ane 
of  your  countrymen." 

"  Come,  Doctor ! "  said  Dennis,  "  could  not  ye  give  us  a 
stave  ?  Have  ye  nothing  that  smacks  of  the  brown  fern  and 
the  blue  lakes  in  your  memory  ?  " 

"  I  have  na  a  song  in  my  mind  just  noo  except  Johnny  Cope  ; 
which  maybe  might  na  be  ower  pleasant  for  the  Englishers  to 
listen  to." 

"  I  never  heard  a  Scotch  song  worth  sixpence,"  quoth 
Maurice,  who  seemed  bent  on  provoking  the  Doctor's  ire. 
"  They  contain  nothing  save  some  puling  sentimentality  about 
lasses  with  lint-white  locks,  or  some  absurd  laudations  of  the 
Barley  Bree." 

"  Here  till  him  !  here  till  him  !  "  said  the  Doctor,  reddening 
with  impatience. 

"  Show  me  anything,"  said  Maurice,  "  like  the  Cruiskeen 
Lawn  or  the  Jug  of  Punch  :  but  who  can  blame  them,  after  all  ? 
You  can't  expect  much  from  a  people  with  an  imagination  as 
naked  as   their  own  knees." 

"  Maurice  !  Maurice  !  "  cried  O'Shaughnessy,  reprovingly, 
who  saw  that  he  was  pushing  the  other's  endurance  beyond 
all  bounds. 

"  I  mind  weel,"  said  the  Scotchman,  "  what  happened  to 
ane  o'  your  countrymen  wha  took  upon  him  to  jest  as  you  are 
doing  now.     It  was  to  Laurie  Cameron  he  did  it." 

"  And  what  said  the  redoubted  Laurie  in  reply  ? " 

"  He  did  na  say   nuickle,  but  he  did  something." 

"  And  what  might  it  be  ?  "  inquired   Maurice. 

"  He  threw  him  ower  the  brig  of  Ayr  into  the  water,  and  he 
was  drowned." 

"  And  did  Laurie  come  to  no  harm  about  the  matter  ? " 

*'  Ay !  they  tried  him  for  it,  and  found  him  guilty  ;  but  when 
they  asked  him  what  he  had  to  say  in  his  defence,  he  merely 
replied, '  When  the  carl  sneered  about  Scotland,  I  did  na  suspect 


684  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

that  he  did  na  ken  how  to  swim  ; '  and  so  the  end  of  it  was, 
they  did   naething  to  Laurie." 

"  Cool  that,  certainly,"  said  I. 

"  I  prefer  your  friend  with  the  mittens,  I  confess,"  said 
Maurice,  "  though  I'm  sure  both  were  most  agreeable  compan- 
ions.    But  come.  Doctor,  couldn't  you  give  us — 

'  Sit  ye  down,  my  heartie,  and  gie  us  a  crack, 
Let  the  wind  tak'  the  care  o'  the  world  on  his  back.'  " 

"  You  maunna  attempt  English  poethry,  my  freend  Quell : 
for  it  must  be  confessed  ye'  ve  a  damnable  accent  of  your 
ain." 

"  Milesian-Phoenician-Corkacian;  nothing  more,  my  boy  ;  and 
a  coaxing  kind  of  recitative  it  is,  after  all.  Don't  tell  me  of  your 
soft  Etruscan — your  plethoric  Hoch-TiQVitsch — your  flattering 
French.  To  woo  and  win  the  girl  of  your  heart,  give  me  a  rich 
brogue  and  the  least  taste  in  life  of  blarney!  There's  nothing 
like  it,  believe  me — every  inflection  of  your  voice  suggesting 
some  tender  pressure  of  her  soft  hand  or  taper  waist ;  every 
cadence  falling  on  her  gentle  heart  like  a  sea-breeze  on  a  burn- 
ing coast,  or  a  soft  sirocco  over  a  rose-tree  ;  and  then  think, 
my  boys — and  it  is  a  fine  thought  after  all — what  a  glorious 
gift  that  is,  out  of  the  reach  of  kings  to  give  or  to  take,  what 
neither  depends  upon  the  act  of  Union  nor  the  Habeas  Corpus. 
No  !  they  may  starve  us — laugh  at  us — tax  us — transport  us. 
They  may  take  our  mountains,  our  valleys,  and  our  bogs  ;  but, 
bad  luck  to  them,  they  can't  steal  our  '  blarney  ; '  that's  the 
privilege  one  and  indivisible  with  our  identity  ;  and  while  an 
Englishman  raves  of  his  liberty — a  Scotchman  of  his  oaten 
meal — blarney's  ^//r  birthright,  and  a  prettier  portion  I'd  never 
ask  to  leave  behind  me  to  my  sons.  If  I'd  as  large  a  family 
as  the  ould  gentleman  called  Priam  we  used  to  hear  of  at 
school,, it's  the  only  inheritance  I'd  give  them  ;  and  one  comfort 
there  would  be  besides — the  legacy  duty  would  be  only  a  trifle. 
Charley,   my  son,  I   see  you're   listening  to  me,   and  nothing 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  68^ 

satisfies  me  more  than  to  instruct  aspiring  youth ;  so  never  for- 
get the  old  song — 

"  If  at  your  ease,  the  girls  you'd  please, 
And  win  them,  Iil<e  Kate  Kearney, 
There's  but  one  way,  I've  heard  them  say, 
Go  kiss  the  '  Stone  of  Blarney.' " 

"What  do  you  say,  Shaugh,  if  we  drink  it  with  all  the 
honors  ?  " 

"  But  gently  :  do  I  hear  a  trumpet  there  ?  " 

"  Ah,  there  go  the  bugles.     Can  it  be  daybreak  already  ?  " 

"  How  short  the  nights  are  at  this  season  !  "  said  Quill. 

"  What  an  infernal  rumpus  they're  making  !  it's  not  possible 
the  troops  are  to  march  so  early." 

"  It  wouldn't  surprise  me  in  the  least ;  "  quoth  Maurice  ; 
"  there  is  no  knowing  what  the  Commander-in-Chief's  not  ca- 
pable of  :  the  reason's  clear  enough. 

"  And  why,  Maurice  ?  " 

"  There's  not  a  bit  of  blarney  about  him." 

The  rhcil  sang  out  from  every  brigade,  and  the  drums  beat 
to  fall  in,  while  Mike  came  galloping  up  at  full  speed  to  say 
that  the  bridge  of  boats  was  completed,  and  that  the  Twelfth 
were  already  ordered  to  cross.  Not  a  moment  was  therefore 
to  be  lost ;  one  parting  cup  we  drained  to  our  next  meeting,  and 
amid  a  hundred  "good-byes"  we  mounted  our  horses.  Poor 
Hampden's  brains  sadly  confused  by  the  wine  and  the  laugh- 
ing, he  knew  little  of  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and 
passed  the  entire  time  of  our  homeward  ride  in  a  vain  endeav- 
or to  adapt  Mary  Draper  to  the  air  of  Rule  Britannia. 


686  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 

FUENTES  d'oNORO. 

From  this  period  the  French  continued  their  retreat,  closely 
followed  by  the  allied  armies,  and  on  the  sth  of  April  Massena 
once  more  crossed  the  frontier  into  Spain,  leaving  thirty  thou- 
sand of  his  bravest  troops  behind  him,  fourteen  thousand  of 
whom  had  fallen,  or  been  taken  prisoners  ;  reinforcements,  how- 
ever, came  rapidly  pouring  in.  Two  divisions  of  the  ninth 
corps  had  already  arrived,  and  Drouet,  with  eleven  thousand 
infantry  and  cavalry,  was  preparing  to  march  to  his  assistance. 
Thus  strengthened,  the  French  army  marched  towards  the 
Portuguese  frontier,  and  Lord  Wellington,  who  had  determined 
not  to  hazard  much  by  his  blockade  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  fell 
back  upon  the  large  table-land  beyond  the  Turones  and  the  Dos 
Casas,  with  his  left  at  Fort  Conception,  and  his  right  resting 
upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro.  His  position  extended  to  about  five 
miles ;  and  here,  although  vastly  inferior  in  numbers,  yet  rely- 
ing upon  the  bravery  of  the  troops,  and  the  moral  ascendency 
acquired  by  their  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  he  finally  resolved  upon 
giving  them  battle. 

Being  sent  with  despatches  to  Pack's  brigade,  which  formed 
the  blockading  force  at  Almeida,  I  did  not  reach  Fuentes 
d'Onoro  until  the  evening  of  the  3rd.  The  thundering  of  the 
guns  which,  even  at  the  distance  I  was  at,  was  plainly  heard, 
announced  that  an  attack  had  taken  place,  but  it  by  no  means 
prepared  me  for  the  scene  which  presented  itself  on  my  return. 

The  village  of  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in 
Spain,  is  situated  in  a  lovely  valley,  where  all  the  charms  of  verd- 
ure so  peculiar  to  the  Peninsula  seemed  to  have  been  scattered 
witfi  a  lavish  hand.     The  citron  and  the  arbutus,  growing  wild, 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOI^.  687 

sheltered  every  cottage  door,  and  the  olive  and  the  laurel  threw 
their  shadows  across  the  little  rivulet  which  traversed  the 
village.  The  houses,  observing  no  uniform  arrangement,  stoor^ 
wherever  the  caprice  or  the  inclination  of  the  builder  suggested, 
surrounded  with  little  gardens,  the  inequality  of  the  ground 
imparting  a  picturesque  feature  to  even  the  lowliest  hut,  while, 
upon  a  craggy  eminence  above  the  rest,  an  ancient  convent  and 
a  ruined  chapel  looked  down  upon  the  little  peaceful  hamlet 
with  an  air  of  tender  protection. 

Hitherto,  this  lovely  spot  had  escaped  all  the  ravages  of  war. 
The  light  division  of  our  army  had  occupied  it  for  months  long  ; 
and  every  family  was  gratefully  remembered  by  some  one  or 
other  of  our  officers  ;  and  more  than  one  of  our  wounded  found 
in  the  kind  and  affectionate  watching  of  these  poor  peasants  the 
solace  which  sickness  rarely  meets  with  when  far  from  home 
and  country. 

It  was,  then,  with  an  anxious  heart  I  pressed  my  horse  for- 
A^ard  into  a  gallop  as  the  night  drew  near.  The  artillery  had 
been  distinctly  heard  during  the  day,  and,  while  I  burned  with 
eagerness  to  know  the  result,  I  felt  scarcely  less  anxious  for 
the  fate  of  that  little  hamlet  whose  name  many  a  kind  story  had 
implanted  in  my  memory.  The  moon  was  shining  brightly 
as  I  passed  the  outpost,  and,  leading  my  horse  by  the  bridle, 
descended  the  steep  and  rugged  causeway  to  the  village  be- 
neath me.  The  lanterns  were  moving  rapidly  to  and  fro  ;  the 
measured  tread  of  infantry  at  night — that  ominous  sound,  which 
falls  upon  the  heart  so  sadly — told  me  that  they  were  burying 
the  dead.  The  air  was  still  and  breathless  ;  not  a  sound  was 
stirring  save  the  step  of  the  soldiery,  and  the  harsh  clash  of  the 
shovel  as  it  struck  the  earth.  I  felt  sad,  and  sick  at  heart,  and 
leaned  against  a  tree  ;  a  nightingale  concealed  in  the  leaves 
was  pouring  forth  its  plaintive  notes  to  the  night  air,  and  its 
low  warble  sounded  like  the  dirge  of  the  departed.  Far  beyond, 
in  the  plain,  the  French  watch-fires  were  burning,  and  I  could 
see  from  time  to  time   the   fatigue-jiarlics  moving  in  search   of 


688  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

their  wounded.  At  this  moment  the  clock  of  the  convent 
struck  eleven,  and  a  merry  chime  rang  out,  and  was  taken  up 
by  the  echoes,  till  it  melted  away  in  the  distance.  Alas  ! 
where  were  those  whose  hearts  were  wont  to  feel  cheered  at 
that  happy  peal  ?  whose  infancy  it  had  gladdened,  whose  old 
age  it  has  hallowed  ?  The  fallen  walls,  the  broken  roof-trees, 
the  ruin  and  desolation  on  every  side,  told  too  plainly  that  they 
had  passed  away  forever  ?  The  smoking  embers,  the  torn-up 
pathway,  denoted  the  hard-fought  struggle ;  and,  as  I  passed 
along,  I  could  see  that  every  garden,  where  the  cherry  and  the 
apple-blossom  were  even  still  perfuming  the  air,  had  now  its 
sepulchre. 

"  Halt,  there  !  "  cried  a  hoarse  voice  in  front.     "You  cannot 
pass  this  way — the  Commander-in-Chief's  quarters." 

I  looked  up,  and  beheld  a  small  but  neat-looking  cottage, 
which  seemed  to  have  suffered  less  than  the  others  around. 
Lights  were  shining  brightly  from  the  windows,  and  I  could 
even  detect  from  time  to  time  a  figure  muffled  up  in  a  cloak, 
passing  to  and  fro  across  the  window ;  while  another,  seated 
at  a  table,  was  occupied  in  writing.  I  turned  into  a  narrow 
path  which  led  into  the  little  square  of  the  village,  and  here,  as 
I  approached,  the  hum  and  murmur  of  voices  announced  a 
bivouac  party.  Stopping  to  ask  what  had  been  the  result  of 
the  day,  I  learned  that  a  tremendous  attack  had  been  made  by 
the  French  in  column  upon  the  village,  which  was  at  first 
successful  ;  but  that  afterwards  the  Seventy-first  and  Seventy- 
ninth,  marching  down  from  the  heights,  had  repulsed  the  enemy, 
and  driven  them  beyond  the  Dos  Casas.  Five  hundred  had 
fallen  in  that  fierce  encounter,  which  was  continued  through 
every  street  and  alley  of  the  little  hamlet.  The  gallant  High 
landers  now  occupied  the  battle-field ;  and,  hearing  that  the 
cavalry  brigade  was  some  miles  distant,  I  willingly  accepted 
their  offer  to  share  their  bivouac,  and  passed  the  remainder 
of  the  night   among  them. 

When  day  broke,  our  troops  were  under  arras,  but  the  enemy 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  689 

showed  no  disposition  to  renew  the  attack.  We  could  perceive, 
however,  from  the  road  to  the  southward,  by  the  long  columns 
of  dust,  that  reinforcements  were  still  arriving ;  and  learned 
during  the  morning,  from  a  deserter,  that  Massena  himself  had 
come  up,  and  Bessieres  also,  with  twelve  hundred  cavalry,  and 
a  battery  of  the  Imperial  Guard. 

From  the  movements  observable  in  the  enemy,  it  was  soon 
evident  that  the  battle,  though  deferred,  was  not  abandoned  ; 
and  the  march  of  a  strong  force  towards  the  left  of  their  posi- 
tion induced  our  Commander-in-Chief  to  despatch  the  seventh 
division,  under  Houston,  to  occupy  the  height  of  Naval  d'Aver 
— our  extreme  right — in  support  of  which  our  brigade  of 
cavalry  marched  as  a  covering  force.  The  British  position  was 
thus  unavoidably  extended  to  the  enormous  length  of  seven  miles, 
occupying  a  succession  of  small  eminences,  from  the  division 
at  Fort  Conception  to  the  height  of  Naval  d'Aver, — Fuentes 
d'Onoro  forming  nearly  the  centre  of  the  line. 

It  was  evident,  from  the  thickening  combinations  of  the  French, 
that  a  more  dreadful  battle  was  still  in  reserve  for  us  ;  and  yet 
never  did  men  look  more  anxiously  for  the  morrow. 

As  for  myself,  I  felt  a  species  of  exhilaration  I  had  never 
before  experienced  ;  the  events  of  the  preceding  day  came 
dropping  in  upon  me  from  every  side,  and  at  every  new  tale  of 
gallantry  or  daring  I  felt  my  heart  bounding  with  excited 
eagerness  to  win  also  my  meed  of  honorable  praise. 

Craufurd,  too,  had  recognized  me  in  the  kindest  manner  ; 
and,  while  saying  that  he  did  not  wish  to  witlulraw  me  from 
my  regiment  on  a  day  of  battle,  added  that  he  would  make  use 
of  me  for  the  present  on  his  staff.  Thus  was  I  engaged,  from 
early  in  the  morning  till  late  in  the  evening,  bringing  orders 
and  despatches  along  the  line.  The  troop-horse  I  rode — for  I 
reserved  my  gray  for  the  following  day — was  scarcely  able  to 
carry  me  along,  as  towards  dusk  I  jogged  along  in  the  direction 
of  Naval  d'Aver.  When  I  did  reach  our  quarters,  the  fires 
were  lighted,  and  around  one  of  them  I  had  the  good  fortune 


690  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

to  find  a  party  of  the  Fourteenth  occupied  in  discussing  a  very 
appetizing  Httle  supper.  The  clatter  of  plates  and  the  popping 
of  champagne  corks  were  most  agreeable  sounds.  Indeed,  the 
latter  appeared  to  me  so  much  too  flattering  an  illusion,  that 
I  hesitated  giving  credit  to  my  senses  in  the  matter,  when 
Baker  called  out, — 

"  Come,  Charley,  sit  down  ;  you're  just  in  the  nick.  Tom 
Marsden  is  giving  us  a  benefit.     You  know  Tom  ?  " 

And  here  he  presented  me  in  due  form  to  that  best  of  com- 
missaries and  most  hospitable  of  horse-dealers. 

"  I  can't  introduce  you  to  my  friend  on  my  right,"  continued 
Baker,  "  for  my  Spanish  is  only  a  skeleton  battalion  ;  but  he's 
a  trump — that  I'll  vouch  for  ;  never  flinches  his  glass,  and 
looks  as  though  he  enjoyed  all  our  nonsense." 

The  Spaniard,  who  appeared  to  comprehend  that  he  was  allud- 
ed to,  gravely  saluted  me  with  a  low  bow,  and  offered  his 
glass  to  hobnob  with  me.  I  returned  the  courtesy  with  be- 
coming ceremony,  while  Hampden  whispered  in  my  ear, — 

"  A  fine  looking  fellow.  You  know  who  he  is  ?  Julian,  the 
Guerilla  chief." 

I  had  heard  much  of  both  the  strangers.  Tom  Marsden 
was  a  household  word  in  every  cavalry  brigade  ;  equally  cel- 
ebrated were  his  contracts  and  his  claret.  He  knew  every  one, 
from  Lord  Wellington  to  the  last-joined  cornet ;  and,  while 
upon  a  march,  there  was  no  piece  of  better  fortune  than  to  be 
asked  to  dine  with  him.  So,  in  the  very  thick  of  battle,  Tom's 
critical  eye  was  scanning  the  squadrons  engaged,  with  an  ac- 
curacy as  to  the  number  of  fresh  horses  that  would  be  required 
upon  the  morrow  that  nothing  but  long  practice  and  infinite 
coolness  could  have  conferred. 

Of  the  Guerilla  I  need  not  speak.  The  bold  feats  he  ac- 
complished, the  aid  he  rendered  to  the  cause  of  his  country, 
have  made  his  name  historical.  Yet  still,  with  all  this,  fatigue, 
more  powerful  than  my  curiosity,  prevailed,  and  I  sank  into  a 
heavy  sleep  upon  the  grass,  while  my  merry  companions  kept 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOX.  691 

up  their  revels  till  near  morning.  The  last  piece  of  conscious- 
ness I  am  sensible  of  was  seeing  Julian  spreading  his  wide 
mantle  over  me  as  I  lay,  while  I  heard  his  deep  voice  whisper 
a  kind  wish  for  my  repose. 


CHAPTER  XC. 

THE  BATTLE    OF    FUENTES    d'oNORO. 

So  soundly  did  I  sleep,  that  the  tumult  and  confusion  of  the 
morning  never  awoke  me;  and  the  Guerilla,  whose  cavalry 
were  stationed  along  the  edge  of  the  ravine  near  the  heights  of 
Echora,  would  not  permit  of  my  being  roused  before  the  last 
moment.  Mike  stood  near  me  with  my  horses,  and  it  was  only 
when  the  squadrons  were  actually  forming  that  I  sprang  to  my 
feet  and  looked  around  me. 

The  day  was  just  breaking  ;  a  thick  mist  lay  upon  the  parched 
earth,  and  concealed  everything  a  hundred  yards  from  where 
we  stood.  PVom  this  dense  vapor  the  cavalry  defiled  along 
the  base  of  the  hill,  followed  by  the  horse  artillery  and  the 
Guards,  disappearing  again  as  they  passed  us,  but  proving,  by 
the  mass  of  troops  now  assembled,  that  our  position  was  re- 
garded as  the  probable  point  of  attack. 

While  the  troops  continued  to  take  up  tlieir  position,  the  sun 
shone  out,  and  a  slight  breeze  blowing  at  the  same  moment, 
the  heavy  clouds  moved  past,  and  we  beheld  the  magnificent 
panorama  of  tlie  battle-field.  Before  us,  at  the  distance  of 
less  than  half  a  league,  the  French  cavalry  were  drawn  up  in 
three  strong  columns;  the  Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard,  plainly 
distinguished  by  thuir  steel  cuirasses,  flanked  by  the  Polish 
Lancers  and  a  strong  luissar  brigade  ;  a  powerful  artillery  train 
supported  the  left,  and  an  infantry  force  occupied  the  entire 
space  between  the  right  and  the  rising  ground  opposite  Po^o 


692  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

Velho.  Farther  to  the  right  again  the  column,  destined  for  the 
attack  of  Fuentes  d'Onoro  were  forming,  and  we  could  see 
that,  profiting  by  their  past  experience,  they  were  bent  upon 
attacking  the  village  with  an  overwhelming  force. 

For  above  two  hours  the  French  continued  to  manoeuvre, 
more  than  one  alteration  having  taken  place  in  their  disposition  ; 
fresh  battalions  were  moved  towards  the  front,  and  gradually 
the  whole  of  their  cavalry  was  assembled  on  the  extreme  left 
in  front  of  our  position.  Our  people  were  ordered  to  breakfast 
where  we  stood ;  and  a  little  after  seven  o'clock  a  staff  officer 
came  riding  down  the  line,  followed  in  a  few  moments  after  by 
General  Craufurd,  when  no  sooner  was  his  well-known  brown 
cob  recognized  by  the  troops,  than  a  hearty  cheer  greeted  him 
along  the  whole  division. 

"  Thank  ye,  boys  ;  thank  ye,  boys,  with  all  my  heart.  No 
man  feels  more  sensibly  what  that  cheer  means  than  I  do. 
Guards  !  Lord  Wellington  relies  upon  your  maintaining  this 
position,  which  is  essential  to  the  safety  of  the  whole  line.  You 
will  be  supported  by  the  light  division.  I  need  say  no  more. 
If  such  troops  cannot  keep  their  ground,  none  can.  Four- 
teenth, there's  your  place  ;  the  artillery  and  the  Sixteenth  are 
with  you.  They've  the  odds  of  us  in  numbers,  lads  ;  but  it  will 
tell  all  the  better  in  the  Gazette.  I  see  they're  moving ;  so  fall 
in,  now,  fall  in  ;  and,  Merivale,  move  to  the  front.  Ramsey, 
prepare  to  open  your  fire  on  the  attacking  squadrons." 

As  he  spoke,  the  low  murmuring  sound  of  distantly-moving 
cavalry  crept  along  the  earth,  growing  louder  and  louder,  till  at 
length  we  could  detect  the  heavy  tramp  of  the  squadrons  as 
they  came  on  in  a  trot,  our  pace  being  merely  a  walk.  While 
we  thus  advanced  into  the  plain,  the  artillery  unlimbered  be- 
hind us,  and  the  Spanish  cavalry,  breaking  into  skirmishers, 
dashed  boldly  to  the  front. 

It  was  an  exciting  moment.  The  ground  dipped  between  the 
two  armies,  so  as  to  conceal  the  head  of  the  advancing  column 
of  the  French,  and,  as  the   Spanish   skirmishers  disappeared 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  693 

down  the  ridge,  our  beating  hearts  and  straining  eyes  followed 
their  last  horseman. 

"  Halt !  halt !  "  was  passed  from  squadron  to  squadron,  and 
the  same  instant  the  sharp  ring  of  tlie  pistol-shots  and  the  clash 
of  steel  from  the  valley,  told  us  the  battle  had  begun.  We 
could  hear  the  Guerilla  war-cry  mingle  with  the  F'rench  shout, 
while  the  thickening  crash  of  fire-arms  implied  a  sharper  conflict. 
Our  fellows  were  already  manifesting  some  impatience  to  press 
on,  when  a  Spanish  horseman  appeared  above  the  ridge — 
another  followed,  and  another — and  then  pell-mell,  broken  and 
disordered,  they  fell  back  before  the  pursuing  cavalry  in  flying 
masses  ;  while  the  French,  charging  them  hotly  home,  utterly 
routed  and  repulsed  them. 

The  leading  squadrons  of  the  French  now  fell  back  upon 
their  support ;  the  column  of  attack  thickened,  and  a  thunder- 
ing noise  between  their  masses  announced  their  brigade  of  light 
guns  as  they  galloped  to  the  front.  It  was  then  for  the  first 
time  that  I  felt  dispirited  ;  far  as  my  eye  could  stretch  the  dense 
mass  of  sabres  extended,  defiling  from  the  distant  hills  and 
winding  its  slow  length  across  the  plain.  I  turned  to  look  at 
our  line,  scarce  one  thousand  strong,  and  could  not  help  feel- 
ing that  our  hour  was  come :  the  feeling  flashed  vividly  across 
my  mind,  but  the  next  instant  I  felt  my  cheek  redden  with 
shame  as  I  gazed  upon  the  sparkling  eyes  and  bold  looks 
around  me — the  lips  compressed,  the  hands  knitted  to  their 
sabres ;  all  were  motionless,  but  burning  to  advance. 

The  French  had  halted  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  to  form,  when 
Merivale  came  cantering  up  to  us. 

"  Fourteenth,  are  you  ready  ?     Are  you  ready,  lads  ?  " 

"  Ready,  sir  !  ready  !  "  re-echoed  along  the  line. 

"  Then  push  them  home  and  charge  !  Charge  !  "  cried  he, 
raising  his  voice  to  a  shout  at  the  last  word. 

Heavens  !  what  a  crash  was  there !  Our  horses,  in  top  con- 
dition, no  sooner  felt  the  spur  than  they  bounded  madly  onwards. 
The  pace — for  the  distance  did  not  exceed  four  hundred  yards 


694  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

— was  like  racing.  To  resist  the  impetus  of  our  approach  was 
impossible ;  and  without  a  shot  fired,  scarcely  a  sabre-cut 
exchanged,  we  actually  rode  down  their  advanced  squadrons 
— hurling  them  headlong  upon  their  supporting  division,  and 
rolling  men  and  horses  beneath  us  on  every  side.  The  French 
fell  back  upon  their  artillery ;  but  before  they  could  succeed 
in  opening  their  fire  upon  us,  we  had  wheeled,  and,  carrying  off 
about  seventy  prisoners,  galloped  back  to  our  position  with  the 
loss  of  but  two  men  in  the  afifair.  The  whole  thing  was  so 
sudden,  so  bold,  and  so  successful,  that  I  remember  well,  as 
we  rode  back,  a  hearty  burst  of  laughter  was  ringing  through 
the  squadron  at  the  ludicrous  display  of  horsemanship  the 
French  presented  as  they  tumbled  headlong  down  the  hill ;  and 
I  cannot  help  treasuring  the  recollection,  for,  from  that  moment, 
all  thought  of  anything  short  of  victory  completely  quitted  my 
mind,  and  many  of  my  brother  officers,  who  had  participated 
in  my  feelings  at  the  commencement  of  the  day,  confessed  to 
me  afterwards,  that  it  was  then  for  the  first  time  they  felt 
assured  of  beating  the  enemy. 

While  we  slowly  fell  back  to  our  position,  the  French  were 
seen  advancing  in  great  force  from  the  village  of  Almeida,  to 
the  attack  of  P050  Velho  ;  they  came  on  at  a  rapid  pace,  their 
artillery  upon  their  front  and  flank,  large  masses  of  cavalry 
hovering  around  them.  The  attack  upon  the  village  was  now 
opened  by  the  large  guns  ;  and,  amid  the  booming  of  the 
artillery  and  the  crashing  volleys  of  small  fire-arms,  rose  the 
shout  of  the  assailants,  and  the  wild  cry  of  the  Guerilla  cavalry, 
who  had  formed  in  front  of  the  village.  The  French  advanced 
firmly,  driving  back  the  pickets,  and  actually  inundated  the 
devoted  village  with  a  shower  of  grape  ;  the  blazing  fires  burst 
from  the  ignited  roofs ;  and  the  black,  dense  smoke  rising  on 
high,  seemed  to  rest  like  a  pall  over  the  little  hamlet. 

The  conflict  was  now  a  tremendous  one  ;  our  seventh  division 
held  the  village  with  the  bayonet ;  but  the  French  continuing 
to  pour  in  mass  upon  mass,  drove  them  back  with  loss,  and, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  695 

at  the  end  of  an  hour's  hard  fighting,  took  possession  of  the 
place. 

The  wood  upon  the  left  flank  was  now  seen  to  swarm  with 
light  infantry,  and  the  advancement  of  their  whole  left  proved 
that  they  meditated  to  turn  our  f^ank ;  the  space  between  the 
village  and  the  hill  of  Naval  d'Aver  became  thus  the  central 
position  ;  and  here  the  Guerilla  force,  led  on  by  Julian  Sanches, 
seemed  to  await  the  French  with  confidence.  Soon,  however, 
the  cuirassiers  came  galloping  to  the  spot,  and,  almost  without 
exchanging  a  sabre-cut,  the  Guerillas  fell  back,  and  retired  be- 
hind the  Turones.  This  movement  of  Julian  was  more  attrib- 
utable to  anger  than  to  fear ;  for  his  favourite  lieutenant,  being 
mistaken  for  a  French  officer,  was  shot  by  a  soldier  of  the 
Guards  a  few  minutes  before. 

Montbrun  pursued  the  Guerillas  with  some  squadrons  of 
horse,  but  they  turned  resolutely  upon  the  French,  and  not  till 
overwhelmed  by  numbers  did  they  show  any  disposition  to 
retreat. 

The  French,  however,  now  threw  forward  their  whole  cavalry, 
and,  driving  back  the  English  horse,  succeeded  in  turning  the 
right  of  the  seventh  division.  The  battle  by  this  time  was 
general.  The  staff  officers  who  came  up  from  the  left  informed 
us  that  Fuentes  d'Onoro  was  attacked  in  force,  Massena  him- 
self leading  the  assault  in  person ;  while  thus  for  seven  miles 
the  figlit  was  maintained  hotly  at  intervals,  it  was  evident  that 
upon  the  maintenance  of  our  position  the  fortune  of  the  day 
depended.  Hitherto  we  had  been  repulsed  from  the  village 
and  the  wood  ;  and  the  dark  masses  of  infantry  which  were 
assembled  upon  our  right,  seemed  to  threaten  the  hill  of  Naval 
d'Aver  with  as  sad  a  catastrophe. 

Craufurd  came  now  galloping  up  amongst  us,  his  eye  flash- 
ing fire,  and  his  uniform  splashed  and  covered  with  foam  : — 

"  .Steady,  .Si.xteenth,  steady  !  Don't  blow  your  horses  !  Have 
your  fellows  advanced,  Malcolm  .'  "  said  he,  turning  to  an  oflicer 
who  stood  beside  him.     "  Ay,  there   th(;y  go  !  "   pointing  with 


696  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

his  finger  to  the  wood,  where,  as  he  spoke,  the  short  rhiging  of 
the  British  rifle  proclaimed  the  advance  of  that  brigade.  "  Let 
the  cavalry  prepare  to  charge  !  And  now,  Ramsey,  let  us  give 
it  them  home  !  " 

Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  when  the  squadrons  were 
formed,  and,  in  an  instant  after,  the  French  light  infantry  were 
seen  retreating  from  the  wood,  and  flying  in  disorderly  masses 
across  the  plain.  Our  squadrons  riding  down  amongst  them, 
actually  cut  them  to  atoms,  while  the  light  artillery,  unlimber- 
ing,  threw  in  a  deadly  discharge  of  grape-shot. 

"  To  the  right.  Fourteenth,  to  the  right !  "  cried  General 
Stewart.     "  Have  at  their  hussars  !  " 

Whirling  by  them,  we  advanced  at  a  gallop,  and  dashed  to- 
wards the  enemy,  who,  not  less  resolutely  bent,  came  boldly 
forward  to  meet  us.  The  shock  was  terrific  !  the  leading  squad- 
rons on  both  sides  went  down  almost  to  a  man,  and,  all  order 
being  lost,  the  encounter  became  one  of  hand  to  hand. 

The  struggle  was  deadly  ;  neither  party  would  give  way  ;  and, 
while  fortune  now  inclined  hither  and  thither.  Sir  Charles  Stew- 
art singled  out  the  French  General,  Lamotte,  and  carried  him 
off  his  prisoner.  Meanwhile,  Montbrun's  cavalry  and  the  cuir- 
assiers came  riding  up,  and,  the  retreat  now  sounding  through 
our  ranks,  we  were  obliged  to  fall  back  upon  the  infantry.  The 
French  pursued  us  hotly ;  and  so  rapid  was  their  movement, 
that,  before  Ramsey's  brigade  could  limber  up  and  away,  their 
squadrons  had  surrounded  him  and  captured  his  guns. 

"  Where  is  Ramsey  ?  "  cried  Craufurd,  as  he  galloped  to  the 
head  of  our  division.  "  Cut  off — cut  off  !  Taken,  by  G —  ! 
There  he  goes  !  "  said  he,  pointing  with  his  finger,  as  a  dense 
cloud  of  mingled  smoke  and  dust  moved  darkly  across  the 
plain.     "  Form  into  column  once  more  !  " 

As  he  spoke,  the  dense  mass  before  us  seemed  agitated  by 
some  mighty  commotion ;  the  flashing  of  blades,  and  the  rat- 
tling of  small  arms,  mingled  with  shouts  of  triumph  or  defiance, 
burst   forth,  and   the  ominous  cloud,  lowering   more  darkly, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  697 

seemed  peopled  by  those  in  deadly  strife.  An  English  cheer 
pealed  high  above  all  other  sounds  ;  a  second  followed ;  the 
mass  was  rent  asunder,  and,  like  the  forked  lightning  from  a 
thunder- cloud,  Ramsey  rode  forth  at  the  head  of  his  battery, 
the  horses  bounding  madly,  while  the  guns  sprang  behind  them 
like  things  of  no  weight ;  the  gunners  leaped  to  their  places, 
and,  fighting  hand  to  hand  with  the  French  cavalry,  they  flew 
across  the  plain. 

"  Nobly  done,  gallant  Ramsey  !  "  said  a  voice  behind  me. 
I  turned  at  the  sound  :  it  was  Lord  Wellington  who  spoke.  My 
eye  fixed  upon  his  stern  features,  I  forgot  all  else, — when  he 
suddenly  recalled  me  to  my  recollection  by  saying, — 

"  Follow  your  brigade,  sir.     Charge  !  " 

In  an  instant  I  was  with  my  people,  who,  intervening  betwixt 
Ramsey  and  his  pursuers,  repulsed  the  enemy  with  loss,  and 
carried  off  several  prisoners.  The  French,  however,  came  up 
in  greater  strength  ;  overwhelming  masses  of  cavalry  came 
sweeping  upon  us,  and  we  were  obliged  to  retire  behind  the 
light  division,  which  rapidly  formed  into  squares  to  resist  the 
cavalry.  The  seventh  division,  which  was  more  advanced, 
were,  however,  too  late  for  this  movement,  and,  before  they 
could  effect  their  formation,  the  French  were  upon  them.  At 
this  moment  they  owed  their  safety  to  the  Chasseurs  Britan- 
niques,  who  poured  in  a  flanking  fire,  so  close,  and  with  so 
deadly  an  aim,  that  their  foes  recoiled,  beaten  and  bewildered. 

Meanwhile,  the  French  had  become  masters  of  Po(;o  Velho; 
the  formidable  masses  had  nearly  oulllankcd  us  on  the  right. 
The  battle  was  lost,  if  we  could  not  fall  back  upon  our  original 
position,  and  concentrate  our  force  upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro.  To 
effect  this  was  a  work  of  great  difficulty;  but  no  time  was  to  be 
lost.  The  seventh  division  were  ordered  to  cross  the  Turones, 
while  Craufurd,  forming  the  light  division  into  squares,  covered 
their  retreat,  and,  supported  by  the  cavalry,  sustained  the 
whole  force  of  the  enemy's  attack. 

Then  was  the  moment  to  witness  the  cool  and  steady  bravery 


6^8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  British  infantry  ;  the  squares  dotted  across  the  enorntioU^ 
plain  seemed  as  nothing  amid  that  confused  and  flying  multitude, 
composed  of  commissariat  baggage,  camp  followers,  peasants, 
and,  finally,  broken  pickets  and  videttes  arriving  from  the  wood. 
A  cloud  of  cavalry  hovered  and  darkened  around  them  ;  the 
PolishLancers  shook  their  long  spears,  impatient  of  delay,  and 
the  wild  huzzas  burst  momentarily  from  their  squadrons  as  they 
waited  for  the  word  to  attack.  But  the  British  stood  firm  and 
undaunted  ;  and,  although  the  enemy  rode  round  their  squares, 
Montbrun  himself  at  their  head,  they  never  dared  to  charge 
them.  Meanwhile,  the  seventh  division  fell  back,  as  if  on  a 
parade,  and,  crossing  the  river,  took  up  their  ground  at  Frenada, 
pivoting  upon  the  first  division ;  the  remainder  of  the  line  fell 
also  back,  and  assumed  a  position  at  right  angles  with  their 
former  one,  the  cavalry  forming  in  front,  and  holding  the  French 
in  check  during  the  movement.  This  was  a  splendid  manoeuvre, 
and,  when  made  in  face  of  an  overnumbering  enemy,  one  un- 
matched during  the  whole  war. 

At  sight  of  this  new  front  the  French  stopped  short,  and 
opened  a  fire  from  their  heavy  guns.  The  British  batteries 
replied  with  vigor,  and  silenced  the  enemy's  cannon.  The 
cavalry  drew  out  of  range,  and  the  infantry  gradually  fell  back 
to  their  former  position.  While  this  was  going  on,  the  attack 
upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro  was  continued  with  unabated  vigor. 
The  three  British  regiments  in  the  lower  town  were  pierced  by 
the  French  tirailleurs,  who  poured  upon  them  in  overwhelming 
numbers  ;  the  Seventy-ninth  were  broken,  ten  companies  taken, 
and  Cameron,  their  colonel,  mortally  wounded.  Thus  the  lower 
village  was  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  while  from  the  upper 
town  the  incessant  roll  of  musketry  proclaimed  the  obstinate 
resistance  of  the  British. 

At  this  period  the  reserves  were  called  up  from  the  right,  in 
time  to  resist  the  additional  troops  which  Drouet  continued  to 
bring  on.  The  French,  reinforced  by  the  whole  sixth  corps, 
now  came  forward  at  a  quick  step.     Dashing  through  the  ruined 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  099 

Streets  of  the  lower  town,  they  crossed  the  rivulet,  fighting 
bravely,  and  charged  against  the  height.  Already  their  leading 
files  had  gained  the  crag  beside  the  chapel.  A  French  colonel, 
holding  his  cap  upon  his  sword-point,  waved  on  his  men. 

The  grizzly  features  of  the  grenadiers  soon  appeared,  and 
the  dark  column,  half  climbing,  half  running,  were  seen  scaling 
the  height.  A  rifle  bullet  sent  the  French  leader  tumbling  from 
the  precipice ;  and  a  cheer — mad  and  reckless  as  the  war-cry 
of  an  Indian — rent  the  sky,  as  the  71st  and  79th  Highlanders 
sprang  upon  the  enemy. 

Our  part  was  a  short  one  ;  advancing  in  half  squadrons,  we 
were  concealed  from  the  observation  of  the  enemy  by  the  thick 
vineyards  which  skirted  the  lower  town  ;  waiting,  with  im- 
patience, the  moment  when  our  gallant  infantry  should  succeed 
in  turning  the  tide  of  battle.  We  were  ordered  to  dismount, 
and  stood  with  our  bridles  on  our  arms,  anxious  and  expectant. 
The  charge  of  the  French  column  was  made  close  to  where  we 
were  standing — the  inspiriting  cheers  of  the  officers,  the  loud 
vivas  of  the  men,  were  plainly  heard  by  us  as  they  rushed  to 
the  assault ;  but  the  space  between  us  was  intersected  by  walls 
and  brushwood,  which  totally  prevented  the  movements  of 
cavalry. 

Fearlessly  their  dark  column  moved  up  the  heights,  fixing 
the  bayonets  as  they  went.  No  tirailleurs  preceded  them,  but 
the  tall  chako  of  the  Grenadier  of  the  Guard  was  seen  in  the 
first  rank.  Long  before  the  end  of  the  column  had  passed  us, 
the  leading  files  were  in  action.  A  deafening  peal  of  musketry — 
so  loud,  so  dense,  it  seemed  like  artillery — burst  forth.  A 
volume  of  black  smoke  rolled  heavily  down  from  the  heights 
and  hid  all  from  our  view,  except  when  the  vivid  lightning  of 
the  platoon  firing  rent  the  veil  asunder,  and  showed  us  the 
troops  almost  in  hand  to  hand  conflict. 

"  It's  Picton's  division,  I'm  certain,"  cried  Merivale  ;  "  I  hear 
the  bagpipes  of  the  Highlanders." 

"You  are  right,  sir,"  said  Hampden,  "the  Seventy-first  are  in 


700  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

the  same  brigade,  and  I  know  their  bugles  well.     There  they 
go  again  !  " 

"  Fourteenth  !  Fourteenth  !  "  cried  a  voice  from  behind,  and 
at  the  same  moment,  a  staff  officer  without  his  hat,  and  his  horse 
bleeding  from  a  recent  sabre-cut,  came  up.  **  You  must  move 
to  the  rear,  Colonel  Merivale  ;  the  French  have  gained  the 
heights !  Move  round  by  the  causeway — bring  up  your 
squadrons  as  quickly  as  you  can,  and  support  the  infantry  ! " 

In  a  moment  we  were  in  our  saddles ;  but  scarcely  was  the 
word  "  to  fall  in  "  given,  when  a  loud  cheer  rent  the  very  air  ; 
the  musketry  seemed  suddenly  to  cease,  and  the  dark  mass 
which  continued  to  struggle  up  the  heights  wavered,  broke,  and 
turned. 

"  What  can  that  be  ?  "  said  Merivale.     "  What  can  it  mean  ?  " 

"  I  can  tell  you,  sir,"  said  I,  proudly,  while  I  felt  my  heart 
throb  as  though  it  would  bound  from  my  bosom. 

"  And  what  is  it,  boy  ?     Speak  !  " 

"  There  it  goes  again  !  That  was  an  Irish  shout !  The 
Eighty-eighth  are  at  them  !  " 

"  By  Jove  !  here  they  come  !  "  said  Hampden.  "  God  help 
the  Frenchmen  now  !  " 

The  words  were  not  well  spoken,  when  the  red  coats  of  our 
gallant  fellows  were  seen  dashing  through  the  vineyard. 

"  The  steel,  boys — nothing  but  the  steel !  "  shouted  a  loud 
voice  from  the  crag  above  our  heads. 

I  looked  up.     It  was  the  stern  Picton  himself  who  spoke. 

The  Eighty-eighth  now  led  the  pursuit,  and  sprang  from  rock 
to  rock  in  all  the  mad  impetuosity  of  battle  ;  and,  like  some 
mighty  billow  rolling  before  the  gale,  the  French  went  down 
the  heights. 

"  Gallant  Eighty-eighth  !  Gloriously  done !  "  cried  Picton, 
as  he  waved  his  hat. 

"  Aren't  we  Connaught  robbers,  now  ?  "  shouted  a  rich  brogue, 
as  its  owner,  breathless  and  bleeding,  pressed  forward  in  the 
charge. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOJV.  701 

A  hearty  burst  of  laughter  mingled  with  the  din  of  the  battle. 

"  Now  for  it,  boys  !  Now  for  ^«rwork  !  "  said  old  Merivale, 
drawing  his  sabre  as  he  spoke.     "  Forward  !  and  charge  !  " 

We  waited  not  a  second  bidding,  but  bursting  from  our  con- 
cealment, galloped  down  into  the  broken  column.  It  was  no 
regular  charge,  but  an  indiscriminate  rush.  Scarcely  offering 
resistance,  the  enemy  fell  beneath  our  sabres,  or  the  still  more 
deadly  bayonets  of  the  infantry,  who  were  inextricably  mingled 
up  in  the  conflict. 

The  chase  was  followed  up  for  above  half  a  mile,  when  we 
fell  back,  fortunately  in  good  time  ;  for  the  French  had  opened 
a  heavy  fire  from  their  artillery,  and  regardless  of  their  own  re- 
treating column,  poured  a  shower  of  grape  among  our  squad- 
rons. As  we  retired,  the  struggling  files  of  the  Rangers  joined 
us — their  faces  and  accoutrements  blackened  and  begrimed 
with  powder  ;  many  of  them,  themselves  wounded,  had  cap- 
tured prisoners  ;  and  one  huge  fellow  of  the  grenadier  company 
was  seen  driving  before  him  a  no  less  powerful  Frenchman, 
and  to  whom,  as  he  turned  from  time  to  time  reluctantly,  and 
scowled  upon  his  jailer,  the  other  vociferated  some  Irish  im- 
precation, whose  harsh  intentions  were  made  most  palpably 
evident  by  a  flourish  of  a  drawn  bayonet. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  "  said  Mike  ;  "  who  is  he,  ahagur  ?  " 

"  Sorra  one  'o  me  knows,"  said  the  other  ;  "but  it's  the  chap 
tliat  shot  Lieutenant  Mahony,  and  I  never  took  my  eye  off  him 
after  ;  and  if  the  lieutenant's  not  dead,  sure  it'll  be  a  satisfaction 
to  him  that  I  cotch  him." 

#*#***♦ 
***♦**♦ 

The  lower  town  was  now  evacuated  by  the  French,  who 
retired  beyond  the  range  of  our  artillery;  the  upper  continued 
in  the  occupation  of  our  troops;  and,  worn  out  and  exhausted, 
surrounded  by  dead  and  dying,  both  parties  abandoned  the 
contest — and  the  battle  was  over, 


7o2  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

Both  sides  laid  claim  to  the  victory :  the  French,  because, 
having  taken  the  village  of  P090  Velho,  they  had  pierced  the 
British  line,  and  compelled  them  to  fall  back  and  assume  a  new 
position  ;  the  British,  because  the  attack  upon  Fuentes  d'Onoro 

had  been  successfully  resisted,  and  the  blockade  of  Almeida 

he  real  object  of  the  battle— maintained.  The  loss  to  each 
was  tremendous  ;  fifteen  hundred  men  and  officers,  of  whom 
three  hundred  were  prisoners,  were  lost  by  the  allies,  and  a 
far  greater  number  fell  among  the  forces  of  the  enemy. 

After  the  action,  a  brigade  of  the  light  division  released  the 
troops  in  the  village,  and  the  armies  bivouacked  once  more 
in  sight  of  each  other. 


CHAPTER  XCI. 

A  RENCONTRE. 

"  Lieutenant  O'Malley,  14th  Light  Dragoons,  to  serve 
as  extra  aide-de-camp  to  Major  General  Craufurd,  until  the 
pleasure  of  his  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Regent  is  known." 
Such  was  the  first  paragraph  of  a  general  order,  dated  Fuentes 
d'Onoro,  the  day  after  the  battle,  which  met  me  as  I  awoke 
from  a  sound  and  heavy  slumber,  the  result  of  thirteen  hours 
on  horseback. 

A  staff  appointment  was  not  exactly  what  I  desired  at  the 
moment ;  but  I  knew  that  with  Craufurd  my  duties  were  more 
likely  to  be  at  the  pickets  and  advanced  posts  of  the  army, 
than  in  the  mere  details  of  note-writing  or  despatch-bearing; 
besides  that,  I  felt,  whenever  anything  of  importance  was  to  be 
done,  I  should  always  obtain  his  permission  to  do  duty  with 
my  regiment. 

Taking  a  hurried  breakfast,  therefore,  I  mounted  my  horse, 
and  cantered  over  to  Villa  Formosa,  where  the  General's 
quarters  were,  to  return  my  thanks  for  the  promotion,  and  take 
the  necessary  steps  for  assuming  my  new  functions. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  703 

Although  the  sun  had  risen  about  two  hours,  the  fatigue  of 
the  previous  day  had  impressed  itself  upon  all  around.  The 
cavalry,  men  and  horses,  were  still  stretched  upon  the  sward, 
sunk  in  sleep ;  the  videttes,  weary  and  tired,  seemed  an- 
xiously watching  for  the  relief,  and  the  disordered  and  con- 
fused appearance  of  everything  bespoke  that  discipline  had  re- 
laxed its  stern  features,  in  compassion  for  the  bold  exertions  of 
tlie  preceding  day.  The  only  contrast  to  this  general  air  of  ex- 
haustion and  weariness  on  every  side  was  a  corps  of  sappers, 
who  were  busily  employed  upon  the  high  grounds  above  the 
village.  Early  as  it  was,  they  seemed  to  have  been  at  work 
some  hours — at  least  so  their  labors  bespoke ;  for  already  a 
rampart  of  considerable  extent  had  been  thrown  up,  stockades 
implanted,  and  a  breastwork  was  in  a  state  of  active  preparation. 
The  officer  of  the  party,  wrapped  up  in  a  loose  cloak,  and 
mounted  upon  a  sharp-looking  hackney,  rode  hither  and 
thither,  as  the  occasion  warranted,  and  seemed,  as  well 
as  from  the  distance  I  could  guess,  something  of  a  tartar. 
At  least  I  could  not  help  remarking  how,  at  his  approach,  the 
several  inferior  officers  seemed  suddenly  so  much  more  on  the 
alert,  and  the  men  worked  with  an  additional  vigor  and  activity. 
I  stopped  for  some  minutes  to  watch  him,  and  seeing  an 
engineer  captain  of  my  acquaintance  among  the  party,  couldn't 
resist  calling  out  : — 

"  I  say,  Hatchard,  your  friend  on  the  chestnut  mare  must 
have  had  an  easier  day  yesterday  than  some  of  us,  or  I'll  be 
hanged  if  he'd  be  so  active  this  morning."  Hatchard  hung  his 
head  in  some  confusion,  and  did  not  reply;  and,  on  my  looking 
round,  whom  should  I  see  before  me  but  the  identical  individual 
I  had  so  coolly  been  criticising,  and  who,  to  my  utter  horror 
and  dismay,  was  no  other  than  Lord  Wellington  himself.  I  did 
not  wait  for  a  second  peep.  Helter-skelter,  through  water, 
thickets,  and  braniljles,  away  I  went,  clattering  down  the  cause- 
way like  a  madman.  If  a  French  squadron  had  been  behind 
me,  I  should  have  had  a  stouter  heart,  although  I  did  not  fear 


yo4  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

pursuit.  I  felt  his  eye  was  upon  me — his  sharp  and  piercing 
glance,  that  shot  like  an  arrow  into  me  ;  and  his  firm  look 
stared  at  me  in  every  object  around. 

Onward  I  pressed,  feeling  in  the  very  recklessness  of  my 
course  some  relief  to  my  sense  of  shame,  and  ardently  hoping 
that  some  accident — some  smashed  arm,  or  broken  collar-bone 
— might  befall  me  and  rescue  me  from  any  notice  my  conduct 
mig-ht  otherwise  call  for.  I  never  drew  rein  till  I  reached  the 
Villa  Formosa,  and  pulled  up  short  at  a  small  cottage,  where  a 
double  sentry  apprised  me  of  the  General's  quarters.  As  I 
came  up,  the  low  lattice  sprang  quickly  open,  and  a  figure, 
half  dressed,  and  more  than  half  asleep,  protruded  his  head. 

"  Well !  what  has  happened  ?  Anything  wrong  ? "  said  he, 
whom  I  now  recognized  to  be  General  Craufurd. 

"  No  ;  nothing  wrong,  sir,"  stammered  I,  with  evident  con- 
fusion. "  I'm  merely  come  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness  in 
my  behalf." 

"  You  seemed  in  a  devil  of  a  hurry  to  do  it,  if  I'm  to  judge 
by  the  pace  you  came  at.  Come  in  and  take  your  breakfast 
with  us  ;  I  shall  be  dressed  presently,  and  you'll  meet  some  of 
your  brother  aides-de-camp." 

Having  given  my  horse  to  an  orderly,  I  walked  into  a  little 
room,  whose  humble  accommodations  and  unpretending  appear- 
ance seemed  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  simple  and  unostenta- 
tious character  of  the  General.  The  preparations  for  a  good 
and  substantial  breakfast  were,  however,  before  me ;  and  an 
English  newspaper  of  a  late  date  spread  its  most  ample  pages 
to  welcome  me.  I  had  not  been  long  absorbed  in  my  reading, 
when  the  door  opened,  and  the  General,  whose  toilet  was  not 
yet  completed,  made  his  appearance. 

"  Egad,  O'Malley,  you  startled  me  this  morning.  I  thought 
we  were  in  for  it  again." 

I  look  this  as  the  most  seasonable  opportunity  to  recount 
my  mishap  of  the  morning,  and  accordingly,  without  more  ado, 
detailed  the  unlucky  meeting  with  the  Commander-in-Chief. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  705 

When  I  came  to  the  end,  Craufurd  threw  himself  into  a  chair 
and  laughed  till  the  very  tears  coursed  down  his  bronzed  feat- 
ures. 

"  You  don't  say  so,  boy  ?  You  don't  really  tell  me  you  said 
that  ?  By  Jove  !  I  had  rather  have  faced  a  platoon  of  musketry 
than  have  stood  in  your  shoes  !  You  did  not  wait  for  a  reply, 
I  think?" 

"  No,  faith,  sir,  that  I  did  not !  " 

"  Do  you  suspect  he  knows  you  ?  " 

"  I  trust  not,  sir  ;  the  whole  thing  passed  so  rapidly  !  " 

"  \'\'ell,  it's  most  unlucky,  in  more  ways  than  one  !  "  He 
paused  for  a  few  moments  as  he  said  this,  and  then  added, 
"  Have  you  seen  the  general  order?"  pushing  towards  me  a 
written  paper  as  he  spoke.     It  ran  thus  : — 

"  G.  O.  "  Adjiitant-Gciierars  Office,  Villa  Formosa, 

May  6,  181 1. 

"  Memorandum. — Commanding  officers  are  requested  to  send  in  to  the 
Military  Secretary,  as  soon  as  possible,  the  names  of  officers  they  may  wish 
to  have  promoted  in  succession  to  those  who  have  fallen  in  action." 

"Now,  look  at  this  list.     The  Honorable  Harvey  Howard, 

Grenadier   Guards,  to  be  First  Lieutenant,  77V<? No,  not 

that :  Henry  Beauchamp — George  Villiers — Ay,  here  it  is  ! 
Captain  Lyttleton,  i4lh  Light  Dragoons,  to  be  Major  in  the  3rd 
Dragoon  Guards,  vice  Godwin,  killed  in  action ;  Lieutenant 
O'Malley  to  be  Captain,  -vVv  Lyttleton,  promoted.  You  see, 
boy,  I  did  not  forget  you  ;  you  were  to  have  had  the  vacant 
troop  in  your  own  regiment.  Now,  I  almost  doubt  the  prudence 
of  bringing  your  name  under  Lord  Wellington's  notice.  He 
may  have  recognized  you  ;  and  if  he  did  so — why,  I  rather 
think — that  is,  I  suspect^I  mean  the  quieter  you  keep  the 
better." 

While  I  poured  forlh  my  gratitude  as  warmly  as  I  was  able 
for  the  General's  great  kindness  to  me,  I  expressed  my  perfect 
concurrence  in  his  views. 


7o6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Believe  me,  sir,"  said  I,  "  I  should  much  rather  wait  any 
number  of  years  for  my  promotion,  than  incur  the  risk  of  a 
reprimand  ;  the  more  so,  as  it  is  not  the  first  time  I  have 
blundered  with  his  Lordship."  I  here  narrated  my  former  meet- 
ing with  Sir  Arthur,  at  which  Craufurd's  mirth  again  burst  forth, 
and  he  paced  the  room,  holding  his  sides  in  an  ecstasy  of  merri- 
ment. 

"  Come,  come,  lad,  we'll  hope  for  the  best  ;  we'll  give  you 
the  chance  that  he  has  not  seen  your  face,  and  send  the  list 
forward  as  it  is  :  but  here  come  our  fellows." 

As  he  spoke,  the  door  opened,  and  three  officers  of  his  stafif 
entered,  to  whom,  being  severally  introduced,  we  chatted  away 
about  the  news  of  the  morning  until  breakfast. 

"  I've  frequently  heard  of  you  from  my  friend  Hammersley,'' 
said  Captain  Fitzroy,  addressing  me ;  "  you  were  intimately 
acquainted,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes  !  Pray  where  is  he  now  ?  We  have  not  met  for  a 
long  time." 

"  The  poor  fellow's  invalided  ;  that  sabre-cut  upon  his  head 
has  turned  out  a  sad  affair,  and  he's  gone  backto  England  on  a 
sick  leave.  Old  Dashwood  took  him  back  with  him  as  private 
secretary,  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  another,  "  Dashwood  has  daughters,  hasn't  he  ? 
No  bad  notion  of  his  ;  for  Hammersley  will  be  a  baronet  some 
of  these  days,  with  a  rent-roll  of  eight  or  nine  thousand  per 
annum." 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood,"  said  I,  "  has  but  one  daughter,  and 
I  am  quite  sure  that  in  his  kindness  to  Hammersley  no  inten- 
tions of  the  kind  you  mention  were  mixed  up." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  said  the  third,  a  pale,  sickly  youth, 
with  handsome  but  delicate  features.  "  I  was  on  Dashwood's 
staff  until  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  certainly  I  thought  there  was 
something  going  on  between  Hammersley  and  Miss  Lucy,  who, 
be  it  spoken,  is  a  devilish  fine  girl,  though  rather  disposed  to 
<iive  herself  airs." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  707 

I  felt  my  cheek  and  my  temples  boiling  like  a  furnace  ; 
my  hand  trembled  as  I  lifted  my  coffee  to  my  lips  ;  and  I  would 
have  given  my  expected  promotion  twice  over  to  have  had  any 
reasonable  ground  of  quarrel  with  the  speaker. 

"  Egad,  lads,"  said  Craufurd,  "  that's  the  very  best  thing  I 
know  about  a  command.  As  a  bishop  is  always  sure  to  portion 
off  his  daughters  with  deaneries  and  rectories,  so  your  know- 
ing old  general  always  marries  his  among  his  staff." 

This  sally  was  met  with  the  ready  laughter  of  the  sub- 
ordinates, in  which,  however  little  disposed,  I  was  obliged  to 
join. 

"  You  are  quite  right,  sir,"  rejoined  the  pale  youth  ;  "  and 
Sir  George  has  no  fortune  to  give  his  daughter." 

"  How  came  it,  Horace,  that  you  got  off  safe  ? "  said 
Fitzroy,  with  a  certain  air  of  affected  seriousness  in  his 
voice  and  manner  ;  "  I  wonder  they  let  such  a  prize  escape 
them." 

"  Well,  it  was  not  exactly  their  fault,  I  do  confess.  Old 
Dashwood  did  the  civil  towards  me  ;  and  la  belle  Lucie  her- 
self was  condescending  enough  to  be  less  cruel  than  to  the 
rest  of  the  staff.  Her  father  threw  us  a  good  deal  together ; 
and,  in  fact,  I  believe — I  fear — that  is — that  I  didn't  behave 
quite  well." 

"  You  may  rest  perfectly  assured  of  it,  sir,"  said  I  ;  "  what- 
ever your  previous  conduct  may  have  been,  you  have  com- 
pletely relieved  your  mind  on  this  occasion,  and  behaved  most 
shamefully  ! " 

Had  a  shell  fallen  in  the  midst  of  us,  the  faces  around  me 
could  not  have  been  more  horror-struck,  than  when,  in  a  cool, 
determined  tone,  I  spoke  these  few  words.  Fitzroy  pushed 
Iiis  chair  slightly  back  from  the  table,  and  fixed  his  eyes  full 
upon  me.  Craufurd  grew  dark  purple  over  his  whole  face 
and  forehead,  and  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  us,  wilhout 
speaking;  while  the  Honorable  Horace  Delaware,  the  in- 
dividual  addressed,   never    changed  a  muscle  of  his  wan  and 


7o8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

sickly  features,  but  lifting  his  eyes  slowly  from  his  muffin,  lisped 
softly  out, — 

"  You  think  so  ?     How  very  good  !  " 

"  General  Craufurd,"  said  I,  the  moment  I  could  collect  my- 
self sufficiently  to  speak,  "  I  am  deeply  grieved  that  I  should 
so  far  have  forgotten  myself  as  to  disturb  the  harmony  of  your 
table  ;  but  when  I  tell  you  that  Sir  George  Dashwood  is  one  of 
my  warmest  friends  on  earth  ;  that,  from  my  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  him,  I  am  certain  that  gentleman's  statements  are 
either  the  mere  outpourings  of  folly,  or  worse " 

"  By  Jove,  O'Malley,  you  have  a  very  singular  mode  of  explain- 
ing away  the  matter,  Delawar,  sit  down  again.  Gentlemen, 
I  have  only  one  word  to  say  about  this  transaction  :  I'll  have 
no  squabbles  nor  broils  here ;  from  this  room  to  the  guard- 
house is  a  five  minutes'  walk.  Promise  me,  upon  your  honors, 
this  altercation  ends  here,  or,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Craufurd, 
you  shall  both  be  placed  under  arrest,  and  the  man  who  refuses 
to  obey  me  shall  be  sent  back  to  England," 

Before  I  well  knew  in  what  way  to  proceed,  Mr.  Delawar 
rose  and  bowed  formally  to  the  General,  while  I  imitated  his 
example ;  silently  we  resumed  our  places,  and,  after  a  pause  of 
a  few  moments,  the  current  of  conversation  was  renewed,  and 
other  topics  discussed,  but  with  such  evident  awkwardness 
and  constraint,  that  all  parties  felt  relieved  when  the  General 
rose  from  table, 

"  I  say,  O'Malley,  have  you  forwarded  the  returns  to  the 
Adjutant-General's  office  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  despatched  them  this  morning  before  leaving 
my  quarters." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it ;  the  irregularities  on  this  score  have  called 
forth  a  heavy  reprimand  at  head-quarters." 

I  was  also  glad  of  it,  and  it  chanced  that  by  mere  accident 
I  remembered  to  charge  Mike  with  the  papers,  which,  had  they 
not  been  lying  unsealed  upon  the  table  before  me,  would,  in  all 
likelihood,  have  escaped  my  attention.      The  post  started  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  709 

Lisbon  that  same  morning,  to  take  advantage  of  which  I  had 
sat  up  writing  for  half  the  night.  Little  was  I  aware  at  the 
moment  what  a  mass  of  trouble  and  annoyance  was  in  store 
for  me  from  the  circumstance. 


CHAPTER  XCIL 


ALMEIDA. 


On  the  morning  of  the  7th  we  perceived,  from  a  movement  in 
the  French  camp,  that  the  wounded  were  being  sent  to  the  rear, 
and  shortly  afterwards  the  main  body  of  their  army  commenced 
its  retreat.  They  moved  with  slow,  and,  as  it  were,  reluctant 
steps ;  and  Bessieres,  who  commanded  the  Imperial  Guard, 
turned  his  eyes  more  than  once  to  that  position  which  all  the 
bravery  of  his  troops  was  unavailing  to  capture.  Although  our 
cavalry  lay  in  force  to  the  front  of  our  line,  no  attempt  was 
made  to  molest  the  retreating  French  ;  and  Massena,  having 
retired  beyond  the  Aguada,  left  a  strong  force  to  watch  the 
ford,  while  the  remainder  of  the  army  fell  back  upon  Ciudad 
Rodrigo. 

During  this  time  we  had  succeeded  in  fortifying  our  posi- 
tion at  Fuentes  d'Onoro  so  strongly  as  to  resist  any  new  attack, 
and  Lord  Wellington  now  turned  his  whole  attention  to  the 
blockade  of  Almeida,  which,  by  Massena's  retreat,  was  aban- 
doned to  its  fate. 

On  the  morning  of  the  loth  I  accompanied  General  Craufurd 
in  a  reconnaissance  of  the  fortress,  wiiich,  from  the  intelligence 
we  had  lately  received,  could  not  much  longer  hold  out  against 
our  blockade.  The  fire  from  the  enemy's  artillery  was,  how- 
ever, hotly  maintained ;  and,  as  night  fell,  some  squadrons  of 
the  Fourteenth,  who  were  picketed  near,  were  unable  to  light 
their  watch-fires,  being    within   reach    of  their    shot.     As  the 


710  CHARLES  O^MALLEV, 

darkness  increased,  so  did  the  cannonade,  and  the  bright  flashes 
from  the  walls,  and  the  deep  booming  of  the  artillery,  became 
incessant, 

A  hundred  conjectures  were  afloat  to  account  for  the  cir- 
cumstance ;  some  asserting  that  what  we  heard  were  mere 
signals  to  Massena's  army ;  and  others,  that  Brennier  was 
destroying  and  mutilating  the  fortress  before  he  evacuated  it 
to  the  allies. 

It  was  little  past  midnight  when,  tired  from  the  fatigues  of 
the  day,  I  had  fallen  asleep  beneath  a  tree,  an  explosion,  louder 
than  any  which  preceded  it,  burst  suddenly  forth,  and,  as  I 
awoke  and  looked  about  me,  I  perceived  the  whole  heavens 
illuminated  by  one  bright  glare,  while  the  crashing  noise  of 
falling  stones  and  crumbling  masonry  told  me  that  a  mine  had 
been  sprung :  the  moment  after  all  was  calm,  and  still,  and 
motionless ;  a  thick  black  smoke  increasing  the  sombre  dark- 
ness of  the  night,  shut  out  every  star  from  view,  and  some 
drops  of  heavy  rain  began  to  fall. 

The  silence,  ten  times  more  appalling  than  the  din  which 
preceded  it,  weighed  heavily  upon  my  senses,  and  a  dread  of 
some  unknown  danger  crept  over  me  ;  the  exhaustion,  however, 
was  greater  than  my  fear,  and  again  I  sank  into  slumber. 

Scarcely  had  I  been  half-an-hour  asleep,  when  the  blast  of  a 
trumpet  again  awoke  me,  and  I  found,  amid  the  confusion  and 
excitement  about,  that  something  of  importance  had  occurred. 
Questions  were  eagerly  asked  on  all  sides, but  no  one  could  ex- 
plain what  had  happened.  Towards  the  town  all  was  still  as 
death,  but  a  dropping,  irregular  fire  of  musketry  issued  from 
the  valley  beside  the  Aguada.  "  What  can  this  mean  .''  what 
can  it  be  ?  "  we  asked  of  each  other.  "  A  sortie  from  the  gar- 
rison," said  one  ;  "  A  night  attack  by  Massena's  troops,"  cried 
another  ;  and,  while  thus  we  disputed  and  argued,  a  horseman 
was  heard  advancing  along  the  road  at  the  top  of  his  speed. 

"  Where  are  the  cavalry  ?  "  cried  a  voice  I  recognized  as  one 
of  my  brother  aides-de-camp.     "  Where  are  the  Fourteenth  1 " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  )  1 1 

A  cheer  from  our  party  answered  this  question,  and  the  next 
moment,  breathless  and  agitated,  he  rode  in  amongst  us. 

"What  is  it  ?  are  we  attacked  ?  " 

"  Would  to  Heaven  that  were  all !  But  come  along,  lads 
follow  me." 

"  What  can  it  be,  then  ? "  said  I  again ;  while  my  anxiety 
knew  no  bounds. 

"  Brennier  has  escaped ;  burst  his  way  through  Pack's  divi- 
sion, and  has  already  reached  Valde  Mula." 

"The  French  have  escaped  !  "  was  repeated  from  mouth  to 
mouth ;  while,  pressing  spurs  to  our  horses,  we  broke  into  a 
gallop,  and  dashed  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  musketry.  We 
soon  came  up  with  the  36th  Infantry,  who,  having  thrown  away 
their  knapsacks,  were  rapidly  pressing  the  pursuit.  The  male- 
dictions which  burst  from  every  side  proved  how  severely  the 
misfortune  was  felt  by  all,  while  the  eager  advance  of  the  men 
bespoke  how  ardently  they  longed  to  repair  the  mishap. 

Dark  as  was  the  night,  we  passed  them  in  a  gallop,  when  sud- 
denly the  officer  who  commanded  the  leading  squadron  called 
out  to  halt. 

"  Take  care  there,  lads  !  "  cried  he ;  "  I  hear  the  infantry 
before  us  ;  we  shall  be  down  upon  our  own  people." 

The  words  were  hardly  spoken,  when  a  bright  flash  blazed 
out  before  us,  and  a  smashing  volley  was  poured  into  the 
squadron. 

"The  French!  the  French,  by  Jove !"  said  Hampden. 
"  Forward,  boys  !  charge  them  !  " 

Breaking  into  open  order,  to  avoid  our  wounded  comrades, 
several  of  whom  had  fallen  by  the  fire,  we  rode  down  amongst 
them.  In  a  moment  their  order  was  broken,  their  ranks  pierced, 
and,  fresh  squadrons  coming  up  at  the  instant,  they  were  sabred 
to  a  man. 

After  this  the  French  pursued  tlicir  niaicli  in  silence,  and, 
even  when  assembling  in  force  we  rode  down  upon  their  squares, 
vhey  never  halted  nor  fired  a  shot.     At  Barba  del  Puerco,  the 


^  1 2  CHARLES  O'MALLE  V, 

ground  being  unfit  for  cavalry,  the  Thirty-sixth  tbok  our  place, 
and  pressed  them  hotly  home.  Several  of  the  French  were 
killed,  and  above  three  hundred  made  prisoners,  but  our  fellows 
following  up  the  pursuit  too  rashly,  came  upon  an  advanced 
body  of  Massena's  force,  drawn  up  to  await  and  cover  Brennier's 
retreat ;  the  result  was  the  loss  of  above  thirty  men  in  killed 
and  wounded. 

Thus  were  the  great  efforts  of  the  three  preceding  days  ren- 
dered fruitless  and  nugatory.  To  maintain  this  blockade.  Lord 
Wellington,  with  an  inferior  force,  and  a  position  by  no  means 
strong,  had  ventured  to  give  the  enemy  battle  ;  and  now,  by  the 
unskilfulness  of  some,  and  the  negligence  of  others,  were  all 
his  combinations  thwarted,  and  the  French  General  enabled  to 
march  his  force  through  the  midst  of  the  blockading  columns 
almost  unmolested  and  uninjured. 

Lord  Wellington's  indignation  was  great,  as  well  it  might  be; 
the  prize  for  which  he  had  contested  was  torn  from  his  grasp 
at  the  very  moment  he  had  won  it,  and,  although  the  gallantry 
of  the  troops  in  the  pursuit  might,  under  other  circumstances, 
have  called  forth  eulogium,  his  only  observation  on  the  matter 
was  a  half-sarcastic  allusion  to  the  inconclusive  effects  of  un- 
disciplined bravery.  "  Notwithstanding,"  says  the  general 
order  of  the  day,  "  what  has  been  printed  in  gazettes  and  news- 
papers, we  have  never  seen  small  bodies,  unsupported,  success- 
fully opposed  to  large ;  nor  has  the  experience  of  any  officer 
realized  the  stories  which  all  have  read,  of  whole  armies  being 
driven  by  a  handful  of  light  infantry  and  dragoons." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


Vi 


CHAPTER  XCIII. 


A  NIGHT  ON  THE  AZAVA. 


Massena  was  now  recalled,  and  Marmont  having  assumed 
the  command  of  the  French  army,  retired  towards  Salamanca, 
while  our  troops  went  into  cantonments  upon  the  Aguada.  A 
period  of  inaction  succeeded  to  our  previous  life  of  bustle 
and  excitement,  and  the  whole  interest  of  the  campaign  was 
now  centred  in  Beresford's  army,  exposed  to  Soult  in  Estra- 
madura. 

On  the  15th,  Lord  Wellington  set  out  for  that  province,  hav- 
ing already  directed  a  strong  force  to  march  upon  Badajos. 

"  Well,  O'Malley,"  said  Craufurd,  as  he  returned  from  bidding 
Lord  Wellington  good-bye,  "your  business  is  all  right ;  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief has  signed  my  recommendation,  and  you  will 
get  your  troop." 

While  I  continued  to  express  my  grateful  acknowledgments 
for  his  kindness,  the  General,  apparently  inattentive  to  all  I  was 
saying,  paced  the  room  with  hurried  steps,  stopping  every  now 
and  then  to  glance  at  a  large  map  of  Spain  whicli  covered  one 
wall  of  the  apartment,  while  he  muttered  to  himself  some 
broken  and  disjointed  sentences. 

"  Eight  leagues — too  weak  in  cavalry — with  the  left  upon 
Fuenta  Grenaldo — a  strong  position.  O'Malley,  you'll  take 
a  troop  of  dragoons  and  patrol  the  country  towards  Castro ; 
you'll  reconnoitre  the  position  the  sixth  corps  occupies,  but  avoid 
any  collision  with  the  enemy's  pickets,  keeping  the  Azava  be- 
tween you  and  them.     Take  rations  for  three  days." 

"  When  shall  I  set  out,  sir  ? " 

"  Now  !  "  was  the  reply. 

Knowing  with  what   pleasure  the  liardy  veteran  recognized 


7 14  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

anything  like  alacrity  and  despatch,  I  resolved  to  gratify  him  ; 
and,  before  half-an-hour  had  elapsed,  was  ready  with  my  troop 
to  receive  his  final  orders. 

"  Well  done,  boy  !  "  said  he,  as  he  came  to  the  door  of  the 
hut,  "  you've  lost  no  time.  I  don't  believe  I  have  any  further 
instructions  to  give  you  ;  to  ascertain  as  far  as  possible  the 
probable  movement  of  the  enemy  is  my  object,  that's  all."  As 
he  spoke  this,  he  waved  his  hand,  and  wishing  me  "  Good-bye," 
walked  leisurely  back  into  the  house.  I  saw  that  his  mind 
was  occupied  by  other  thoughts  ;  and,  although  I  desired  to 
obtain  some  more  accurate  information  for  my  guidance,  know- 
ing his  dislike  to  questions,  I  merely  returned  his  salute,  and 
set  forth  upon  my  journey. 

The  morning  was  beautiful  ;  the  sun  had  risen  about  an 
hour,  and  the  earth,  refreshed  by  the  heavy  dew  of  the  night, 
was  breathing  forth  all  its  luxuriant  fragrance.  The  river, 
which  flowed  beside  us,  was  clear  as  crystal,  showing  beneath 
its  eddying  current  the  shining,  pebbly  bed,  while,  upon  the 
surface,  the  water-lihes  floated  or  sank,  as  the  motion  of  the 
stream  inclined.  The  tall  cork-trees  spread  their  shadows 
about  us,  and  the  richly-plumed  birds  hopped  from  branch  to 
branch,  awaking  the  echoes  with  their  notes. 

It  is  but  seldom  that  the  heart  of  man  is  thoroughly  attuned 
to  the  circumstances  of  the  scenery  around  him.  How  often 
do  we  need  a  struggle  with  ourselves  to  enjoy  the  rich  and 
beautiful  landscape  which  lies  smiling  in  its  freshness  before  us  ! 
How  frequently  do  the  blue  sky  and  the  calm  air  look  down 
upon  the  heart  darkened  and  shadowed  with  affliction  !  And 
how  often  have  we  felt  the  discrepancy  between  the  louring 
look  of  winter  and  the  glad  sunshine  of  our  hearts  !  The 
harmony  of  the  world  without  with  our  thoughts  within  is  one 
of  the  purest,  as  it  is  one  of  the  greatest,  sources  of  happiness. 
Our  hopes  and  our  ambitions  lose  their  selfish  character  when, 
feeling  that  fortune  smiles  upon  us  from  all  around,  and  the 
flattery  which  speaks  to  our  hearts  from  the  bright  stars  and 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


715 


the  blue  sky,  the  peaked  mountain,  or  the  humble  flower,  is 
greater  in  its  mute  eloquence  than  all  the  tongue  of  man  can 
tell  us. 

This  feeling  did  I  experience  in  all  its  fulness,  as  I  ruminated 
upon  my  bettered  fortunes,  and  felt  within  myself  that  secret 
instinct  that  tells  of  happiness  to  come.  In  such  moods  of  mind 
my  thoughts  strayed  ever  homewards,  and  I  could  not  help 
confessing  how  little  were  all  my  successes  in  my  eyes,  did  I 
not  hope  for  the  day  when  I  should  pour  forth  my  tale  of  war 
and  battle-field  to  the  ears  of  those  who  loved  me. 

I  resolved  to  write  home  at  once  to  my  uncle.  I  longed  to 
tell  him  each  incident  of  my  career,  and  my  heart  glowed  as 
I  thought  over  the  broken  and  disjointed  sentences  which 
every  cottier  around  would  whisper  of  my  fortunes,  far  prouder 
as  they  would  be  in  the  humble  deeds  of  one  they  knew,  than  in 
the  proudest  triumphs  of  a  nation's  glory. 

Indeed,  Mike  himself  gave  the  current  to  my  thoughts. 
After  riding  beside  me  for  some  time  in  silence,  he  re- 
marked,— 

"  And  isn't  it  Father  Rush  will  be  proud  when  he  sees  your 
honor's  a  captain  ;  to  think  of  the  little  boy  that  he  used  to 
take  before  him  on  the  ould  gray  mare  for  a  ride  down  the 
avenue  ;  to  think  of  him  being  a  real  captain,  six  feet  two 
without  his  boots,  and  galloping  over  the  French  as  if  they 
were  lurchers  !  Peggy  Mahon,  that  nursed  you,  will  be  the 
proud  woman  the  day  she  hears  it  :  and  there  won't  be  a 
soldier  sober  in  his  quarters  that  night  in  Portumna  barracks  ! 
■Pon  my  soul,  there's  not  a  thing  with  a  red  coat  on  it,  if  it 
was  even  a  scarecrow  to  frighten  the  birds  from  the  barley,  that 
won't  be  treated  with  respect  when  they  hear  of  the  news." 

The  country  through  which  we  travelled  was  marked  at 
every  step  by  the  traces  of  a  retreating  army  ;  the  fields  of 
rich  corn  lay  flattened  beneath  the  tramp  of  cavalry,  or  the 
w^heels  of  the  baggage-wagons  ;  the  roads,  cut  up  and  nearly 
impassable,  were  studded  here  and  there  with   marks  which   in- 


7i6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

dicated  a  bivouac  ;  at  the  same  time,  everything  around  bore 
a  very  different  aspect  from  what  we  had  observed  in  Portugal ; 
there,  the  vindictive  cruelt}'  of  the  French  soldiery  had  been 
seen  in  full  sway.  The  ruined  chateaux,  the  burned  villages, 
the  desecrated  altars,  the  murdered  peasantry, — all  attested  the 
revengeful  spirit  of  a  beaten  and  bafifled  enemy.  No  sooner, 
however,  had  they  crossed  the  frontiers,  than,  as  if  by  magic, 
their  character  became  totally  changed.  Discipline  and  obedi- 
ence succeeded  to  recklessness  and  pillage  ;  and,  instead  of 
treating  the  natives  with  inhumanity  and  cruelty,  in  all  their 
intercourse  with  the  Spaniards  the  French  behaved  with 
moderation  and  even  kindness.  Paying  for  everything,  obtain- 
ing their  billets  peaceably  and  quietly,  marching  with  order 
and  regularity,  they  advanced  into  the  heart  of  the  country, 
showing,  by  the  most  irrefragable  proof,  the  astonishing  evi- 
dences of  a  discipline  which,  by  a  word,  could  convert  the  law- 
less irregularities  of  a  ruffian  soldiery  into  the  orderly  habits 
and  obedient  conduct  of  a  highly-organized  army. 

As  we  neared  the  Azava,  the  tracks  of  the  retiring  enemy 
became  gradually  less  perceptible,  and  the  country,  uninjured 
by  the  march,  extended  for  miles  around  us  in  all  the  richness 
and  abundance  of  a  favored  climate.  The  tall  corn  waving 
its  yellow  gold,  reflected  like  a  sea  the  clouds  that  moved 
slowly  above  it.  The  wild  gentian  and  the  laurel  grew  thickly 
around,  and  the  cattle  stood  basking  in  the  clear  streams,  while 
some  listless  peasant  lounged  upon  the  bank  beside  them. 
Strange  as  all  these  evidences  of  peace  and  tranquillity  were, 
so  near  to  the  devastating  track  of  a  mighty  army,  yet  I  have 
more  than  once  witnessed  the  fact,  and  remarked  how,  but 
a  short  distance  from  the  line  of  our  hurried  march,  the  country 
lay  untouched  and  uninjured  ;  and  though  the  clank  of  arms 
and  the  dull  roll  of  the  artillery  may  have  struck  upon  the  ear  of 
the  far-off  dweller  in  his  native  valley,  he  listened  as  he  would 
have  done  to  the  passing  thunder  as  it  crashed  above  him  ; 
and  when  the  bright  sky  and  pure  air  succeeded  to  the  louring 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOOiV.  7  i  7 

atmosphere  and  the  darkening  storm,  he  looked  forth  upon  his 
smiling  fields  and  happy  home,  while  he  muttered  to  his  heart 
a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  that  the  scourge  was  passed. 

We  bivouacked  upon  the  bank  of  the  river,  a  truly  Salvator 
Rosa  scene  ;  the  rocks,  towering  high  above  us,  were  fissured 
by  the  channel  of  many  a  trickling  stream,  seeking,  in  its  zig- 
zag current,  the  bright  river  below.  The  dark  pine-tree  and 
the  oak  mingled  their  foliage  with  the  graceful  cedar,  which 
spread  its  fan-like  branches  about  us.  Through  the  thick  shade 
some  occasional  glimpses  of  a  starry  sky  could  yet  be  seen, 
and  a  faint  yellow  streak  upon  the  silent  river  told  that  the 
queen  of  night  was  there. 

When  I  had  eaten  my  frugal  supper,  I  wandered  forth  alone 
upon  the  bank  of  the  stream,  now  standing  to  watch  its  bold 
sweeps  as  it  traversed  the  lonely  valley  before  me,  now  turning 
to  catch  a  passing  glance  at  our  red  watch-fires,  and  the  hardy 
features  which  sat  around.  The  hoarse  and  careless  laugh, 
the  deep-toned  voice  of  some  old  campaigner  holding  forth  his 
tale  of  flood  and  field,  were  the  only  sounds  1  heard ;  and 
gradually  I  strolled  beyond  the  reach  of  even  these.  The 
path  beside  the  river,  which  seemed  scarped  from  the  rock, 
was  barely  sufficient  for  the  passage  of  one  man,  a  rude  balus- 
trade of  wood  being  the  only  defence  against  the  precipice, 
which,  from  a  height  of  full  thirty  feet,  looked  down  upon 
the  stream.  Here  and  there  some  broad  gleam  of  moonlight 
would  fall  upon  the  opposite  bank,  which,  unlike  the  one  I 
occupied,  stretched  out  inlo  rich  meadow  and  pasturage, 
broken  by  occasional  clumps  of  ilex  and  beech.  River 
scenery  has  been  ever  a  passion  with  me.  I  can  glory  in  the 
bold  and  broken  outline  of  a  mighty  mountain  ;  I  can  gaze  with 
delighted  eyes  upon  the  boundless  seas,  and  know  not  whether 
to  like  it  more  in  all  the  mighty  outpouring  of  its  wrath, 
when  the  white  waves  lift  their  heads  to  heaven,  and  break 
themselves  in  foam  upon  the  rocky  beach,  or  in  the  calm  beauty 
of  its  broad  and  mirrored  surface,  in  which  the  brigiit  world  of 


7l8  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

sun  and  sky  are  seen  full  many  a  fathom  deep.  But  far  before 
these,  I  love  the  happy  and  tranquil  beauty  of  some  bright 
river,  tracing  its  winding  current  through  valley  and  through 
plain,  now  spreading  into  some  calm  and  waveless  lake,  now 
narrowing  to  an  eddying  stream,  with  mossy  rocks  and  waving 
trees  darkening  over  it.  There's  not  a  hut,  however  lowly, 
where  the  net  of  the  fisherman  is  stretched  upon  the  sward, 
around  whose  hearth  I  do  not  picture  before  me  the  faces  of 
happy  toil  and  humble  contentment,  while,  from  the  ruined 
tower  upon  the  crag,  methinks  I  hear  the  ancient  sounds  of 
wassail  and  of  welcome  ;  and  though  the  keep  be  fissured  and 
the  curtain  fallen,  and  though  for  banner  there  "  waves  some 
tall  wall-flower,"  I  can  people  its  crumbling  walls  with 
images  of  the  past ;  and  the  merry  laugh  of  the  warder,  and 
the  clanking  tread  of  the  mailed  warrior,  are  as  palpably 
before  me  as  the  tangled  lichen  that  now  trails  from  its  battle- 
ments. 

As  I  wandered  on,  I  reached  the  little  rustic  stair  which  led 
downward  from  the  path  to  the  river  side ;  and,  on  examining 
further,  perceived  that  at  this  place  the  stream  was  fordable ; 
a  huge  flat  rock,  filling  up  a  great  part  of  the  river's  bed,  occu- 
pied the  middle,  on  either  side  of  which  the  current  ran  with 
increased  force. 

Bent  upon  exploring,  I  descended  the  cliff,  and  was  preparing 
to  cross,  when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  the  twinkle  of  a 
fire  at  some  distance  from  me,  on  the  opposite  side  ;  the  flame 
rose  and  fell  in  fitful  flashes,  as  though  some  hand  were  minister- 
ing to  it  at  the  moment.  As  it  was  impossible,  from  the 
silence  on  every  side,  that  it  could  proceed  from  a  bivouac 
of  the  enemy,  I  resolved  on  approaching  it,  and  examining  it 
for  myself.  I  knew  that  the  shepherds  in  remote  districts 
were  accustomed  thus  to  pass  the  summer  nights,  with  no 
other  covering  save  the  blue  vault  above  them.  It  was  pot 
impossible,  too,  that  it  might  prove  a  Guerilla  party,  who 
frequently,  m  small  numbers,  hang  upon. the  rear  of  a  retreating 


'1  -HE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  7  1 9 

afmy.  Thus  conjecturing,  I  crossed  the  stream,  and,  quicken- 
ing my  pace,  walked  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  blaze. 
For  a  moment  a  projecting  rock  obstructed  my  progress ;  and, 
while  I  was  devising  some  means  of  proceeding  further,  the 
sound  of  voices  near  me  arrested  my  attention.  I  listened, 
and  what  was  my  astonishment  to  hear  that  they  spoke  in 
French.  I  now  crept  cautiously  to  the  verge  of  the  rock  and 
looked  over  ;  the  moon  was  streaming  in  its  full  brilliancy 
upon  a  little  shelving  strand  beside  the  stream,  and  here  I 
now  beheld  the  figure  of  a  French  officer.  He  was  habited  in 
the  undress  uniform  of  a  chasseur  a  cheval,  but  wore  no  arms  ; 
indeed,  his  occupation  at  the  moment  was  anything  but  a  war- 
like one,  he  being  leisurely  employed  in  collecting  some  flasks 
of  champagne  which  apparently  had  been  left  to  cool  within 
the  stream. 

"  ^/i  bicn,  Alphonse  r''  said  a  voice  in  the  direction  of  the 
;ire,  "  what  are  you  delaying  for  .''  " 

"  I'm  coming,  I'm  coming,"  said  the  other  ;  "  but, /(^r  Dieu! 
i  can  only  find  five  of  our  bottles ;  one  seems  to  have  been 
carried  away  by  the  stream." 

"  No  matter,"  replied  the  other,  "  we  are  but  three  of  us,  and 
i)ne  is,  or  should  be,  on  the  sick  list." 

The  only  answer  to  this  was  the  muttered  chorus  of  a 
French  drinking-song,  interrupted  at  intervals  by  an  impreca- 
tion upon  the  missing  flask.  It  chanced,  at  this  moment, 
that  a  slight  clinking  noise  attracted  me,  and,  on  looking  down, 
I  perceived  at  the  foot  of  the  rock  the  prize  he  sought  for.  It 
had  been,  as  he  conceived,  carried  away  by  an  eddy  of  the 
stream  and  was  borne,  as  a  true  prisoner  of  war,  within  my 
grasp.  I  avow  that  from  this  moment  my  interest  in  the  scene 
became  considerably  heightened  ;  such  a  waif  as  a  bottle  of 
champagne  was  nut  to  be  despised  in  circumstances  like  mine  ; 
and  I  watched  with  anxious  eyes  every  gesture  of  the  impatient 
Frenchman,  and  alternately  vibrated  between  hope  and  fear, 
as  he  neared  or  receded  from  llie  missin<r  flask. 


720  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

"  Let  it  go  to  the  devil,"  shouted  his  companion  once  more. 
"  Jacques  has  lost  all  patience  with  you." 

"Be  it  so,  then,"  said  the  other,  as  he  prepared  to  take  up 
his  burden.  At  this  instant  I  made  a  slight  effort  so  to 
change  my  position  as  to  obtain  a  view  of  the  rest  of  the  party. 
The  branch  by  which  I  supported  myself,  however,  gave  way 
beneath  my  grasp  with  a  loud  crash.  I  lost  my  footing,  and 
slipping  downward  from  the  rock,  came  plump  into  the  stream 
below.  The  noise,  the  splash,  and,  more  than  all,  the  sudden 
appearance  of  a  man  beside  him,  astounded  the  Frenchman, 
who  almost  let  fall  his  pannier,  and  thus  we  stood  confronting 
each  other  for  at  least  a  couple  of  minutes  in  silence.  A  hearty 
burst  of  laughter  from  both  parties  terminated  this  awkward 
moment,  while  the  Frenchman,  with  the  readiness  of  his 
country,  was  the  first  to  open  the  negotiation. 

^^  Sucre  Z)/t7^/"  said  he,  "  what  can  you  be  doing  here? 
You're  English  without  doubt." 

"  Even  so,"  said  I  ;  "  but  that  is  the  very  question  I  was 
about  to  ask  you  ;  what  are  you  doing  here  'i " 

"  £/i  /w;/,"  replied  the  other,  gaily,  "  you  shall  be  answered 
in  all  frankness.  Our  captain  was  wounded  in  the  action  of 
the  8th,  and  we  heard  had  been  carried  up  the  country  by 
some  peasants.  As  the  army  fell  back,  we  obtained  permission 
to  go  in  search  of  him ;  for  two  days  all  was  fruitless  ;  the 
peasantry  fled  at  our  approach ;  and,  although  we  captured 
some  of  our  stolen  property — among  other  things,  the  contents 
of  this  basket — yet  we  never  came  upon  the  track  of  our  com- 
rade till  this  evening.  A  good-hearted  shepherd  had  taken 
him  to  his  hut,  arid  treated  him  with  every  kindness,  but  no 
sooner  did  he  hear  the  gallop  of  our  horses  and  the  clank  of 
our  equipments,  than,  fearing  himself  to  be  made  a  prisoner, 
he  fled  up  the  mountains,  leaving  our  friend  behind  him  ; 
voi/d  notre  histoire.  Here  we  are,  three  in  all,  one  of  us  with  a 
deep  sabre-cut  in  his  shoulder.  If  you  are  the  stronger  party, 
we  are,  I  suppose,  your  prisoners  j  if  not " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  7 21 

What  was  to  have  followed  I  know  not,  for  at  this  moment 
his  companion,  who  had  finally  lost  all  patience,  came  suddenly 
to  the  spot. 

"  A  prisoner,"  cried  he,  placing  a  heavy  hand  upon  my 
shoulder,  while  with  the  other  he  held  his  drawn  sword  pointed 
towards  my  breast. 

To  draw  a  pistol  from  my  bosom  was  the  work  of  a  second  ; 
and,  while  gently  turning  the  point  of  his  weapon  away,  I 
coolly  said, — 

"  Not  so  fast,  my  friend,  not  so  fast  !  The  game  is  in  my 
hands,  not  yours.  I  have  only  to  pull  this  trigger,  and  my 
dragoons  are  upon  you ;  whatever  fate  befall  me,  yours  is 
certain." 

A  half-scornful  laugh  betrayed  the  incredulity  of  him  I 
addressed,  while  the  other,  apparently  anxious  to  relieve  the 
awkwardness  of  the  moment,  suddenly  broke  in  with, — 

"  He  is  right,  Auguste,  and  you  are  wrong ;  we  are  in  his 
power  ;  that  is,"  added  he,  smiling,  "  if  he  believes  there  is  any 
triumph  in  capturing  such  pain'res  diabks  as  ourselves." 

The  features  of  him  he  addressed  suddenly  lost  their  scorn- 
ful expression,  and  sheathing  his  sword  with  an  air  of  almost 
melodramatic  solemnity,  he  gravely  pulled  up  his  moustaches, 
and,  after  a  pause  of  a  few  seconds,  solemnly  ejaculated  a 
malediction  upon  his  fortune. 

"■Ccst  toujoius  ainsi,'"  said  he,  with  a  bitterness  that  only  a 
Frenchman  can  convey  when  cursing  his  destiny.  "  Soyez  bon 
enfant,  and  see  what  will  come  of  it.  Only  be  good-natured, 
only  be  kind,  and  if  you  haven't  bad  luck  at  the  end  of  it,  it's 
only  because  fortune  has  a  heavier  stroke  in  reserve  for  you 
hereafter." 

1  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  Frenchman's  philosophy, 
which,  assuming  as  a  good  augury,  he  gaily  said,  "  So,  then, 
you'll  not  make  us  prisoners.     Isn't  it  so  ?  " 

"  Prisoners,"  said  the  other,  "  nothing  of  tlic  kind.  Come 
and  sup  with  us  ;  Fll  venture  to  say  our  larder  is  as  well  stocked 
46 


722  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

as  your  own ;  in  any  case  an  omelette,  a  cold  chicken,  and  a 
glass  of  champagne  are  not  bad  things  in  our  circumstances." 

I  could  not  help  laughing  outright  at  the  strangeness  of  the 
proposal.  "I  fear  I  must  decline,"  said  I  ;  "you  seem  to  for- 
get I  am  placed  here  to  watch,  not  to  join  you." 

"  A  la  bonne  heure,^^  cried  the  younger  of  the  two  ;  "  do  both. 
Come  along  ;  soyez  bon  camarade ;  you  are  always  near  vour 
own  people,  so  don't  refuse  us." 

In  proportion  as  I  declined,  they  both  became  more  pressing 
in  their  entreaties,  and,  at  last,  I  began  to  dread  lest  my  refusal 
might  seem  to  proceed  from  some  fear  as  to  the  good  faith  of 
the  invitation,  and  I  never  felt  so  awkwardly  placed  as  when 
one  plumply  pressed  me  by  saying, — 

'■'•  Alais pourquoi  pas,  juon  cher  ?  " 

I  stammered  out  something  about  duty  and  discipline,  when 
they  both  interrupted  me  by  a  long  burst  of  laughter. 

"  Come,  come  !  "  said  they  ;  "  in  an  hour — in  half-an-hour, 
if  you  will — you  shall  be  back  with  your  own  people.  We've 
had  plenty  of  fighting  latterly,  and  we  are  likely  to  have  enough 
in  future  ;  we  know  something  of  each  other  by  this  time  in 
the  field  ;    let  us  see  how  we  get  on  in  the  bivouac  !  " 

Resolving  not  to  be  outdone  in  generosity,  I  replied  at  once, 
"  Here  goes  then  !  " 

Five  minutes  afterwards  I  found  myself  seated  at  their 
bivouac  fire.  The  captain,  who  was  the  oldest  of  the  party, 
was  a  fine  soldier-like  fellow  of  some  forty  years  old  :  he  had 
served  in  the  Imperial  Guard  through  all  the  campaigns  of 
Italy  and  Austria,  and  abounded  in  anecdotes  of  the  French 
army.  From  him  I  learned  many  of  those  characteristic  traits 
which  so  eminently  distinguish  the  imperial  troops,  and  saw  how 
completely  their  bravest  and  boldest  feats  of  arms  depended 
upon  the  personal  valor  of  him  who  led  them  on.  From  the 
daring  enterprise  of  Napoleon  at  Lodi  to  the  conduct  of  the 
lowest  corporal  in  the  grange  ar-mee  the  picture  presents  nothing 
but  a  series  of  brilliant  and  splendid  chivalry;  while,  at  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


723 


same  time,  the  warlike  character  of  the  nation  is  displayed  by 
that  instinctive  appreciation  of  courage  and  daring  which 
teaches  them  to  follow  their  officers  to  the  very  cannon's  mouth. 
"  It  was  at  Elchingen,"  said  the  Captain,  "  you  should  have 
seen  them.  The  regiment  in  which  I  was  a  lieutenant  was 
ordered  to  form  close  column,  and  charge  through  a  narrow 
ravine  to  carry  a  brigade  of  guns,  which,  by  a  flanking  fire, 
were  devastating  our  troops.  Before  we  could  reach  the  cause- 
way, we  were  obliged  to  pass  an  open  plain,  in  which  the 
ground  dipped  for  about  a  hundred  yards  ;  the  column  moved 
on,  and,  though  it  descended  one  hill,  not  a  man  ever  mounted 
the  opposite  one.  A  very  avalanche  of  balls  swept  the  entire 
valley ;  and  yet,  amid  the  thunder  and  the  smoke,  the  red 
glare  of  the  artillery,  and  the  carnage  around  them,  our 
grenadiers  marched  firmly  up.  At  last.  Marshal  Ney  sent  an 
aide-de-camp  with  orders  to  the  troops  to  lay  flat  down,  and  in 
this  position  the  artillery  played  over  us  for  above  half-an-hour. 
The  Austrians  gradually  slackened,  and  finally  discontinued 
their  fire  :  this  was  the  moment  to  resume  the  attack.  I  crept 
cautiously  to  my  knees,  and  looked  about.  One  word  brought 
my  men  around  me ;  but  I  found  to  my  horror  that,  of  a 
battalion  who  came  into  action  fourteen  hundred  strong,  not 
five  hundred  remained  ;  and  that  I  myself,  a  mere  lieutenant, 
was  now  the  senior  officer  of  the  regiment.  Our  gallant 
colonel  lay  dead  beside  my  feet.  At  this  instant  a  thought 
struck  me.  I  remembered  a  habit  he  possessed  in  moments  of 
difficulty  and  clanger,  of  placing  in  hischako  a  small  red  plume 
which  he  commonly  carried  in  his  belt.  I  searched  for  it,  and 
found  it.  As  1  held  it  aloft,  a  maddening  cheer  burst  around 
me,  while  from  out  the  line  each  officer  sprang  madly  forward, 
and  rushed  to  the  head  of  the  colimin.  It  was  no  longer  a 
march.  \\'itli  a  loud  cry  of  vengeance,  the  mass  rushed  for- 
ward, the  men  trying  to  outstrip  their  officers,  and  come  first 
ill  contact  with  the  foe.  Like  tigers  on  the  spring,  they  frll 
upon  the   enemy.  wIk).  cri:.shed,  overwhelmed,  and   massacred. 


724  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

lay  in  slaughtered  heaps  around  the  cannon.  The  cavalry  of 
the  Guard  came  thundering  on  behind  us,  a  whole  division 
followed,  and  three  thousand  five  hundred  prisoners,  and 
fourteen  pieces  of  artillery,  were  captured. 

"  I  sat  upon  the  carriage  of  a  gun,  my  face  begrimed  with 
powder,  and  my  uniform  blackened  and  blood-stained.  The 
whole  thing  appeared  like  some  shocking  dream.  I  felt  a 
hand  upon  my  shoulder,  while  a  rough  voice  called  in  my  ear, 
'  Capitaine  da  soixante-neuvieme^  tu  es  mon  frere  !'' 

"  It  was  Ney  who  spoke.  This,"  added  the  brave  Captain, 
his  eyes  filling  as  he  said  the  words, — "  this  is  the  sabre  he 
gave  me." 

I  know  not  why  I  have  narrated  this  anecdote ;  it  has  little 
in  itself,  but,  somehow,  to  me,  it  brings  back  in  all  its  fulness 
the  recollection  of  that  night. 

There  was  something  so  strongly  characteristic  of  the  old 
Napoleonist  in  the  tone  of  his  narrative  that  I  listened  through- 
out with  breathless  attention.  I  began  to  feel,  too,  for  the 
first  time,  what  a  powerful  arm  in  war  the  Emperor  had  created 
by  fostering  the  spirit  of  individual  enterprise.  The  field  thus 
opened  to  fame  and  distinction  left  no  bounds  to  the  ambition 
of  any.  The  humble  conscript,  as  he  tore  himself  from  the 
embraces  of  his  mother,  wiped  his  tearful  eyes  to  see  before 
him  in  the  distance  the  baton  of  a  marshal.  The  bold  soldier 
who  stormed  a  battery,  felt  his  heart  beat  more  proudly  and 
more  securely  beneath  the  cordon  of  the  Legion  than  behind  a 
cuirass  of  steel,  and  to  a  people  in  whom  the  sense  of  duty 
alone  would  seem  cold,  barren,  and  inglorious,  he  had  substi- 
tuted a  highly-wrought  chivalrous  enthusiasm  and  h'^ih.^ prestige 
of  his  own  name,  the  proud  memory  of  his  battles,  and  the  glory 
of  those  mighty  tournaments  at  which  all  Europe  were  the 
spectators,  he  had  converted  a  nation  into  an  army. 

By  a  silent  and  instinctive  compact  we  appeared  to  avoid 
those  topics  of  the  campaign  in  which  the  honor  of  our  re- 
spective arms  was  interested  ;  and  once  when,  by  mere  accident, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  725 

the  youngest  of  the  party  adverted  to  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  the  old 
Captain  adroitly  turned  the  current  of  the  conversation  by 
saying,  "  Come,  Alphonse,  let's  have  a  song." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  other,  "Z^  Pas  de  Charged 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  Captain ;  "  if  I  am  to  have  a  choice,  let 
it  be  that  little  Breton  song  you  gave  us  on  the  Danube." 

"  So  be  it  then,"  said  Alphonse.     "  Here  goes !  " 

I  have  endeavored  to  convey,  by  a  translation,  the  words  he 
sang  ;  but  I  feel  conscious  how  totally  their  feeling  and  sim- 
plicity are  lost  when  deprived  of  their  own  patois^  and  the  wild 
but  touching  melody  that  accompanied  them. 

"THE  BRETON  HOME. 

"  When  the  battle  is  o'er,  and  the  sounds  of  fight 

Have  closed  with  the  closing  day, 
How  happy,  around  the  watch-fire's  light, 

To  chat  the  long  hours  away  ; 
To  chat  the  long  hours  away,  my  boy, 

And  talk  of  the  days  to  come, 
Or  a  better  still  and  a  purer  joy. 

To  think  of  our  far-off  home. 

"  How  many  a  cheek  will  then  grow  pale, 

That  never  felt  a  tear  ! 
And  many  a  stalwart  heart  will  quail. 

That  never  quailed  in  fear ! 
And  the  breast  that,  like  some  mighty  rock 

Amid  the  foaming  sea, 
Bore  high  against  the  battle's  shock 

Now  heaves  like  infancy. 

"  And  those  who  knew  each  other  not 

Their  hands  together  steal, 
Each  tliinks  of  some  long  hallowed  spot, 

And  all  like  brothers  feel  : 
Such  holy  thouglits  to  all  are  given  ; 

The  lowliest  has  his  ])art ; 
The  love  of  home,  like  love  of  Heaven, 

Is  woven  in  our  heart." 

There  was  a  pause  as  he  concluded,  each  sank  in  his  own 
reflections.  How  long  we  should  have  thus  remained,  I  know 
not  ;  but  we  were  speedily  aroused  from  our  reveries  by  the 


726  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

tramp  of  horses  near  us.  We  listened,  and  could  plainly 
detect  in  their  rude  voices  and  coarse  laughter  the  approach 
of  a  body  of  Guerillas.  We  looked  from  one  to  the  other  in 
silence  and  in  fear.  Nothing  could  be  more  unfortunate 
should  we  be  discovered.  Upon  this  point  we  were  left  little 
time  to  deliberate  ;  for,  with  a  loud  cheer,  four  Spanish  horse- 
men galloped  up  to  the  spot,  their  carbines  in  the  rest.  The 
Frenchmen  sprang  to  their  feet,  and  seized  their  sabres,  bent 
upon  making  a  resolute  resistance.  As  for  me,  my  determina- 
tion was  at  once  taken.  Remaining  quietly  seated  upon  the 
grass,  I  stirred  not  for  a  moment,  but,  addressing  him  who  ap- 
peared to  be  the  chief  of  the  Guerillas,  said,  in  Spanish  : — 

"  These  are  my  prisoners ;  I  am  a  British  officer  of  dragoons, 
and  my  party  is  yonder." 

This  evidently  unexpected  declaration  seemed  to  surprise 
them,  and  they  conferred  for  a  few  moments  together.  Mean- 
while, they  were  joined  by  two  others,  in  one  of  whom  we 
could  recognize,  by  his  costume,  the  real  leader  of  the  party. 

"  I  am  captain  in  the  light  dragoons,"  said  I,  repeating  my 
declaration. 

"  Morte  de  Dios  .^"  replied  he  ;  "  it  is  false  ;  you  are  a  spy  !  " 

The  word  was  repeated  from  lip  to  lip  by  his  party,  and  I 
saw,  in  their  louring  looks  and  darkened  features,  that  the 
moment  was  a  critical  one  for  me. 

"  Down  with  your  arms  !  "  cried  he,  turning  to  the  French- 
men. "  Surrender  yourselves  our  prisoners ;  I'll  not  bid  ye 
twice ! " 

The  Frenchmen  turned  upon  me  an  inquiring  look,  as  though 
lo  say  that  upon  me  now  their  hopes  entirely  reposed. 

"  Do  as  he  bids  you,"  said  I ;  while  the  same  moment  I 
sprang  to  my  legs,  and  gave  a  loud,  shrill  whistle,  the  last 
echo  of  which  had  not  died  away  in  the  distance  ere  it  was 
replied  to. 

"  Make  no  resistance  now,"  said  I  to  the  Frenchmen  ;  "  our 
safety  depends  on  this," 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  727 

While  this  was  passing,  two  of  the  Spaniards  had  dismounted, 
and,  detaching  a  coil  of  rope  which  hung  from  their  saddle- 
peak,  were  proceeding  to  tie  the  prisoners  wrist  to  wrist ;  tlie 
others  with  their  carbines  to  the  shoulder,  covered  us  man  by 
man,  the  chief  of  the  party  having  singled  out  me  as  his  peculiar 
prey. 

"The  fate  of  Mascarenhas  might  have  taught  you  better," 
said  he,  "  than  to  play  this  game."  And  then  added,  with  a 
grim  smile,  "  But  we'll  see  if  an  Englishman  will  not  make  as 
good  a  carbonado  as  a  Portuguese  !  " 

This  cruel  speech  made  my  blood  run  cold,  for  I  knew  well 
to  what  he  alluded.  I  was  at  Lisbon  at  the  time  it  happened, 
but  the  melancholy  fate  of  Julian  Mascarenhas,  the  Portuguese 
spy,  had  reached  me  there.  He  was  burned  to  death  at  Torres 
Vedras ! 

The  Spaniard's  triumph  over  my  terror  was  short-lived,  in- 
deed, for  scarcely  had  the  words  fallen  from  his  lips,  when  a 
party  of  the  Fourteenth,  dashing  through  the  river  at  a  gallop, 
came  riding  up.  The  attitude  of  the  Guerillas,  as  they  sat 
with  presented  arms,  was  sufficient  for  my  fellows,  who  needed 
not  the  exhortation  of  him  who  rode  foremost  of  the  party: — 

"  Ride  them  down,  boys  !  Tumble  them  over  !  Flatten 
their  broad  beavers,  the  infernal  thieves  !  " 

"  Whoop  !  "  shouted  Mike,  as  he  rode  at  the  chief,  with  the 
force  of  a  catapult.  Down  went  the  Spaniard,  horse  and  all; 
and  before  he  could  disentangle  himself,  Mike  was  upon  him, 
his  knee  pressed  upon  his  neck. 

"  Isn't  it  enough  for  yc  to  pillage  the  whole  country,  without 
robbing  the  king's  throops  !  "  cried  he,  as  he  held  him  fast  to 
the  earth  witii  one  hand,  while  he  presented  a  loaded  pistol  to 
his  face. 

Pjy  tills  time  the  scene  around  me  was  sufficiently  ludicrous. 
Such  of  the  Guerillas  as  had  not  been  thrown  by  force  from 
their  saddles,  had  slid  peaceably  down,  and,  depositing  their 
arms  upon  the  ground,  dropped  upon  their  knees  in  a  semicircle 


728  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

around  us,  and,  amid  the  hoarse  laughter  of  the  troopers,  and 
the  irrepressible  merriment  of  the  Frenchmen  rose  up  the 
muttered  prayers  of  the  miserable  Spaniards,  who  believed  that 
now  their  last  hour  was  come. 

'■'■  Madre  de  Dios,  indeed  !  "  cried  Mike,  imitating  the  tone  of 
a  repentant  old  sinner,  in  a  patched  mantle  ;  "  it's  much  the 
blessed  Virgin  thinks  of  the  like  o'  ye,  thieves  and  rogues  as 
ye  are  ;  it  a'most  puts  me  beyond  my  senses  to  see  ye  there 
crossing  yourselves  like  I'ale  Christians." 

If  I  could  not  help  indulging  myself  in  this  retributive 
cruelty  towards  the  chief,  and  leaving  him  to  the  tender  mercies 
of  Mike,  I  ordered  the  others  to  rise  and  form  in  line  before 
me.  Affecting  to  occupy  myself  entirely  with  them,  I  withdrew 
the  attention  of  all  from  the  French  officers,  who  remained 
quiet  spectators  of  the  scene  around  them. 

"Point  def aeons,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  in  a  whisper.  "  Get  to 
^our  horses  and  away  !  now's  your  time.     Good-bye  !  " 

A  warm  grasp  of  the  hand  from  each  was  the  only  reply,  and 
(  turned  once  more  to  my  discomfited  friends,  the  Guerillas. 

"  There,  Mike,  let  the  poor  devil  rise.  I  confess  appearances 
vere  strong  against  me  just  now." 

"  Well,  Captain,  are  you  convinced  by  this  time  that  I  was 
/lot  deceiving  you  ?  " 

The  Guerilla  muttered  some  words  of  apology  between  his 
teeth,  and,  while  he  shook  the  dust  from  his  cloak,  and 
arranged  the  broken  feather  of  his  hat,  cast  a  look  of  scowling 
and  indignant  meaning  upon  Mike,  whose  rough  treatment  he 
had  evidently  not  forgiven. 

"  Don't  be  looking  at  me  that  way,  you  black  thief !  or 
I'll " 

"  Hold  there  !  "  said  I ;  "no  more  of  this.  Come,  gentle- 
men, we  must  be  friends.  If  I  mistake  not,  we've  got  some- 
thing like  refreshment  at  our  bivouac.  In  any  case  you'll 
partake  of  our  watch-fire  till  morning." 

They  gladly  accepted  our  invitation,  and  ere  half-an-hour 


THE  IRI^H  DRAGOON.  jz^ 

elapsed  Mike's  performance  in  the  part  of  host  had  completely 
erased  every  unpleasant  impression  his  first  appearance  gave 
rise  to  ;  and  as  for  myself,  when  I  did  sleep  at  last,  the  con- 
fused mixture  of  Spanish  and  Irish  airs  which  issued  from  the 
thicket  beside  me,  proved  that  a  most  intimate  alliance  had 
grown  up  between  the  parties. 


CHAPTER  XCIV. 

mike's  mistake. 

An  hour  before  daybreak  the  Guerillas  were  in  motion,  and, 
having  taken  a  most  ceremonious  leave  of  us,  they  mounted 
their  horses  and  set  out  upon  their  journey.  I  saw  their 
gaunt  figures  wind  down  the  valley,  and  watched  them  till  they 
disappeared  in  the  distance.  "  Yes,  brigands  though  they  be," 
thought  I,  "  there  is  something  fine,  something  heroic,  in  the 
spirit  of  their  unrelenting  vengeance."  The  sleuth-hound 
never  sought  the  lair  of  his  victim  with  a  more  ravening 
appetite  for  blood  than  they  track  the  retreating  columns  of  the 
enemy.  Hovering  around  tlie  line  of  march,  they  sometimes 
swoop  down  in  masses,  and  carry  off  a  part  of  the  baggage,  or 
the  wounded.  'I'he  wearied  soldier,  overcome  by  heat  and  ex- 
haustion, who  drops  behind  his  ranks,  is  their  certain  victim  ; 
tlie  sentry  on  an  advanced  post  is  scarcely  less  so.  Whole 
pickets  are  sometimes  attacked  and  carried  off  to  a  man  ;  and, 
when  traversing  the  lonely  passes  of  some  mountain  gorge,  or 
defiling  through  the  dense  shadows  of  a  wooded  glen,  the 
stoutest  heart  has  felt  a  fear,  lest  from  behind  the  rock  that 
frowned  above  him,  or  from  the  leafy  thicket  whose  branches 
stirred  without  a  breeze,  the  sharp  ring  of  a  Guerilla  carbine 
might  sound  his  death-knell. 

It  was  thus  in  the  retreat  upon  Corunna  fell  Colonel  Lefebvre. 


730  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Ever  foremost  in  the  attack  upon  our  rear-guard,  this  gallant 
youth  (he  was  scarce  six-and-twenty),  a  colonel  of  his  regiment, 
and  decorated  with  the  Legion  of  Honor,  he  led  on  every 
charge  of  his  bold  '■'■  sabreurs,'^  riding  up  to  the  very  bayonets 
of  our  squares,  waving  his  hat  above  his  head,  and  seeming 
actually  to  court  his  death-wound  ;  but  so  struck  were  our  brave 
fellows  with  his  gallant  bearing,  that  they  cheered  him  as  he 
came  on. 

It  was  in  one  of  these  moments  as,  rising  high  in  his  stirrups, 
he  bore  down  upon  the  unflinching  ranks  of  the  British  infantry, 
the  shrill  whistle  of  a  ball  strewed  the  leaves  upon  the  roadside, 
the  exulting  shout  of  a  Guerilla  followed  it,  and  the  same  in- 
stant Lefebvre  fell  forward  upon  his  horse's  mane,  a  deluge  of 
blood  bursting  from  his  bosom.  A  broken  cry  escaped  his  lips 
— a  last  effort  to  cheer  on  his  men  ;  his  noble  charger  galloped 
forward  between  our  squares,  bearing  to  us  our  prisoner  the 
corpse  of  his  rider. 

"  Captain  O'Malley,"  said  a  mounted  dragoon  to  the  ad- 
vanced sentry  at  the  bottom  of  the  little  hill  upon  which  I  was 
standing.  "  Despatches  from  head-quarters,  sir,"  delivering 
into  my  hands  a  large  sealed  packet  from  the  Adjutant-General's 
office.  While  he  proceeded  to  search  for  another  letter  of 
which  he  was  the  bearer,  I  broke  the  seal  and  read  as  follows  : — 

"  Adjutant- General's  Office, 
"Sir,  May  15. 

"  On  the  receipt  of  this  order  you  are  directed,  having  previously 
resigned  your  command  to  the  officer  next  in  seniority,  to  repair  to  head- 
quarters at  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  there  to  report  yourself  under  arrest. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant, 

"  George  Hopeton, 

"  Military  Secretary." 

"What  the  devil  can  this  mean  .^ "  said  I  to  myself,  as  I 
read  the  lines  over  again  and  again.  "  What  have  I  done 
lately,  or  what  have  I  left  undone  to  involve  me  in  this  scrape  ? 
Ah  I  "  thought  I,  "  to  be  sure,  it  can  be  nothing  else.     Lord 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  731 

Wellington  did  recognize  me  that  unlucky  morning,  and  has 
determined  not  to  let  me  pass  unpunished.  How  unfortunate  ! 
Scarcely  twenty-four  hours  have  elapsed  since  fortune  seemed 
to  smile  upon  me  from  every  side,  and  now  the  very  destiny  I 
most  dreaded  stares  me  fully  in  the  face.  A  reprimand,  or  the 
sentence  of  a  court-martial,  I  shrank  from  with  a  coward's  fear. 
It  mattered  comparatively  little  from  what  source  arising,  the 
injury  to  my  pride  as  a  man  and  my  spirit  as  a  soldier  would 
be  almost  the  same. 

"  This  is  the  letter,  sir,"  said  the  orderly,  presenting  me 
with  a  packet,  the  address  of  which  was  in  Power's  hand- 
writing. Eagerly  tearing  it  open,  I  sought  for  something  which 
might  explain  my  unhappy  position.  It  bore  the  same  date  as 
the  official  letter,  and  ran  thus  : — 

"  My  dear  Charley, 

"I  joined  yesterday,  just  in  time  to  enjoy  the  heartiest  laugh  I 
have  had  since  our  meeting.  If  notoriety  can  gratify  you,  by  Jove  you 
have  it;  for  Charles  O'Malley  and  his  man  Mickey  Free  are  by-words  in 
every  mess  from  Villa  Formosa  to  the  rear  guard.  As  it's  only  fair  you 
should  participate  a  little  in  the  fun  you've  originated,  let  me  explain  the 
cause.  Your  inimitable  man  Mike,  to  whom  it  appears  you  intrusted  the 
report  of  killed  and  wounded  for  the  Adjutant-General,  having  just  at  that 
moment  accomplished  a  letter  to  his  friends  at  home,  substituted  his  cor- 
respondence for  your  returns,  and,  doubtless,  sent  the  list  of  the  casualties 
as  very  interesting  information  to  his  sweetheart  in  Ireland.  If  such  be 
the  case,  I  hope  and  trust  she  has  taken  the  blunder  in  better  part  than 
old  Colbourn,  who  swears  he'll  bring  you  to  a  court-martial,  under  Heaven 
knows  what  charges.  In  fact,  his  passion  has  known  no  bounds  since  the 
event;  and  a  fit  of  jaundice  has  given  his  face  a  kind  of  neutral  tint  be- 
tween green  and  yellow,  like  nothing  I  know  of  except  the  facings  of  the 
'dirty  half-hundred.'  * 

"  As  Mr.  Free's  letter  may  be  as  great  a  curiosity  to  you  as  it  has  been 
to  us,  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  it,  which  Ilopeton  obtained  for  me.  It 
certainly  places  the  estimable  Mike  in  a  strong  hght  as  a  despatch-writer. 
The  occasional  interruption  to  the  current  of  the  letter,  you  will  perceive, 
arises  from  .Mike  having  used  the  pen  of  a  comrade,  writing  being,  doubt- 

•  For  the  information  of  my  unmilitary  readers,  I  may  remark  that  this  sobriquet  was  ap- 
plied to  the  50th  Regiment. 


732  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

less,  an  accomplishment  forgotten  in  the  haste  of  preparing  Mr.  Free  for 
the  world ;  and  the  amanuensis  has,  in  more  than  one  instance,  committed  to 
paper  more  than  was  meant  by  the  author : — 

" '  Mrs.  M'Gra, 

" '  Tear  an  ages,  sure  I  need  not  be  treating  her  that  way.  Now, 
just  say  Mrs.  Mary— ay,  that'll  do — Mrs.  Mary,  it's  maybe  surprised  you'll 
be  to  be  reading  a  letter  from  your  humble  servant,  sitting  on  the  top  of 
the  Alps. — Arrah,  maybe  it's  not  the  Alps  ;  but  sure  she'll  never  know — 
foment  the  whole  French  army,  with  Bony  himself  and  all  his  jinnerals — 
God  be  between  us  and  harm — ready  to  murther  every  mother's  son  of  us, 
av  they  were  able,  Molly  darlin';  but,  with  the  blessing  of  Providence,  and 
Lord  Wellington,  and  Mister  Charles,  we'll  bate  them  yet,  as  we  bate  them 
afore. 

"  '  My  lips  is  wathering  at  the  thought  o'  the  plunder.  I  often  think  of 
Tim  Riley,  that  was  hanged  for  sheep-stealing  ;  he'd  be  worth  his  weight 
in  gold  here. 

" '  Mr.  Charles  is  now  a  captain — devil  a  less — and  myself  might  be 
somethin'  that  same,  but  ye  see  I  was  always  of  a  bashful  nature,  and  rec- 
ommended the  master  in  my  place.  "  He's  mighty  young.  Mister  Charles 
is,"  says  my  Lord  Wellington  to  me, — "he's  mighty  young,  Mr.  Free." 
"  He  is,  my  Lord,"  says  I ;  "  he's  young,  as  you  obsarve,  but  he's  as  much 
divilment  in  him  as  many  that  might  be  his  father."  "  That's  somethin', 
Mr.  Free,"  says  my  Lord ;  "  ye  say  he  comes  from  a  good  stock  ?  "  "  The 
rale  sort,  my  Lord,"  says  I  ;  "an  ould,  ancient  family,  that's  spent  every 
sixpence  they  had  in  treating  their  neighbors.  My  father  lived  near  him 
for  years," — you  see,  Molly,  I  said  that  to  season  the  discourse.  "  We'll 
make  him  a  captain,"  says  my  Lord ;  "  but,  Mr.  Free,  could  we  do  nothing 
for  you  .'  "  "  Nothing,  at  present,  my  Lord.  When  my  friends  comes  into 
power,"  says  I,  "  they'll  think  of  me.  There's  many  a  little  thing  to  give 
away  in  Ireland,  and  they  often  find  it  mighty  hard  to  find  a  man  or  lord- 
lieutenant  ;  and  if  that   same,  or  a   tide-waiter's  place  was    vacant " 

"Just  tell  me,"  says  my  Lord.  "  It's  what  I'll  do,"  says  I.  "And  now, 
wishing  you  happy  dreams,  I'll  take  my  lave."  Just  so,  Molly,  it's  hand 
and  glove  we  are.  A  pleasant  face,  agreeable  manners,  seasoned  with 
natural  modesty,  and  a  good  pair  of  legs,  them's  the  gifts  to  push  a  man's 
way  in  the  world.  And  even  with  the  ladies — but  sure  I  am  forgetting,  my 
master  was  proposed  for,  and  your  humble  servant  too,  by  two  illigant 
creatures  in  Lisbon ;  but  it  wouldn't  do,  Molly, — it's  higher  nor  that  we'll 
be  looking — rale  princesses,  the  devil  a  less.  Tell  Kitty  Hannigan  I  hope 
she's  well :  she  was  a  disarving  young  woman  in  her  situation  in  life. 
Shusey  Dogherty,  at  the  cross  roads — if  1  don't  forget  the  name — was  a 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


733 


good-looking  slip  too  ;  give  her  my  affectionate  salutations,  as  we  say  in 
the  Portuguese.  I  hope  I'll  be  able  to  bear  the  inclementuous  nature  of 
your  climate  when  I  go  back ;  but  I  can  t  expect  to  stay  long — for  Lord 
Wellington  can't  do  without  me.  We  play  duets  on  the  guitar  together 
every  evening.  The  master  is  shouting  for  a  blanket,  so  no  more  at  present 
from 

"  '  Your  very  affectionate  friend, 

" '  Mickey  Free. 

"  '  P.  S. — I  don't  write  this  myself,  for  the  Spanish  tongue  puts  me  out 
o'  the  habit  of  English.  Tell  Father  Rush,  if  he'd  study  the  Portuguese, 
I'd  use  my  interest  for  him  with  the  Bishop  of  Toledo.  It's  a  country  he'd 
like — no  regular  stations,  but  promiscuous  eating  and  drinking,  and  as 
pretty  girls  as  ever  confessed  their  sins.' 

"  My  poor  Charley,  I  think  I  am  looking  at  you.  I  think  I  can  see  the 
struggle  between  indignation  and  laughter,  which  every  line  of  this  letter 
inflicts  upon  you.  Get  back  as  quickly  as  you  can,  and  we'll  try  if  Crau- 
furd  won't  pull  you  through  the  business.  In  any  case,  expect  no  sym- 
pathy ;  and  if  you  feel  disposed  to  be  angry  with  all  who  laugh  at  you,  you 
had  better  publish  a  challenge  in  the  next  general  order.  George  Scott,  of 
the  Greys,  bids  me  say,  that  if  you're  hard  up  for  cash,  he'll  give  you  a 
couple  of  hundred  for  Mickey  Free.  I  told  him  I  thought  you'd  accept 
it,  as  your  uncle  has  the  breed  of  those  fellows  upon  his  estate,  and  miglit 
have  no  objection  to  weed  his  stud.  Hammersley's  gone  back  with  the 
Dashwoods;  but  I  don't  think  you  need  fear  anything  in  that  quarter.  At 
the  same  time,  if  you  wish  for  success,  make  a  bold  jnish  for  the  peerage, 
and  half-a-dozen  decorations,  for  Miss  Lucy  is  most  decidedly  gone  wild 
about  military  distinction.  As  for  me,  my  affairs  go  on  well;  I've  had 
half-a-dozen  quarrels  with  Inez,  but  we  parted  good  friends,  and  my  bad 
Portuguese  has  got  me  out  of  all  difficulties  with  papa,  who  pres.sed  me 
tolerably  clo.se  as  to  fortune.  I  shall  want  your  assistance  in  this  matter 
yet.  If  parchments  will  satisfy  him  I  think  I  could  get  up  a  qualification  ; 
l)ut,  somehow,  the  matter  must  be  done,  for  I'm  resolved  to  have  his 
(laughter. 

"The  orderly  is  starting,  so  no  more  till  we  meet. 

"Yours  ever, 

"  KkKD    I'oWKK." 

"  Godwin,"  said  I,  a.s  I  closed  the  letter,  "  I  find  myself  in  a 
scrape  at  liead-quarters  ;  you  are  to  take  tiie  command  of  the 
detachment,  for  I  must  set  out  at  once." 


734  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Nothing  serious,  I  hope,  O'Malley  ?  " 

"  Oh  no  !  nothing  of  consequence.  A  most  absurd  blunder 
of  my  rascally  servant." 

"  The  Irish  fellow  yonder  ?  " 

"The  same." 

"He seems  to  take  it  easily,  however." 

"Oh,  confound  him  !  he  does  not  know  what  trouble  he  has 
involved  me  in  ;   not  that  he'll  care  much  when  he  does." 

"  Why,  he  does  not  seem  to  be  of  a  very  desponding  tempera- 
ment. Listen  to  the  fellow  !  I'll  be  hanged  if  he's  not  sing- 
ing ! " 

"  I'm  devilishly  disposed  to  spoil  his  mirth.  They  tell  me, 
however,  he  always  keeps  the  troop  in  good  humor ;  and  see, 
the  fellows  are  actually  cleaning  his  horses  for  him,  while  he 
is  sitting  on  the  bank !  " 

"  Faith,  O'Malley,  that  fellow  knows  the  world.  Just  hear 
him." 

Mr.  Free  was,  as  described,  most  leisurely  reposing  on  a 
bank,  a  mug  of  something  drinkable  beside  him,  and  a  pipe  of 
that  curtailed  proportion  which  an  Irishman  loves  held  daintily 
between  his  fingers.  He  appeared  to  be  giving  his  directions 
to  some  soldiers  of  the  troop,  who  were  busily  cleaning  his 
horses  and  accoutrements  for  him. 

"  That's  it,  Jim  !  Rub  'em  down  along  the  hocks  ;  he  won't 
kick ;  it's  only  play.  Scrub  away,  honey  ;  that's  the  devil's 
own  carbine  to  get  clean." 

"  Well,  I  say,  Mr.  Free,  are  you  going  to  give  us  that  ere 
song?  " 

"  Yes  :  I'll  be  danged  if  I  burnish  your  sabre  if  you  don't 
sing." 

"Tear  an  ages!  ain't  I  composin'  it?  Av  I  was  Tommy 
Moore  I  couldn't  be  quicker." 

"  Well,  come  along  my  hearty  ;  let's  hear  it." 

"Oh,  murther !  "  said  Mike,  draining  the  pot  to  its  last  few 
drops,  which  he  poured  pathetically  upon  the  grass  before  him, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


73S 


and  then  having  emptied  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  he  heaved  a 
deep  sigh,  as  though  to  say  life  had  no  pleasures  in  store  for 
him,  A  brief  pause  followed,  after  which,  to  the  evident  dehght 
of  his  expectant  audience,  he  began  the  following  song,  io  the 
popular  air  of  "  Paddy  O'CarroU  "  : — 

"BAD  LUCK  TO  THIS  MARCHING. 
A.\x—'  Paddy  O' Carroll: 

"  Bad  luck  to  this  marching, 

Pipeclaying  and  starching, 
How  neat  one  must  be  to  be  killed  by  the  French. 

I'm  sick  of  parading. 

Through  wet  and  cowld  wading, 
Or  standing  all  night  to  be  shot  in  a  trench. 

To  the  tune  of  a  fife 

They  dispose  of  your  life, 
You  surrender  your  soul  to  some  illigant  lilt : 

Now  I  like  Garryowen, 

When  I  hear  it  at  home, 
But  it's  not  half  so  sweet  when  you're  going  to  be  kilt. 

"  Then  though  up  late  and  early, 

Our  pay  comes  so  rarely. 
The  devil  a  farthing  we've  ever  to  spare ; 

They  say  some  disaster, 

Befell  the  paymaster ; 
On  my  conscience  I  think  that  the  money's  not  there. 

And,  just  think,  what  a  blunder, 

They  won't  let  us  plunder, 
While  the  convents  invite  us  to  rob  tliem,  'tis  clear. 

Though  there  isn't  a  village. 

Hut  cries,  '  Come  and  pillage,' 
Yet  we  leave  all  the  mutton  behind  for  Mounseer. 

"  Like  a  sailor  that's  nigh  land, 

I  long  for  that  island 
Where  even  the  kisses  we  steal  if  we  please; 

Where  it  is  no  disgrace 

If  you  don't  wash  your  face, 
And  you've  nothing  to  do  but  to  stand  at  your  ease. 

With  no  sergeant  t'  abuse  us. 

We  fight  to  amuse  us, 
•Sure  it's  better  bate  Christians  than  kick  a  baboon; 

How  I'd  dance  like  a  fairy. 

To  see  ould  Dunleary, 
And  think  twice  ere  I'd  leave  it  to  be  a  dragoon  I  " 


7j6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  There's  a  sweet  little  bit  for  you,"  said  Mike,  as  he  con- 
cluded ;  "  thrown  off  as  aisy  as  a  game  at  football." 

"I  say,  Mr.  Free,  the  Captain's  looking  for  you;  he's  just 
received  despatches  from  the  camp,  and  wants  his  horses." 

"  In  that  case,  gentlemen,  I  must  take  my  leave  of  you ;  with 
the  more  regret,  too,  that  I  was  thinking  of  treating  you  to  a 
supper  this  evening.  You  needn't  be  laughing,  it's  in  earnest 
I  am.  Coming,  sir, — coming !  "  shouted  he,  in  a  louder  tone, 
answering  some  imaginary  call,  as  an  excuse  for  his  exit. 

When  he  appeared  before  me,  an  air  of  most  business-like 
alacrity  had  succeeded  to  his  late  appearance,  and  having  taken 
my  orders  to  get  the  horses  in  readiness,  he  left  me  at  once, 
and  in  less  than  half-an-hour  we  were  upon  the  road. 


CHAPTER  XCV. 

MONSOON  IN  TROUBLE. 

As  I  rode  along  towards  Fuentes  d'Onoro,  I  could  not  help 
feeling  provoked  at  the  absurd  circumstances  in  which  I  was  in- 
volved. To  be  made  the  subject  of  laughter  for  a  whole  army 
was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  consideration  ;  but  what  I  felt  far 
worse  was  the  possibility  that  the  mention  of  my  name  in  con- 
nection with  a  reprimand  might  reach  the  ears  of  those  who 
knew  nothing  of  the  cause. 

Mr.  Free  himself  seemed  little  under  the  influence  of  similar 
feelings  ;  for  when,  after  a  silence  of  a  couple  of  hours,  I  turned 
suddenly  towards  him  with  a  half-angry  look,  and  remarked, 
"  You  see,  sir,  what  your  confounded  blundering  has  done," 
his  cool  reply  was, — 

"  Ah  !  then,  won't  Mrs.  M'Gra  be  frightened  out  of  her  life 
when  she  reads  all  about  the  killed  and  wounded  in  your 
honor's  report  ?  I  wonder  if  they  ever  had  the  manners  to  send 
my  own  letter  afterwards,  when  they  found  out  their  mistake  !  " 


THE  IRfSir  DRAGOON.  'j^f 

"  Their  mistake,  do  you  say  ?  rather  yours  !  You  appear  to 
have  a  happy  knack  of  shifting  blame  from  your  own  shoulders. 
And  do  you  fancy  that  they've  nothing  else  to  do  than  to  trouble 
their  heads  about  your  absurd  letters  ?  " 

"  Faith  !  it's  easily  seen  you  never  saw  my  letter,  or  you 
wouldn't  be  saying  that ;  and  sure  it's  not  much  trouble  it  would 
give  Colonel  Fitzroy  or  any  o'  the  stafT  that  write  a  good  hand, 
just  to  put  in  a  line  to  Mrs.  M'Gra,  to  prevent  her  feeling 
alarmed  about  that  murthering  paper.  Well,  well,  it's  God's 
blessing  !  I  don't  think  there's  anybody  of  the  name  of  Mickey 
Free  high  up  in  the  army  but  myself ;  so  that  the  family  won't 
be  going  into  mourning  for  me  on  a  false  alarm." 

I  had  not  patience  to  participate  in  this  view  of  the  case  ;  so 
that  I  continued  my  journey  without  speaking.  We  had  jogged 
along  for  some  time  after  dark,  when  the  distant  twinkle  of  the 
watch-fires  announced  our  approach  to  the  camp.  A  detach- 
ment of  the  Fourteenth  formed  the  advanced  post,  and  from 
the  officer  in  command  I  learned  that  Power  was  quartered  at 
a  small  mill  about  half  a  mile  distant ;  thither  I  accordingly 
turned  my  steps,  but  finding  that  the  path  which  led  abruptly 
down  to  it  was  broken,  and  cut  up  in  many  places,  I  sent 
Mike  back  witli  the  horses,  and  continued  my  way  alone  on 
foot. 

The  night  was  deliciously  calm  ;  and,  as  I  approached  the 
little  rustic  mill,  I  could  not  help  feeling  struck  with  Power's 
taste  in  a  billet. 

A  little  vine-clad  cottage,  built  close  against  a  rock,  nearly 
concealed  by  the  dense  foliage  around  it,  stood  beside  a  clear 
rivulet  whose  eddying  current  supplied  water  to  tlie  mill,  and 
rose  in  a  dew-like  spray,  wliich  sparkled  like  gems  in  the  pale 
moonlight.  All  was  still  within,  but  as  I  came  nearer  I  thought 
I  could  detect  the  chords  of  a  guitar.  "  Can  it  be,"  thought  I, 
"that  Master  Fred  has  given  himself  up  to  minstrelsy  !  or  is  it 
some  little  dress-rehearsal  for  a  serenade  ?  But  no,"  thought 
l,"that   certainly   is  not  Power's  voice."     I  crept  stealthily 


738  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

down  the  little  path,  and  approached  the  window ;  the  lattice 
lay  open,  and,  as  the  curtain  waved  to  and  fro  with  the  night 
air,  I  could  see  plainly  all  who  were  in  the  room. 

Close  beside  the  window  sat  a  large,  dark-featured  Spaniard, 
his  hands  crossed  upon  his  bosom,  and  his  head  inclined 
heavily  forward,  the  attitude  perfectly  denoting  deep  sleep,  even 
had  not  his  cigar,  which  remained  passively  between  his  lips 
ceased  to  give  forth  its  blue  smoke  wreath.  At  a  little  dis- 
tance from  him  sat  a  young  girl,  who,  even  by  the  uncertain 
light,  I  could  perceive  was  possessed  of  all  that  delicacy  of  form 
and  gracefulness  of  carriage  which  characterize  her  nation. 

Her  pale  features — paler  still  from  the  contrast  with  her  jet 
black  hair  and  dark  costume — were  lit  up  with  an  expression  of 
animation  and  enthusiasm  as  her  fingers  swept  rapidly  and 
boldly  across  the  strings  of  a  guitar. 

"  And  you're  not  tired  of  it  yet  ?  "  said  she,  bending  her  head 
downwards  towards  one  whom  I  now  for  the  first  time  per- 
ceived. 

Reclining  carelessly  at  her  feet,  his  arm  leaning  upon  her 
chair,  whilst  his  hand  occasionally  touched  her  taper  fingers, 
lay  my  good  friend.  Master  Fred  Power.  An  undress  jacket, 
thrown  loosely  open,  and  a  black  neckcloth,  negligently  knotted, 
bespoke  the  easy  nonchalance  with  which  he  prosecuted  his 
courtship. 

"  Do  sing  it  again  ? "  said  he,  pressing  her  fingers  to  his  lips. 

What  she  replied,  I  could  not  catch  ;  but  Fred  resumed  : 
"  No,  no,  he  never  wakes  ;  the  infernal  clatter  of  that  mill  is 
his  lullaby." 

"  But  your  friend  will  be  here  soon,"  said  she.  "  Is  it  not 
so?" 

"  Oh,  poor  Charley  !  I'd  almost  forgotten  him  ;  by-the-bye, 
you  mustn't  fall  in  love  with  him :  there  now,  do  not  look 
angry ;  I  only  meant  that,  as  I  knew  he'd  be  desperately  smit- 
ten, you  shouldn't  let  him  fancy  he  got  any  encouragement." 

^'  What  would  you  have  me  do  ?  "  sai4  she,  artlessly. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


739 


"  I  have  been  thinking  over  that,  too.  In  the  first  place, 
you'd  better  never  let  him  hear  you  sing  ;  scarcely  ever  smile  ; 
and,  as  far  as  possible,  keep  out  of  his  sight." 

"  One  would  think,  Senhor,  that  all  these  precautions  were  to 
be  taken  more  on  my  account  than  his.  Is  he  so  very  danger- 
ous, then  ? " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it  !  Good-looking  enough  he  is,  but — only  a 
boy ;  at  the  same  time,  a  devilish  bold  one  !  and  he'd  think  no 
more  of  springing  through  that  window,  and  throwing  his  arms 
round  your  neck,  the  very  first  moment  of  his  arrival,  than  I 
should  of  whispering  how  much  I  love  you." 

"  How  very  odd  he  must  be !     I'm  sure  I  should  like  him." 

"  Many  thanks  to  both  for  your  kind  hints  ;  and  now  to  take 
advantage  of  them."  So  saying,  I  stepped  lightly  upon  the  win- 
dow-sill, cleared  the  miller  with  one  spring,  and,  before  Power 
could  recover  his  legs,  or  Margeritta  her  astonishment,  I 
clasped  her  in  my  arms,  and  kissed  her  on  either  cheek. 

"  Charley  !  Charley  !  Damn  it,  man,  it  won't  do  !  "  cried 
Fred  ;  while  the  young  lady,  evidently  more  amused  at  his 
discomfiture  than  affronted  at  the  liberty,  threw  herself  into  a 
seat,  and  laughed  immoderately. 

"Ha!  Hilloa  there!  What  is't  ?  "  shouted  the  miller, 
rousing  himself  from  his  nap,  and  looking  eagerly  round. 
"  Are  they  coming  ?     Are  the  French  coming  ?  " 

A  hearty  renewal  of  his  daughter's  laughter  was  the  only 
reply  ;  wliile  Power  relieved  his  anxiety  by  saying, — 

"  No,  no,  Pedrillo,  not  the  French  ;  a  mere  marauding  party 
— nothing  more.  I  say,  Charley,"  continued  he,  in  a  lower 
tone,  "  you  had  better  lose  no  time  in  reporting  yourself  at 
head-quarters.  We'll  walk  up  together.  Devilish  awkward 
scrape,  yours." 

"  Never  fear,  Fred  ;  time  enough  for  all  that.  For  the 
present,  if  you  permit  inc,  I'll  follow  up  my  acquaintance  with 
our  fair  friend  here." 

"  Gently,  gently  !  "  said  he,  with  a  look  of  most  imposing 


740 


CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 


seriousness.  "Don't  mistake  her  ;  she's  not  a  mere  country 
girl  :  you  understand  ? — been  bred  in  a  convent  here — rather 
superior  kind  of  thing." 

"  Come,  come,  Fred,  I'm  not  the  man  to  interfere  with  you 
for  a  moment." 

"  Good-night,  Senhor,"  said  the  old  miller,  who  had  been 
waiting  patiently  all  this  time  to  pay  his  respects  before  going. 

"  Yes,  that's  it  !  "  cried  Power,  eagerly.  "  Good-night, 
PedriUo." 

"  Buonos  noches"  lisped  out  Margeritta,  with  a  slight  curt- 
sey. 

I  sprang  forward  to  acknowledge  her  salutation,  when  Power 
coolly  interposed  between  us,  and,  closing  the  door  after  them, 
placed  his  back  against  it. 

"  Master  Charley,  I  must  read  you  a  lesson " 

"You  inveterate  hypocrite,  don't  attempt  this  nonsense  with 
me.     But  come,  tell  me  how  long  you  have  been  here  ?  " 

"  Just  twenty-four  of  the  shortest  hours  I  ever  passed  at 
an  outpost.  But  listen — do  you  know  that  voice  ?  Isn't  it 
O'Shaughnessy  ? " 

"  To  be  sure  it  is.     Hear  the  fellow's  song." 

"  My  father  cared  little  for  shot  or  shell, 
He  laughed  at  death  and  dangers ; 
And  he'd  storm  the  very  gates  of  hell 
With  a  company  of  the  '  Rangers.' 

So  sing  tow,  row,  row,  row,  row,"  etc. 

"  Ah,  then,  Mister  Power,  it's  twice  I'd  think  of  returning 
your  visit,  if  I  knew  the  state  of  your  avenue.  If  there's  a 
grand  jury  in  Spain,  they  might  give  you  a  presentment  for 
this  bit  of  road.  My  knees  are  as  bare  as  a  commissary's 
conscience,  and  I've  knocked  as  much  flesh  off  my  shin-bones 
as  would  make  a  cornet  in  the  hussars  !  " 

A  regular  roar  of  laughter  from  both  of  us  apprised  Dennis 
of  our  vicinity. 

"And  it's  laughing  ye  are?     Wouldn't  it  be  as  polite  just 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  7  4 1 

to  hold  a  candle  or  lantern  for  me  in  this  confounded  water- 
course ?  " 

"  How  goes  it,  Major  ?  "  cried  I,  extending  my  hand  to  him 
through  the  window, 

"  Charley — Charley  O'Malley,  my  son  !  I'm  glad  to  see  you. 
It's  a  hearty  laugh  you  gave  us  this  morning.  My  friend 
Mickey's  a  pleasant  fellow  for  a  secretary-at-war.  But  it's  all 
settled  now  ;  Craufurd  arranged  it  for  you  this  afternoon." 

"  You  don't  say  so  !     Pray  tell  me  all  about  it." 

"That's  just  what  I  won't ;  for,  ye  see,  I  don't  know  it;  but 
I  believe  old  Monsoon's  affair  has  put  everything  out  of  their 
heads." 

"  Monsoon's  affair  !  what  is  that  ?     Out  with  it,  Dennis."    , 

"  Faith,  I'll  be  just  as  discreet  about  that  as  your  own  busi- 
ness. All  I  can  tell  you  is,  that  they  brought  him  up  to  head- 
quarters this  evening  with  a  sergeant's  guard,  and  they  say 
he's  to  be  tried  by  court-martial  ;  and  Picton  is  in  a  blessed 
humor  about  it." 

"  What  could  it  possibly  have  been  ?  Some  plundering 
affair,  depend  on  it." 

"  Faith,  you  may  swear  it  wasn't  for  his  little  charities,  as 
Dr.  Pangloss  calls  them,  they've  pulled  him  up,"  cried 
Power. 

"Maurice  is  in  high  feather  about  it,"  said  Dennis.  "There 
are  five  of  them  up  at  Fuentes,  making  a  list  of  the  charges  to 
send  to  Monsoon  ;  for  Bob  Mahon,  it  seems,  heard  of  the  old 
fellow's  doings  up  the  mountains." 

"  What  glorious  fun  !  "  said  Power.  "  Let's  haste  and  join 
them,  boys." 

"  Agreed,"  said  I.     "  Is  it  far  from  this  ?  " 

"  Another  stage.  When  we've  got  something  to  eat,"  said 
the  Major,  "  if  Power  has  any  intentions  that  way " 

"  Well,  I  really  did  begin  to  fear  Fred's  memory  was  lapsing; 
but  somehow,  poor  fellow,  smiles  have  be*ia  more  in  his  way 
than  sandwiches  lately." 


Hi 


CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 


An  admonishing  look  from  Power  was  his  only  reply,  as  he 
walked  towards  the  door.  Bent  upon  teasing  him,  however,  I 
continued, — 

"  My  only  fear  is,  he  may  do  something  silly." 

"  Who  ?     Monsoon,  is  it  ?  " 

"  No,  no.     Not  Monsoon ;  another  friend  of  ours." 

"  Faith,  I  scarcely  thought  your  fears  of  old  Monsoon  were 
called  for.     He's  a  fox — the  devil  a  less." 

"  No,  no,  Dennis.  I  wasn't  thinking  of  him.  My  anxieties 
were  for  a  most  soft-hearted  young  gentleman— one  Fred 
Power." 

"  Charley,  Charley  !  "  said  Fred,  from  the  door,  where  he 
had  been  giving  directions  to  his  servant  about  supper.  "  A 
man  can  scarce  do  a  more  silly  thing  than  marry  in  the  army  ; 
all  the  disagreeables  of  married  life,  with  none  of  its  better 
features." 

"  Marry — marry  !  "  shouted  O'Shaughnessy,  "  upon  my  con- 
science, it's  incomprehensible  to  me  how  a  man  can  be  guilty 
of  it.  To  be  sure,  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  there  are  not  cir- 
cumstances—such as  half-pay,  old  age,  infirmity,  the  loss  of 
your  limbs,  and  the  like  ;  but  that,  with  good  health  and  a 
small  balance  at  your  banker's,  you  should  be  led  into  such  an 
embarrassment " 

"  Men  will  flirt,"  said  I,  interrupting ;  "  men  will  press  taper 
fingers,  look  into  bright  eyes,  and  feel  their  witchery  ;  and, 
although  the  fair  owners  be  only  quizzing  them  half  the  time, 
and  amusing  themselves  the  other,  and  though  they  be  the 
veriest  hackneyed  coquettes " 

"  Did  you  ever  meet  the  Dalrymple  girls,  Dennis  ?  "  said 
Fred,  with  a  look  I  shall  never  forget. 

What  the  reply  was  I  cannot  tell.  My  shame  and  confusion 
were  overwhelming,  and  Power's  victory  complete, 

'•  Here  comes  the  prog,"  cried  Dennis,  as  Power's  servant 
entered  with  a  very  plausible-looking  tray,  while  Fred  pro- 
ceeded to  place  before  us  a  strong  army  of  decanters. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  )M 

Our  supper  was  excellent,  and  we  were  enjoying  ourselves  to 
the  utmost,  when  an  orderly  sergeant  suddenly  opened  the 
door,  and,  raising  his  hand  to  his  cap,  asked  if  Major  Power 
was  there  ? 

"  A  letter  for  you,  sir." 

"  Monsoon's  writing,  by  Jove  !  Come,  boys,  let  us  see  what 
it  means.  What  a  hand  the  old  fellow  writes  !  The  letters 
look  all  crazy,  and  are  tumbling  against  each  other  on  every 
side.  Did  you  ever  see  anything  half  so  tipsy  as  the  crossing 
of  that  / 1  " 

"  Read  it.     Read  it  out,  Fred  !  " 

"  '  Tuesday   Evening. 
"  '  Dear  Power, 

"  '  I'm  in  such  a  scrape  !     Come  up  and  see  me  at  once,  bring  a 
little  sherry  with  you,  and  we'll  talk  over  what's  to  be  done. 

"  '  Yours  ever, 

" '  B.  Monsoon. 
"'  Quarter-General.' " 

We  resolved  to  finish  our  evening  with  the  Major ;  so  that, 
each  having  armed  himself  with  a  bottle  or  two,  and  the  rem- 
nants of  our  supper,  we  set  out  towards  his  quarters,  under 
the  guidance  of  the  orderly.  After  a  sharp  walk  of  half-an- 
hour,  we  reached  a  small  hut,  where  two  sentries  of  the  Eighty- 
eighth  were  posted  at  the  door. 

O'Shaughnessy  procured  admittance  for  us,  and  in  we  went. 
At  a  small  table,  lighted  by  a  thin  tallow  candle,  sat  old  Mon- 
soon, who,  the  weather  being  hot,  had  neither  coat  nor  wig  on  ; 
an  old  cracked  china  teapot,  in  which,  as  we  found  afterwards, 
he  had  mixed  a  little  grog,  stood  before  him,  and  a  large  mass 
of  papers  lay  scattered  around  on  every  side  ;  he  himself  being 
occupied  in  poring  over  tlieir  contents,  and  taking  occasional 
draughts  from  his  uncouth  goblet. 

As  we  entered  noiselessly,  he  never  perceived  us,  but  con- 
tinued to  mumble  over,  in  a  low  tone,  from  the  documents  be- 
fore him  : — 


744  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

"  Upon  my  life,  it's  like  a  dream  to  me  !  What  infernal  stuff 
this  brandy  is  ! 

" '  Charge  No.  8 — For  conduct  highly  unbecoming  an  officer 
and  a  gentleman,  in  forcing  the  cellar  of  the  San  Nicholas  con- 
vent at  Banos,  taking  large  quantities  of  wine  therefrom,  and 
subsequently  compelling  the  prior  to  dance  a  bolero,  thus  creat- 
ing a  riot,  and  tending  to  destroy  the  harmony  between  the 
British  and  the  Portuguese,  so  strongly  inculcated  to  be  pre- 
served by  the  general  orders.' 

"  Destroying  the  harmony  !  Bless  their  hearts  !  How  little 
they  know  of  it !  I've  never  passed  a  jollier  night  in  the 
Peninsula  !  The  Prior's  a  trump,  and,  as  for  the  bolero,  he 
would  dance  it.     I  hope  they  say  nothing  about  my  hornpipe. 

"  '  Charge  No.  9. — For  a  gross  violation  of  his  duty  as  an 
officer,  in  sending  a  part  of  his  brigade  to  attack  and  pillage 
the  Alcalde  of  Banos  ;  thereby  endangering  the  public  peace 
of  the  town,  being  a  flagrant  breach  of  discipline  and  direct 
violation  of  the  articles  of  war.' 

"  Well,  I'm  afraid  I  was  rather  sharp  on  the  Alcalde,  but 
we  did  him  no  harm  except  the  fright.  What  sherry  the  fellow 
had  !  'twould  have  been  a  sin  to  let  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
French. 

'"  Charge  No.  10. — For  threatening,  on  or  about  the  night 
of  the  3rd,  to  place  the  town  of  Banos  under  contribution,  and 
subsequently  forcing  the  authorities  to  walk  in  procession  before 
him,  in  absurd  and  ridiculous  costumes.' 

"  Lord,  how  good  it  was  !  I  shall  never  forget  the  old 
Alcalde  !  One  of  my  fellows  fastened  a  dead  lamb  round  his 
neck,  and  told  him  it  was  the  golden  fleece.  The  Commander- 
in-Chief  would  have  laughed  himself  if  he  had  been  there. 
Picton's  much  too  grave — never  likes  a  joke. 

'"  Charge  No.  ii. — For  insubordination  and  disobedience, 
in  refusing  to  give  up  his  sword,  and  rendering  it  necessary  for 
the  Portuguese  guard  to  take  it  by  force  ;  thereby  placing  him- 
self in  a  situation  highly  degrading  to  a  British  officer.' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  745 

"  Didn't  I  lay  about  me  before  they  got  it !— Who's  that  ?— 
Who's  laughing  there  ? — Ah,  boys  !  I'm  glad  to  see  you.  How- 
are  you,  Fred  ? — Well,  Charley,  I've  heard  of  your  scrape  ;  very 
sad  thing  for  so  young  a  fellow  as  you  are  ;  I  don't  think  you'll 
be  broke  ;  I'll  do  what  I  can— I'll  see  what  I  can  do  with 
Picton ;  we  are  very  old  friends — were  at  Eton  together." 

"  Many  thanks,  Major  ;  but  I  hear  your  own  affairs  are  not 
flourishing.     What's  all  this  court-martial  about  ?  " 

"A  mere  trifle;  some  little  insubordination  in  the  legion. 
Those  Portuguese  are  sad  dogs.  How  very  good  of  you,  Fred, 
to  think  of  that  little  supper." 

While  the  Major  was  speaking,  his  servant,  with  a  dexterity 
the  fruit  of  long  habit,  had  garnished  the  table  with  the  con- 
tents of  our  baskets,  and  Monsoon,  apologizing  for  not  putting 
on  his  wig,  sat  down  amongst  us  with  a  face  as  cheerful  as 
though  the  floor  was  not  covered  with  the  charges  of  the  court- 
martial  to  be  held  on  him. 

As  we  chatted  away  over  the  campaign  and  its  chances. 
Monsoon  seemed  little  disposed  to  recur  to  his  own  fortunes. 
In  fact,  he  appeared  to  suffer  much  more  from  what  he  termed 
my  unlucky  predicament  than  from  his  own  mishaps.  At  the 
same  time,  as  the  evening  wore  on,  and  the  sherry  began  to 
tell  upon  him,  his  heart  expanded  into  its  habitual  moral 
tendency,  and,  by  an  easy  transition,  he  was  led  from  the 
religious  association  of  convents  to  the  pleasures  of  pillaging 
them. 

"  What  wine  they  have  in  their  old  cellars  !  It's  such  fun 
drinking  it  out  of  great  silver  vessels  as  old  as  Methuselah. 
'  There's  much  treasure  in  the  house  of  the  righteous,'  as 
David  says  ;  and  any  one  who  has  ever  sacked  a  nunnery  knows 
that." 

"  I  should  like  to  have  seen  that   prior  dancing  the  bolero," 

said  Power. 

"  Wasn't  it  good,  though  !  He  grew  jealous  of  me,  for  I 
performed  a  hornpipe.     Very  good   fellow  the  Prior ;  not  like 


7^6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  Alcalde — there  was  no  fun  in  him.  Lord  bless  him !  he'll 
never  forget  me." 

"  What  did  you  do  with  him,  Major  ? " 

"  Well,  I'll  tell  you ;  but  you  mustn't  let  it  be  known,  for  I 
see  they  have  not  put  it  in  the  court-martial.  Is  there  no  more 
sherry  there?  There,  that  will  do;  I'm  always  contented. 
'  Better  a  dry  morsel  with  quietness,'  as  Moses  says.  Ay, 
Charley,  never  forget  that  '  a  merry  heart  is  just  like  medicine.' 
Job  found  out  that,  you  know." 

"  Well,  but  the  Alcalde,  Major." 

"  Oh  !  the  Alcalde,  to  be  sure.  These  pious  meditations 
make  me  forget  earthly  matters. 

"  This  old  Alcalde  at  Banos,  I  found  out,  was  quite  spoiled 
by  Lord  Wellington.  He  used  to  read  all  the  general  orders, 
and  got  an  absurd  notion  in  his  head  that,  because  we  were 
his  allies,  we  were  not  allowed  to  plunder.  Only  think,  he 
used  to  snap  his  fingers  at  Beresford  ;  didn't  care  twopence 
about  the  legion  ;  and  laughed  outright  at  Wilson.  So,  when 
I  was  ordered  down  there,  I  took  another  way  with  him ;  I 
waited  till  nightfall,  ordered  two  squadrons  to  turn  their 
jackets,  and  sent  forward  one  of  my  aides-de-camp,  with  a  few 
troopers,  to  the  Alcalde's  house.  They  galloped  into  the 
court-yard,  blowing  trumpets,  and  making  an  infernal  hub- 
bub. Down  came  the  Alcalde  in  a  passion. — '  Prepare  quarters 
quickly,  and  rations  for  eight  hundred  men.' 

"  '  Who  dares  to  issue  such  an  order  ? '  said  he. 

"  The  aide-de-camp  whispered  one  word  in  his  ear,  and  the 
old  fellow  grew  pale  as  death.  '  Is  he  here  ? — Is  he  coming  ? — ■ 
Is   he  coming  ? '  said  he,  trembling  from  head  to  foot. 

"I  rode  in  myself  at  this  moment,  looking  thus 

"  '  Oil  est  le  malheurcux  I '  said  I,  in  French  ;  you  know  I 
speak  French  like  Portuguese." 

"  Devilish  like,  I've  no  doubt,"  muttered  Power. 

"  'Pardon,  gracias  cccelknza  I '  said  the  Alcalde,  on  his  knees.'* 

"  Who  the  deuce  did  he  take  you  for,  Major  ? " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  747 

**  You  shall  hear  :  you'll  never  guess,  though.  Lord  !  I 
shall  never  forget  it.  He  thought  I  was  Marmont  :  my  aide- 
de-camp  told  him  so." 

One  loud  burst  of  laughter  interrupted  the  Major  at  this 
moment,  and  it  was  some  considerable  time  before  he  could 
continue  his  narrative. 

"  And  do  you  really  mean,"  said  I,  "  that  you  personated  the 
Duke  de  Raguse  ?  " 

"  Did  I  not  though  ? — If  you  only  had  seen  me  with  a  pair  of 
great  moustaches,  and  a  drawn  sabre  in  my  hand,  pacing  the 
room  up  and  down  in  presence  of  the  assembled  authorities. 
Napoleon  himself  might  have  been  deceived.  My  first  order 
was  to  cut  off  all  their  heads  ;  but  I  commuted  the  sentence  to  a 
heavy  fine.  Ah,  boys !  if  they  only  understood  at  head- 
quarters how  to  carry  on  a  w-ar  in  the  Peninsula,  they'd  never 
have  to  grumble  in  England  about  increased  taxation.  How  I'd 
mulct  the  nunneries  !  How  I'd  grind  the  corporate  towns  ! 
How  I'd  inundate  the  country  with  exchequer  bills  !  I'd  sell 
the  priors  at  so  much  a  head,  and  put  the  nuns  up  to  auction 
by  the  dozen." 

"  Vou  sacrilegious  old  villain  !  But  continue  the  account  of 
your  exploits." 

"  Faith,  I  remember  little  more.  After  dinner,  I  grew  some- 
what mellow,  and  a  kind  of  moral  bewilderment,  which  usually 
steals  over  me  about  eleven  o'clock,  induced  me  to  invite  the 
Alcalde  and  all  the  aldermen  to  come  and  sup.  Apparently, 
we  had  a  merry  night  of  it,  and,  when  morning  broke,  we 
were  not  quite  clear  in  our  intellects.  Hence  came  that  in- 
fernal procession  ;  for  when  the  Alcalde  rode  round  the  town 
with  a  paper  cap,  and  all  the  aldermen  after  him,  the  in- 
habitants felt  offended,  it  seems,  and  sent  for  a  large  Guerilla 
force,  who  captured  me  and  my  staff,  after  a  very  vigorous  re- 
sistance. The  Alcalde  fought  like  a  trump  for  us,  for  I  prom- 
ised to  make  him  Prefect  of  the  Seine ;  but  we  were  over- 
powered, disarmed,  and  carried  o(T.     The  remainder  you  can 


748  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

read  in  the  court-martial,  for  you  may  think  that,  after  sacking 
the  town,  drinking  all  night,  and  fighting  in  the  morning, 
my  memory  was  none  of  the  clearest." 

"  Did  you  not  explain  that  you  were  not  the  Marshal- 
General  ? " 

"  No,  faith,  I  knew  better  than  that ;  they'd  have  murdered 
me,  had  they  known  their  mistake.  They  brought  me  to  head- 
quarters, in  the  hope  of  a  great  reward,  and  it  was  only  when 
they  reached  this  that  they  found  out  I  was  not  the  Duke  de 
Raguse  ;  so  you  see,  boys,  it's  a  very  complicated  busi- 
ness." 

"  'Gad,  and  so  it  is,"  said  Power,  "  and  an  awkward  one 
too." 

"  He'll  be  hanged,  as  sure  as  my  name's  Dennis  !  "  vocifer- 
ated O'Shaughnessy,  with  an  energy  that  made  the  Major 
jump  from  his  chair.     "  Picton  will  hang  him  !  " 

"  I'm  not  afraid,"  said  Monsoon  ;  "  they  know  me  so  well. 
Lord  bless  you,  Beresford  couldn't  get  on  without  me  !  " 

"  Well,  Major,"  said  I,  "  in  any  case,  you  certainly  take  no 
gloomy  nor  desponding  view  of  your  case." 

"  Not  I,  boy.  You  know  what  Jeremiah  says, — '  A  merry 
heart  is  a  continual  feast ; '  and  so  it  is.  I  may  die  of  repletion, 
but  they'll  never  find  me  starved  with  sorrow." 

"And,  faith,  it's  a  strange  thing!"  muttered  O'Shaugh- 
nessy, thinking  aloud ;  "  a  most  extraordinary  thing !  An 
honest  fellow  would  be  sure  to  be  hanged ;  and  there's  that 
old  rogue,  that's  been  melting  down  more  saints  and  blessed 
Virgins  than  the  whole  army  together,  he'll  escape.  Ye'll  see 
he  will !  " 

"  There  goes  the  patrol,"  said  Fred  ;  "  we  must  start." 

"  Leave  the  sherry,  boys  ;  you'll  be  back  again.  I'll  have  it 
put  up  carefully." 

We  could  scarce  resist  a  roar  of  laughter  as  we  said  "  Good- 
night." 

"  Adieu,  Major,"  said  I ;  "we  shall  meet  soon," 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  749 

So  saying,  I  followed  Power  and  O'Shaughnessy  towards 
their  quarters. 

"  Maurice  has  done  it  beautifully  !  "  said  Power.  "  Pleas- 
ant revelations  the  old  fellow  will  make  on  the  court-martial, 
if  he  only  remembers  what  we've  heard  to-night !  But  here  we 
are,  Charley  ;  so  good-night ;  and  remember,  you  breakfast 
with  me  to-morrow." 


CHAPTER    XCVI. 

THE   CONFIDENCE. 

"I  HAVE  changed  the  venue,  Charley,"  said  Power,  as  he 
came  into  my  room  the  following  morning.  "I've  changed  the 
venue,  and  come  to  breakfast  with  you." 

I  could  not  help  smiling,  as  a  certain  suspicion  crossed  my 
mind  ;  perceiving  which,  he  quickly  added, — 

"  No,  no,  boy  !  I  guess  what  you're  thinking  of.  I'm  not  a 
bit  jealous  in  that  quarter.  The  fact  is,  you  know,  one  cannot 
be  too  guarded." 

"  Nor  too  suspicious  of  one's  friends,  apparently." 

**  A  truce  with  quizzing.  I  say,  have  you  reported  your- 
self?" 

"  Yes ;  and  received  this  moment  a  most  kind  note  from  the 
General.  But  it  appears  I'm  not  destined  to  have  a  long  so- 
journ amongst  you,  for  I'm  desired  to  hold  myself  in  readiness 
for  a  journey  this  very  day." 

"  Where  the  deuce  are  they  going  to  send  you  now  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  certain  of  my  destination.  I  rather  suspect  there 
are  despatches  for  Badajos.  Just  tell  Mike  to  get  breakfast, 
and  I'll  join  you  immediately." 

When  I  walked  into  the  little  room  which  served  as  my  salon, 
I  found  Power  pacing  up  and  down,  apparently  wrapt  in 
meditation. 


750  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  I've  been  thinking,  Charley,"  said  he,  after  a  pause  of  about 
ten  minutes, — "  I've  been  thinking  over  our  adventures  in 
Lisbon.  Devilisli  strange  girl,  that  Senhora  !  When  you  re- 
signed in  my  favor,  I  took  it  for  granted  that  all  difficulty  was 
removed.  Confound  it !  I  no  sooner  began  to  profit  by  your 
absence,  in  pressing  my  suit,  than  she  turned  short  round, 
treated  me  with  marked  coldness,  exhibited  a  hundred  wilful 
and  capricious  fancies,  and  concluded  one  day  by  quietly  con- 
fessing to  me — you  were  the  only  man  she  cared  for." 

"  You  are  not  serious  in  all  this,  Fred  ? "  said  I. 

"  Ain't  I  though,  by  Jove  !  I  wish  to  Heaven  I  were  not ! 
My  dear  Charley,  the  girl  is  an  inveterate  flirt — a  decided  co- 
quette. Whether  she  has  a  particle  of  heart  or  not,  I  can't 
say ;  but,  certainly,  her  greatest  pleasure  is  to  trifle  with  that 
of  another.  Some  absurd  suspicion  that  you  were  in  love  with 
Lucy  Dashwood  piqued  her  vanity,  and  the  anxiety  to  recover 
a  lapsing  allegiance  led  her  to  suppose  herself  attached  to  you, 
and  made  her  treat  all  my  advances  with  the  most  frigid  in- 
difference, or  wayward  caprice  :  the  more  provoking,"  con- 
tinued he,  with  a  kind  of  bitterness  in  his  tone,  "  as  her  father 
was  disposed  to  take  the  thing  favorably  ;  and,  if  I  must  say 
it,  I  felt  devilish  spooney  about  her  myself. 

"  It  was  only  two  days  before  I  left,  that,  in  a  conversation 
with  Don  Emanuel,  he  consented  to  receive  my  addresses  to 
his  daughter  on  my  becoming  lieutenant-colonel.  I  hastened 
back  with  delight  to  bring  her  the  intelligence,  and  found  her 
with  a  lock  of  hair  on  the  book  before  her,  over  which  she  was 
weeping.  Confound  me,  if  it  was  not  yours  !  I  don't  know 
what  I  said,  nor  what  she  replied  ;  but,  when  we  parted,  it  was 
with  a  perfect  understanding  we  were  never  to  meet  again. 
Strange  girl !  She  came  that  evening,  put  her  arm  within  mine 
as  I  was  walking  alone  in  the  garden  and,  half  in  jest,  half  in 
earnest,  talked  me  out  of  all  my  suspicions,  and  left  me  fifty 
times  more  in  love  with  her  than  ever.  Egad  !  I  thought  I 
used  to  know  something  about  women,  but  here  is  a  chapter  I've 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOiV.  75  i 

yet  to  read.  Come,  now,  Charley,  be  frank  with  me  :  tell  me 
all  you  know." 

"  My  poor  Fred  !  if  you  were  not  head  and  ears  in  love,  you 
would  see  as  plainly  as  I  do  that  your  affairs  prosper.  And 
after  all,  how  invariable  is  it,  that  the  man  who  has  been  the 
veriest  flirt  with  women — sighing,  serenading,  sonneteering, 
flinging  himself  at  the  feet  of  every  pretty  girl  he  meets  with — 
should  become  the  most  thorough  dupe  to  his  own  feelings  when 
his  heart  is  really  touched.  Your  man  of  eight-and-thirty  is 
always  the  greatest  fool  about  women." 

"  Confound  your  impertinence  !  How  the  devil  can  a  fellow 
with  a  moustache  not  stronger  than  a  Circassian's  eyebrow  read 
such  a  lecture  to  me  ?  " 

"Just  for  the  very  reason  you've  mentioned.  You  glide  into 
An  attachment  at  my  time  of  life  ;  yon  fall  m  love  z.t  yours^ 

"  Yes,"  said  Power,  musingly,  "  there  is  some  truth  in  that. 
This  flirting  is  sad  work.  It  is  just  like  sparring  with  a  friend  ; 
you  put  on  the  gloves  in  perfect  good  humor,  with  the  most 
friendly  intentions  of  exchanging  a  few  amicable  blows  ;  you  find 
yourself  insensibly  warm  with  the  enthusiasm  of  the  conflict, 
and  some  unlucky  hard  knock  decides  the  matter,  and  it  ends  in 
a  downright  fight. 

"  Few  men,  believe  me,  are  regular  seducers  ;  and,  among 
ihose  who  behave  '  vilely '  (as  they  call  it),  three-fourths  of  the 
number  have  been  more  sinned  against  than  sinning.  You 
adventure  upon  love  as  upon  a  voyage  to  India.  Leaving  the 
cold  northern  latitudes  of  first  acquaintance  behind  you,  you 
gradually  glide  into  the  warmer  and  more  genial  climate  of 
intimacy.  Each  day  you  travel  southward  shortens  the  miles 
and  the  hours  of  your  existence  ;  so  tranquil  is  the  passage, 
and  so  easy  the  transition,  you  suffer  no  shock  by  the  change 
of  temperature  about  you.  Happy  were  it  for  us  that  in  our 
courtship,  as  in  our  voyage,  there  were  some  certain  Rubicon 
to  remind  us  of  tlie  miles  we  have  journeyed  !  Well  were  it, 
if  there  were  some  meridian  in  love  !  " 


^52  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  I'm  not  sure,  Fred,  that  there  is  not  that  same  shaving  proc- 
ess they  practise  on  the  line,  occasionally  performed  for  us  by 
parents  and  guardians  at  home  ;  and  I'm  not  certain  that  the 
iron  hoop  of  old  Neptune  is  not  a  pleasanter  acquaintance 
than  the  hair-trigger  of  some  indignant  and  fire-eating  brother. 
But  come,  Fred,  you  have  not  told  me  the  most  important 
point — How  fare  your  fortunes  now  ?  or,  in  other  words.  What 
are  your  present  prospects  as  regards  the  Senhora  ?  " 

"  What  a  question  to  ask  me  !  Why  not  request  me  to  tell 
you  where  Soult  will  fight  us  next,  and  when  Marmont  will 
cross  the  frontier  ?  My  dear  boy,  I  have  not  seen  her  for  a 
week,  an  entire  week — seven  full  days  and  nights,  each  with 
their  twenty-four  hours  of  change  and  vacillation." 

"  Well,  then,  give  me  the  last  bulletin  from  the  seat  of  war ; 
that  at  least  you  can  do.     Tell  me  how  you  parted." 

"  Strangely  enough.  You  must  know  we  had  a  grand  dinner 
at  the  villa  the  day  before  I  left ;  and  when  we  adjourned  for 
our  coffee  to  the  garden,  my  spirits  were  at  the  top  of  their 
bent.  Inez  never  looked  so  beautiful — never  was  one  half  so 
gracious  ;  and,  as  she  leaned  upon  my  arm,  instead  of  follow- 
ing the  others  towards  the  little  summer-house,  I  turned, 
as  if  inadvertently,  into  a  narrow  dark  alley,  that  skirts  the 
lake." 

"  I  know  it  well ;  continue." 

Power  reddened  slightly,  and  went  on  : — 

"  *  Why  are  we  taking  this  path  ? '  said  Donna  Inez  ;  *  this 
is,  surely,  not  a  short  way  ?  ' 

"  '  Oh  !  I wished  to  make  my  adieux  to  my  old  friends  the 

swans.     You  know  I  go  to-morrow.' 

"  '  Ah !  that's  true,'  added  she.     '  I'd  quite  forgotten  it.' 

"  This  speech  was  not  very  encouraging  ;  but,  as  I  felt  my- 
self in  for  the  battle,  I  was  not  going  to  retreat  at  the  skirmish. 
*  Now  or  never,'  thought  I.  I'll  not  tell  you  what  I  said.  I 
couldn't,  if  I  would.  It  is  only  with  a  pretty  woman  upon 
one's  arm — it  is  only  when  stealing  a  glance  at  her  bright  eyes,  as 


THE  IRISH  DRAG00m\'.  753 

you  bend  beyond  the  border  of  her  bonnet- — that  you  know 
what  it  is  to  be  eloquent.  Watching  the  changeful  color  of  her 
cheek  with  a  more  anxious  heart  than  ever  did  mariner  gaze 
upon  the  fitful  sky  above  him,  you  pour  out  your  whole  soul  in 
love  ;  you  leave  no  time  for  doubt,  you  leave  no  space  for  reply  ; 
the  difficulties  that  shoot  across  her  mind  you  reply  to  ere  she 
is  well  conscious  of  them  ;  and  when  you  feel  her  hand  tremble 
or  see  her  eyelid  fall,  like  the  leader  of  a  storming  party,  when 
the  guns  slacken  in  their  fire,  you  spring  boldly  forward  in  the 
breach,  and,  blind  to  every  danger  around  you,  rush  madly  on, 
and  plant  your  standard  upon  the  walls." 

"  I  hope  you  allow  the  vanquished  the  honors  of  war,"  said 
I,  interrupting. 

Without  noticing  my  observation,  he  continued  : — 

"  I  was  on  my  knee  before  her,  her  hand  passively  resting 
in  mine,  her  eyes  bent  upon  me  softly  and  tearfully " 

"  The  game  was  your  own,  in  fact." 

"  You  shall  hear. 

"  '  Have  we  stood  long  enough  thus,  Senhor?'  said  she, 
bursting  into  a  fit  of  laughter. 

"  I  sprang  to  my  legs  in  anger  and  indignation. 

"  '  There,  don't  be  passionate  ;  it  is  so  tiresome.  What  do 
you  call  that  tree  there  ? ' 

"  '  It  is  a  tulip-tree,'  said  I,  coldly. 

"  '  Then,  to  put  your  gallantry  to  the  test,  do  climb  up  there 
and  pluck  me  that  flower.  No,  the  far  one.  If  you  fall  into 
the  lake  and  are  drowned,  why,  it  would  put  an  end  to  this 
foolish  interview.' 

"  '  And  if  not?'  said  I. 

"  *  Oh,  then  I  shall  take  twelve  hours  to  consider  of  it ;  and, 
if  my  decision  be  in  your  favor,  I'll  give  you  the  flower  ere  you 
leave  to-morrow.' 

"  It's  somewhat  about  thirty  years  since  I  went  bird-nesting 

and,  hang  me,  if  a  tight  jacket  and  spurs  are  the  best  equip- 
nu;nt  for  climbing  a  tree  ; — but  up  I  went,  and,  amid  a  running 
48 


754  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fire  of  laughter  and  quizzing,  reached  the  branch,  and  brought 
it  down  safely. 

"  Inez  took  especial  care  to  avoid  me  the  rest  of  the  even- 
ing. We  did  not  meet  until  breakfast  the  following  morning. 
I  perceived  then  that  she  wore  the  flower  in  her  belt ;  but, 
alas  !  I  knew  her  too  well  to  augur  favorably  from  that ;  be- 
sides that,  instead  of  any  trace  of  sorrow  or  depression  at  my 
approaching  departure,  she  was  in  high  spirits,  and  the  life 
of  the  party.  '  How  can  I  manage  to  speak  with  her  ? '  said 
I  to  myself ;  '  but  one  word — I  already  anticipate  what  it  must 
be  ;  but  let  the  blow  fall — anything  is  better  than  this  uncer- 
tainty.' 

"  '  The  General  and  the  staff  have  passed  the  gate,  sir,'  said 
my  servant  at  this  moment. 

"  '  Are  my  horses  ready  ? ' 

"  '  At  the  door,  sir ;  and  the  baggage  gone  forward.' 

"  I  gave  Inez  one  look 

"  '  Did  you  say  more  coffee  ? '  said  she,  smiling. 

"  I  bowed  coldly,  and  rose  from  the  table.  They  all  assem- 
bled upon  the  terrace  to  see  me  ride  away. 

*'  *  You'll  let  us  hear  from  you,'  said  Don  Emanuel. 

"  '  And  pray  don't  forget  the  letter  to  my  brother,'  cried  old 
Madame  Forjas. 

"  Twenty  similar  injunctions  burst  from  the  party,  but  not  a 
word  said  Inez. 

"  '  Adieu,  then  !  '  said  I.     '  Farewell.' 

"  '  Adios  !     Go  with  God  ! '  chorused  the  party. 

"  *  Good-bye,  Senhora,'  said  I.  '  Have  j'^z^  nothing  to  tell 
me  ere  we  part  ? ' 

"  *  Not  that  I  remember,'  said  she,  carelessly.  '  I  hope  you'll 
have  good  weather.' 

"  '  There  is  a  storm  threatening,'  said  I,  gloomily. 

"  '  Well  !  a  soldier  cares  little  for  a  wet  jacket.' 

"  '  Adieu  ! '  said  I,  sharply,  darting  at  her  a  look  that  spoke 
my  meaning. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  755 

"  *  Farewell ! '  repeated  she,  curtseying  slightly,  and  giving 
one  of  her  sweetest  smiles. 

"  I  drove  the  spurs  into  my  horse's  flanks,  but,  holding  him 
firmly  on  the  curb  at  the  same  moment,  instead  of  dashing  for- 
ward, he  bounded  madly  in  the  air. 

"  *  What  a  pretty  creature ! '  said  she,  as  she  turned  towards 
the  house  ;  then,  stopping  carelessly,  she  looked  round — 

"  *  Should  you  like  this  bouquet .'' ' 

"  Before  I  could  reply,  she  disengaged  it  from  her  belt,  and 
threw  it  towards  me.  The  door  closed  behind  her  as  she 
spoke  ;  I  galloped  on  to  overtake  the  staff — etvoilatout.  Now, 
Charley,  read  my  fate  for  me,  and  tell  me  what  this  portends." 

"  I  confess  I  only  see  one  thing  certain  in  the  whole." 

"  And  that  is  t  "  said  Power. 

"  That  Master  Fred  Power  is  more  irretrievably  in  love  than 
any  gentleman  on  full  pay  I  ever  met  with." 

"By  Jove!  I  half  fear  as  much!  Is  that  orderly  waiting 
for  you,  Charley  ?     Who  do  you  want,  my  man  ?  " 

"  Captain  O'Malley,  sir.  General  Craufurd  desires  to  see 
you  at  head-quarters  immediately." 

"  Come,  Charley,  I'm  going  towards  Fuentes.  Take  your 
cap  :  we'll  walk  down  together." 

So  saying,  we  cantered  towards  the  village,  where  we  sepa- 
rated— Power  to  join  some  Fourteenth  men  stationed  there  on 
duty,  and  I  to  the  General's  quarters  to  receive  my  orders. 


CHAPTER  XCVII. 

THE   CANTONMENT. 


Soon  after  this  the  army  broke  up  from  ("aja,  and  went  into 
cantonments  along  the  Tagus,  ihc  hcad-ciuarlcrs  l)(,ing  at  Por- 
talegrc.     We  were  here  joined  by   four   rcgiiucnts  of   infantry 


756  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

lately  arrived  from  England,  and  the  12th  Light  Dragoons.  I 
shall  not  readily  forget  the  first  impression  created  among  our 
reinforcements  by  the  habits  of  our  life  at  this  period. 

Brimful  of  expectation,  they  had  landed  at  Lisbon,  their 
minds  filled  with  all  the  glorious  expectancy  of  a  brilliant  cam- 
paign ;  sieges,  storming,  and  battle-fields  floated  before  their 
excited  imagination.  Scarcely,  however,  had  they  reached  the 
camp,  when  these  illusions  were  dissipated.  Breakfasts,  din- 
ners, private  theatricals,  pigeon  matches,  formed  our  daily 
occupation.  Lord  Wellington's  hounds  threw  off  regularly  twice 
a  week,  and  here  might  be  seen  every  imaginable  species  of  equip- 
ment, from  the  artillery  officer,  mounted  on  his  heavy  troop 
horse,  to  the  infantry  subaltern,  on  a  Spanish  jennet.  Never 
was  anything  more  ludicrous  than  our  turn-out.  Every  quad- 
ruped in  the  army  was  put  into  requisition  ;  and  even  those  who 
rolled  not  from  their  saddles  from  sheer  necessity,  were  most 
likely  to  do  so  from  laughing  at  their  neighbors.  The  pace 
may  not  have  equalled  Melton,  nor  the  fences  have  been  as 
stubborn  as  in  Leicestershire,  but  I'll  be  sworn  there  was  more 
laughter,  more  fun,  and  more  merriment,  in  one  day  with  us,  than 
in  a  whole  season  with  the  best  organized  pack  in  England. 
With  a  lively  trust  that  the  country  was  open  and  the  leaps  easy, 
every  man  took  the  field  ;  indeed,  the  only  anxiety  evinced  at  all, 
was  to  appear  at  the  meet  in  something  like  jockey  fashion,  and 
I  must  confess  that  this  feeling  was  particularly  conspicuous 
among  the  infantry.  Happy  the  man  whose  kit  boasted  a  pair  of 
cords,  or  buckskins  ;  thrice  happy'he  who  sported  a  pair  of  tops. 
I  myself  was  in  that  enviable  position,  and  well  remember  with 
what  pride  of  heart  I  cantered  up  to  cover  in  all  the  superior 
klat  of  my  costume,  though,  if  truth  were  to  be  spoken,  I  doubt 
if  I  should  have  passed  muster  among  my  friends  of  the 
"  Blazers."  A  round  cavalry  jacket,  and  a  foraging  cap  with  a 
hanging  tassel,  were  the  strange  accompaniments  of  my  more 
befitting  nether  garments.  Whatever  our  costumes,  the  scene 
was  a  most  animated  one.     Here,  the  shell-jacket  of  a  heavy 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


757 


dragoon  was  seen  storming  the  fence  of  a  vineyard ;  there,  the 
dark  green  of  a  rifleman  was  going  the  pace  over  the  plain. 
The  unsportsmanlike  figure  of  a  staff  officer  might  be  observed 
emerging  from  a  drain,  while  some  neck-or-nothing  Irishman, 
with  light  infantry  wings,  was  flying  at  every  fence  before  him, 
and  overturning  all  in  his  way.  The  rules  and  regulations  of 
the  service  prevailed  not  here  ;  the  starred  and  gartered  general, 
the  plumed  and  aiguilletted  colonel  obtained  but  little  deference, 
and  less  mercy,  from  his  more  humble  subaltern.  In  fact,  I 
am  half  disposed  to  think  that  many  an  old  grudge  of  rigid  dis- 
cipline, or  severe  duty,  met  with  its  retribution  here.  More 
than  once  have  I  heard  the  muttered  sentences  around  me 
which  boded  like  this — 

"  Go  the  pace,  Harry  !  never  flinch  it !  There's  old  Col- 
quhoun — take  him  in  the  haunches — roll  him  over  !  " 

"  See  here,  boys — watch  how  I'll  scatter  the  staff — beg  your 
pardon.  General,  hope  I  haven't  hurt  you.  Turn  about — fair 
play — I  have  taught  jw/  to  take  up  a  position  now." 

I  need  scarcely  say  there  was  one  whose  person  was  sacred 
from  all  such  attacks ;  he  was  well  mounted  upon  a  strong  half- 
bred  horse ;  rode  always  foremost,  following  the  hounds  with 
the  same  steady  pertinacity  with  which  he  would  have  followed 
the  enemy  ;  his  compressed  lip  rarely  opening  for  a  laugh,  when 
even  the  most  ludicrous  misadventure  was  enacting  before  him  ; 
and  when,  by  chance,  he  would  give  way,  the  short  ha  !  ha ! 
was  over  in  a  moment,  and  the  cold  stern  features  were  as  fixed 
and  impassive  as  before. 

All  the  excitement,  all  the  enthusiasm  of  a  hunting-field, 
seemed  powerless  to  turn  his  mind  from  tlie  preoccupation 
which  the  mighty  interests  he  presided  over,  exacted.  I  re- 
member once  an  incident  which,  however  trivial  in  itself,  is 
worth  recording,  as  illustrative  of  what  I  mean.  We  were  going 
along  at  a  topping  pace,  the  hounds,  a  few  fields  in  advance, 
were  hidden  from  our  view  by  a  small  beech  copse  ;  the  party 
consisted  of  not  more  than  six  persons,  one  of  whom  was  Lord 


758  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

Wellington  himself.  Our  run  had  been  a  splendid  one,  and,  as 
we  were  pursuing  the  fox  to  earth,  every  man  of  us  pushed  his 
horse  to  his  full  stride  in  the  hot  enthusiasm  of  such  a 
moment. 

"  This  way,  my  Lord — this  way,"  said  Colonel  Conyers,  an 
old  Mellon  man,  who  led  the  way.  "  The  hounds  are  in  the 
valley — keep  to  the  left."  As  no  reply  was  made,  after  a  few 
moments'  pause,  Conyers  repeated  his  admonition,  "  You  are 
wrong,  my  Lord,  the  hounds  are  hunting  yonder." 

"  I  know  it !  "  was  the  brief  answer  given,  with  a  shortness 
that  almost  savored  of  asperity ;  for  a  second  or  two  not  a 
word  was  spoken. 

"  How  far  is  Niza,  Gordon  1 "  inquired  Lord  Wellington. 

"About  five  leagues,  my  Lord,"  replied  the  astonished  aide- 
de-camp. 

"  That's  the  direction,  is  it  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  Lord." 

"  Let's  go  over  and  inspect  the  wounded." 

No  more  was  said,  and  before  a  second  was  given  for  con- 
sideration, away  went  his  lordship,  followed  by  his  aide-de- 
camp, his  pace  the  same  stretching  gallop,  and  apparently  feel- 
ing as  much  excitement,  as  he  dashed  onwards  towards  the 
hospital,  as  though  following  in  all  the  headlong  enthusiasm  of 
a  fox  chase. 

Thus  passed  our  summer  ;  a  life  of  happy  ease  and  recreation 
succeeding  to  the  harassing  fatigues  and  severe  privations  of 
the  preceding  campaign.  Such  are  the  lights  and  shadows  of 
a  soldier's  life  ;  such  the  chequered  surface  of  his  fortunes  ; 
constituting,  by  their  very  change,  that  buoyant  temperament, 
that  happy  indifference,  which  enables  him  to  derive  its  full 
enjoyment  from  each  passing  incident  of  his  career. 

While  thus  we  indulged  in  all  the  fascinations  of  a  life  of 
pleasure,  the  rigid  discipline  of  the  army  was  never  for  a 
moment  forgotten ;  reviews,  parades,  and  inspections,  were  of 
daily  occurrence,  and  even  a  superficial  observer  could  not  fail 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  759 

to  detect,  that  under  this  apparent  devotion  to  amusement  and 
enjoyment,  our  Commander-in-Chief  concealed  a  deep  stroke 
of  his  policy. 

The  spirits  of  both  men  and  ofBcers,  broken,  in  spite  of  their 
successes,  by  the  incessant  privations  they  had  endured,  im- 
peratively demanded  this  period  of  rest  and  repose.  The  in- 
fantry, many  of  whom  had  served  in  the  ill-fated  campaign  of 
Walcheren,  were  still  suffering  from  the  effects  of  the  intermit- 
tent fever.  The  cavalry,  from  deficient  forage,  severe  marches, 
and  unremitting  service,  were  in  great  part  unfit  for  duty.  To 
take  the  field  under  circumstances  like  these  was  therefore  im- 
possible ;  and,  with  the  double  object  of  restoring  their  wonted 
spirit  to  his  troops,  and  checking  the  ravages  which  sickness 
and  the  casualties  of  war  had  made  within  his  ranks.  Lord 
Wellington  embraced  the  opportunity  of  the  enemy's  inaction 
to  take  up  his  present  position  on  the  Tagus. 

Meanwhile  that  we  enjoyed  all  the  pleasures  of  a  country 
life,  enhanced  tenfold  by  daily  association  with  gay  and 
cheerful  companions,  the  master-mind,  whose  reach  extended 
from  the  profoundest  calculations  of  strategy  to  the  minutest 
details  of  military  organization,  was  never  idle.  Foreseeing 
that  a  period  of  inaction,  like  the  present,  must  only  be  like 
the  solemn  calm  that  preludes  the  storm,  he  prepared  for  the 
future  by  those  bold  conceptions  and  unrivalled  combinations 
which  were  to  guide  him  through  many  a  field  of  battle  and  of 
danger,  to  end  his  career  of  glory  in  the  liberation  of  the 
Peninsula. 

The  failure  of  the  attack  upon  Badajos  had  neither  damped 
his  ardor,  nor  changed  his  views;  and  he  proceeded  to  the 
investment  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  with  the  same  intense  de- 
termination of  uprooting  the  French  occupation  in  Spain,  by 
destroying  their  strongholds  and  cutting  off  their  resources. 
Carrying  aggressive  war  in  one  hand,  he  turned  the  other 
towards  the  maintenance  of  those  defences  which,  in  the  event 
of  disaster  or  defeat,  must  prove  the  refuge  of  the  army. 


760  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

To  the  lines  of  Torres  Vedras  he  once  more  directed  his 
attention.  Engineer  officers  were  dispatched  thither  ;  the 
fortresses  were  put  into  repair ;  the  bridges  broken  or  injured 
during  the  French  invasion  were  restored  ;  the  batteries  upon 
the  Tagus  were  rendered  more  effective,  and  furnaces  for 
heating  shot  were  added  to  them. 

The  inactivity  and  apathy  of  the  Portuguese  government  but 
ill  corresponded  with  his  unwearied  exertions ;  and,  despite 
of  continual  remonstrances  and  unceasing  representations,  the 
bridges  over  the  Leira  and  Alva  were  left  unrepaired,  and  the 
roads  leading  to  them,  so  broken  as  to  be  almost  impassable, 
might  seriously  have  endangered  the  retreat  of  the  army,  should 
such  a  movement  be  deemed  necessary. 

It  was  in  the  first  week  of  September  I  was  sent  with  des- 
patches for  the  engineer  officer  in  command  at  the  lines,  and, 
during  the  fortnight  of  my  absence,  was  enabled  for  the  first 
time  to  examine  those  extraordinary  defences  which,  for  the 
space  of  thirty  miles,  extended  over  a  country  undulating  in 
hill  and  valley,  and  presenting,  by  a  succession  of  natural  and 
artificial  resources,  the  strongest  and  most  impregnable  barrier 
that  has  ever  been  presented  against  the  advance  of  a  con- 
quering army. 


CHAPTER  XCVIII. 

MICKEY  FREE'S  ADVENTURE. 

When  I  returned  to  the  camp,  I  found  the  greatest  excitement 
prevailing  on  all  sides.  Each  day  brought  in  fresh  rumors 
that  Marmont  was  advancing  in  force ;  that  sixty  thousand 
Frenchmen  were  in  full  march  upon  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  to  raise 
the  blockade,  and  renew  the  invasion  of  Portugal.  Intercepted 
letters    corroborated    these    reports ;  and   the    Guerillas   who 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  fQl 

Joined  us  spoke  of  large   convoys  which  they  had  seen  upon 
the  raads  from  Salamanca  and  Tamanes. 

Except  the  light  division,  which,  under  the  command  of 
Craufurd,  were  posted  upon  the  right  of  the  Aguada,  the  whole 
of  our  army  occupied  the  country  from  EI  Bodon  to  Gallegos  ; 
the  fourth  division  being  stationed  at  Fuente  Guenaldo,  where 
some  intrenchments  had  been  hastily  thrown  up. 

To  this  position  Lord  Wellington  resolved  upon  retreating, 
as  affording  points  of  greater  strength  and  more  capability  of 
defence  than  the  other  line  of  road,  which  led  by  Almeida 
upon  the  Coa.  Of  the  enemy's  intentions  we  were  not  long  to 
remain  in  doubt;  for,  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  a  strong 
body  were  seen  descending  from  the  pass  above  Ciudad 
Rodrigo  and  cautiously  reconnoitring  the  banks  of  the  Aguada. 
Far  in  the  distance  a  countless  train  of  wagons,  bullock  cars, 
and  loaded  mules  were  seen  winding  their  slow  length  along, 
accompanied  by  several  squadrons  of  dragoons. 

Their  progress  was  slow,  but,  as  evening  fell,  they  entered 
the  gates  of  the  fortress  ;  and  the  cheering  of  the  garrison  mixing 
with  the  strains  of  martial  music,  faint  from  distance,  reached 
us  where  we  lay  upon  the  far-off  heights  of  El  Bodon.  So 
long  as  the  light  lasted,  we  could  perceive  fresh  troops  arriving ; 
and  even  when  the  darkness  came  on,  we  could  detect  the 
position  of  the  reinforcing  columns  by  the  bright  watch-fires 
which  gleamed  along  the  plain. 

By  daybreak  we  were  under  arms,  anxiously  watching  for 
the  intentions  of  our  enemy,  which  soon  became  no  longer 
dubious.  Twenty-five  squadrons  of  cavalry,  supported  by  a 
whole  division  of  infantry,  were  seen  to  defile  along  the  great 
road  from  Ciudad  Rodrigo  to  Guenaldo.  Another  column, 
equally  numerous,  marched  straight  upon  Kspeja  ;  nothing 
could  be  more  beautiful,  nothing  more  martial,  than  their  ap- 
pearance;  emerging  from  a  close  mountain  gorge,  they  wound 
along  the  narrow  road,  and  appeared  upon  the  bridge  of  the 
Aguada,  just  as  the  morning  sun  was  bursting  forth  ;    its  bright 


762  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

beams  tipping  the  polished  cuirassiers  and  their  glittering 
equipments,  they  shone  in  their  panoply  like  the  gay  troop  of 
some  ancient  tournament.  The  lancers  of  Berg,  distinguished 
by  their  scarlet  dolmans  and  gorgeous  trappings,  were  followed 
by  the  Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard,  who  again  were  succeeded  by 
the  chasseurs  a  cheval,  their  bright  steel  helmets  and  light- 
blue  uniforms,  their  floating  plumes  and  dappled  chargers, 
looking  the  very  beau  idkal  of  light  horsemen  ;  behind,  the 
dark  masses  of  the  infantry  pressed  forward,  and  deployed 
into  the  plain,  while,  bringing  up  the  rear,  the  rolling  din,  like 
distant  thunder,  announced  the  "  dread  artillery." 

On  they  came,  the  seemingly  interminable  line  converging 
on  to  that  one  spot  upon  whose  summit  now  we  assembled  a 
force  of  scarcely  ten  thousand  bayonets. 

While  this  brilliant  panorama  was  passing  before  our  eyes, 
we  ourselves  were  not  idle.  Orders  had  been  sent  to  Picton 
to  come  up  from  the  left  with  his  division.  Alten's  cavalry  and 
a  brigade  of  artillery  were  sent  to  the  front,  and  every  prepara- 
tion which  the  nature  of  the  ground  admitted  was  made  to 
resist  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  While  these  movements  on 
either  side  occupied  some  hours,  the  scene  was  every  moment 
increasing  in  interest.  The  large  body  of  cavalry  was  now 
seen  forming  into  columns  of  attack.  Nine  battalions  of 
infantry  moved  up  to  their  support,  and,  forming  into  columns, 
echelons,  and  squares,  performed  before  us  all  the  manoeuvres 
of  a  review  with  the  most  admirable  precision  and  rapidity; 
but  from  these  our  attention  was  soon  taken  by  a  brilliant  dis- 
play upon  our  left.  Here,  emerging  from  the  wood  which 
flanked  the  Aguada,  were  now  to  be  seen  the  gorgeous  staff  of 
Marmont  himself.  Advancing  at  a  walk,  they  came  forward 
amid  the  vivas  of  the  assembled  thousands,  burning  with 
ardor  and  thirsting  for  victory.  For  a  moment,  as  I  looked, 
I  could  detect  the  Marshal  himself,  as,  holding  his  plumed  hat 
above  his  head,  he  returned  the  salute  of  a  lancer  regiment, 
who  proudly  waved  their  banners  as  he  passed  ;  but,  hark  I 


THE  IKI^H  DRAGOON.  763 

ivhat  are  those  clanging  sounds,  which,  rising  high  above  the 
rest,  seem  like  the  war-cry  of  a  warrior  ? 

"  I  can't  mistake  those  tones,"  said  a  bronzed  old  veteran 
beside  me  ;  "  those  are  the  brass  bands  of  the  Imperial  Guard. 
Can  Napoleon  be  there  ?  See  !  there  they  come."  As  he 
spoke,  the  head  of  a  column  emerged  from  the  wood,  and, 
deploying  as  they  came,  poured  into  the  plain.  For  above  an 
hour  that  mighty  tide  flowed  on,  and  before  noon  a  force  of 
sixty  thousand  men  was  collected  in  the  space  beneath  us. 

I  was  not  long  to  remain  an  unoccupied  spectator  of  this 
brilliant  display,  for  I  soon  received  orders  to  move  down  with 
my  squadron  to  the  support  of  the  nth  Light  Dragoons,  who 
were  posted  at  the  base  of  the  hill.  The  order  at  the  moment 
was  anything  but  agreeable,  for  I  was  mounted  upon  a  hack 
pony,  on  which  I  had  ridden  over  from  Craufurd's  division 
early  in  the  morning,  and  suspecting  that  there  might  be  some 
hot  work  during  the  day,  had  ordered  Mike  to  follow  with  my 
horse.  There  was  no  time,  however,  for  hesitation,  and  I  moved 
my  men  down  the  slope  in  the  direction  of  the  skirmishers. 

The  position  we  occupied  was  singularly  favorable ;  our 
flanks  defended  on  either  side  by  brushwood,  we  could  only  be 
assailed  in  front ;  and  here,  notwithstanding  our  vast  inferiority 
of  force,  we  steadily  awaited  the  attack.  As  I  rode  from  out 
the  thick  wood,  I  could  not  help  feeling  surprised  at  the  sounds 
which  greeted  me.  Instead  of  the  usual  low  and  murmuring 
tones — the  muttered  sentences  which  precede  a  cavalry  advance 
— a  roar  of  laughter  shook  the  entire  division,  while  exclama- 
tions burst  from  every  side  around  me  :  "  Look  at  him  now  !  " 
"  They  have  him  ! — by  Heavens,  they  have  him  !  "  "  Well 
done  !— well  done  !  "  "  How  the  fellow  rides  !  "  "  He's  hit- 
he's  hit !  "     "  No,  no  !  "     "  Is  he  down  ?  "     "  He's  down  !  " 

A  loud  cheer  rent  the  air  at  this  moment,  and  I  reached  the 
front  in  time  to  learn  the  reason  of  all  this  excitement.  In  the 
wide  plain  before  me  a  horseman  was  seen,  having  passed  the 
ford  of  the  Aguada,  to  advance  at  the  top  (jf  his  speed  towards 


764  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

the  British  lines.  As  he  came  nearer,  it  was  perceived  that  he 
was  accompanied  by  a  led  horse,  and,  apparently  with  total 
disregard  of  the  presence  of  an  enemy,  rode  boldly  and  care- 
lessly forward.  Behind  him  rode  three  lancers,  their  lances 
couched,  their  horses  at  speed  ;  the  pace  was  tremendous,  and 
the  excitement  intense  ;  for  sometimes,  as  the  leading  horse- 
man of  the  pursuit  neared  the  fugitive,  he  would  bend  suddenly 
upon  the  saddle,  and,  swerving  to  the  right  or  the  left,  totally 
evade  him,  while  again,  at  others,  with  a  loud  cry  of  bold 
defiance,  rising  in  his  stirrups,  he  would  press  on,  and,  with  a 
shake  of  his  bridle  that  bespoke  the  jockey,  almost  distance 
the  enemy. 

"  That  must  be  your  fellow,  O'Malley ;  that  must  be  your 
Irish  groom,"  cried  a  brother  officer.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
of  it.     It  was  Mike  himself. 

"  I'll  be  hanged  if  he's  not  playing  with  them  !  "  said  Baker. 
"  Look  at  the  villain  !  He's  holding  in  ;  that's  more  than  the 
Frenchmen  are  doing.  Look !  look  at  the  fellow  on  the  gray 
horse  !  he  has  flung  his  trumpet  to  his  back,  and  drawn  his 
sabre." 

A  loud  cheer  burst  from  the  French  lines ;  the  trumpeter  was 
gaining  at  every  stride.  Mike  had  got  into  deep  ground,  and 
the  horses  would  not  keep  together.  "  Let  the  brown  horse 
go  !  let  him  go,  man  !  "  shouted  the  dragoons,  while  I  re-echoed 
the  cry  with  my  utmost  might.  But  not  so.  Mike  held  firmly 
on,  and,  spurring  madly,  he  lifted  his  horse  at  each  stride, 
turning,  from  time  to  time,  a  glance  at  his  pursuer.  A  shout 
of  triumph  rose  from  the  French  side ;  the  trumpeter  was  be- 
side him  ;  his  arm  was  uplifted  ;  the  sabre  above  his  head.  A 
yell  broke  from  the  British,  and  with  difficulty  could  the 
squadron  be  restrained.  For  above  a  minute  the  horses  went 
side  by  side,  but  the  Frenchman  delayed  his  stroke  until  he 
could  get  a  little  in  the  front.  My  excitement  had  rendered 
me  speechless ;  if  a  word  could  have  saved  my  poor  fellow,  I 
could  not  have  spoken.     A  mist  seemed  to  gather  across  my 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  765 

eyes,  and  the  whole  plain,  and  its  peopled  thousands,  danced 
before  my  eyes. 

"  He's  down  !  "  "  He's  down,  by  Heavens  !  "  "  No  !  no, 
no !  "    "  Look  there— nobly  done  !  "    "  Gallant  fellow  !  "    "  He 

has  him  !  he  has  him,  by !  "     A  cheer  that  rent  the  very 

air  above  us  broke  from  the  squadrons,  and  Mike  galloped  in 
amongst  us,  holding  the  Frenchman  by  the  throat  with  one 
hand  ;  the  bridle  of  his  horse  he  firmly  grasped  with  his  own 
in  the  other. 

"  How  was  it  ?  how  did  he  do  it  ?  "  cried  I. 

"  He  broke  his  sword-arm  with  a  blow,  and  the  Frenchman's 
sabre  fell  to  the  earth." 

"  Here  he  is.  Mister  Charles  ;  and,  musha,  but  it's  trouble 
he  gave  me  to  catch  him  !  And  I  hope  your  honor  won't  be 
displeased  at  me  losing  the  brown  horse.  I  was  obliged  to 
let  him  go  when  the  thief  closed  on  me  ;  but,  sure,  there  he  is  ! 
May  I  never  !  if  he's  not  galloping  into  the  lines  by  himself." 
As  he  spoke,  my  brown  charger  came  cantering  up  to  the 
squadrons,  and  took  his  place  in  the  line  with  the  rest. 

I  had  scarcely  time  to  mount  my  horse,  amid  a  buzz  of 
congratulations,  when  our  squadron  was  ordered  to  the 
front.  Mixed  up  with  detachments  from  the  Eleventh  and 
Sixteenth,  we  continued  to  resist  the  enemy  for  above  two 
hours. 

Our  charges  were  quick,  sharp,  and  successive,  pouring  in 
our  numbers  wherever  the  enemy  appeared  for  a  moment  to  be 
broken,  and  then  retreating  under  cover  of  our  infantry  when 
the  opposing  cavalry  came  down  upon  us  in  overwhelming 
numbers. 

Nothing  could  be  more  perfect  than  the  manner  in  whicii 
the  different  troops  relieved  each  other  during  this  part  of  the 
day.  When  the  French  sciuadrons  advanced,  ours  met  them 
as  boldly.  When  the  ground  became  no  longer  tenable,  we 
broke  and  fell  back,  and  the  bayonets  of  the  infantry  arrested 
tlicir  progress.     If  the  cavalry  pressed  heavily  upon  the  squares, 


766  CHARLES    O'M ALLEY, 

ours  came  up  to  the  relief,  and,  as  they  were  beaten  back,  the 
artillery  opened  upon  them  with  an  avalanche  of  grape-shot. 

I  have  seen  many  battles  of  greater  duration,  and  more 
important  in  result, — many  there  have  been,  in  which  more 
tactic  was  displayed,  and  greater  combinations  called  forth, — 
but  never  did  I  witness  a  more  desperate  hand-to-hand  conflict 
than  on  the  heights  of  El  Bodon. 

Baffled  by  our  resistance,  Montbrun  advanced  with  the 
Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard.  Riding  down  our  advanced  squad- 
rons, they  poured  upon  us  like  some  mighty  river,  overwhelm- 
ing all  before  it,  and  charged,  cheering,  up  the  heights.  Our 
brave  troopers  were  thrown  back  upon  the  artillery,  and  many 
of  them  cut  down  beside  the  guns.  The  artillerymen  and  the 
drivers  shared  the  same  fate,  and  the  cannon  were  captured. 
A  cheer  of  exultation  burst  from  the  French,  and  their  vivas 
rent  the  air.  Their  exultation  was  short-lived  and  that  cheer 
their  death-cry  ;  for  the  5th  Foot,  who  had  hitherto  lay  con- 
cealed in  the  grass,  sprang  madly  to  their  feet,  their  gallant 
Major  Ridge  at  their  head.  With  a  yell  of  vengeance  they 
rushed  upon  the  foe  ;  the  glistening  bayonets  glanced  amid 
the  cavalry  of  the  French  ;  the  troops  pressed  hotly  home ; 
and,  while  the  cuirassiers  were  driven  down  the  hill,  the  guns 
were  recaptured,  limbered  up,  and  brought  away.  This  brill- 
iant charge  was  the  first  recorded  instance  of  cavalry  being 
assailed  by  infantry  in  line. 

But  the  hill  could  no  longer  be  held ;  the  French  were  ad- 
vancing on  either  flank  ;  overwhelming  numbers  pressed  upon 
the  front,  and  retreat  was  unavoidable.  The  cavalry  were 
ordered  to  the  rear,  and  Picton's  division,  throwing  themselves 
into  squares,  covered  the  retreating  movement. 

The  French  dragoons  bore  down  upon  every  face  of  those 
devoted  battalions  ;  the  shouts  of  triumph  cheered  them  as 
the  earth  trembled  beneath  their  charge ;  but  the  British  in- 
fantry, reserving  their  fire  until  the  sabres  clanked  with  the 
bavonet,   poured  in  a  shattering  volley,   and  th^   cry  of   the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  767 

wounded  and  the  groans  of  the  dying  rose  from  the  smoke 
around  them. 

Again  and  again  the  French  came  on  ;  and  the  same  fate 
ever  awaited  them.  The  only  movement  in  the  British  squares 
was  closing  up  the  spaces  as  their  comrades  fell  or  sank 
wounded  to  the  earth. 

At  last  reinforcements  came  up  from  the  left ;  the  whole 
retreated  across  the  plain,  until,  as  they  approached  Guenaldo, 
our  cavalry  having  reformed,  came  to  their  aid  with  one  crush- 
ing charge,  which  closed  the  day. 

That  same  night  Lord  Wellington  fell  back,  and,  concentrat- 
ing his  troops  within  a  narrow  loop  of  land  bounded  on  either 
flank  by  the  Coa,  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  light  division, 
which  joined  us  at  three  in  the  morning. 

The  following  day  Marmont  again  made  a  demonstration 
of  his  force,  but  no  attack  followed.  The  position  was  too 
formidable  to  be  easily  assailed,  and  the  experience  of  the  pre- 
ceding day  had  taught  him  that,  however  inferior  in  numbers, 
the  troops  he  was  opposed  to  were  as  valiant  as  they  were 
ably  commanded. 

Soon  after  this,  Marmont  retired  on  the  valley  of  the  Tagus. 
Dorsenne  also  fell  back,  and,  for  the  present,  at  least,  no 
further  effort  was  made  to  prosecute  the  invasion  of  Portugal. 


CHAPTER  XCIX. 

THE  SAN   PETRO. 

"  Not  badly  wounded,  O'Mallcy,  1  hope  ?  "  said  General 
Craufurd,  as  I  waited  upon  him  soon  after  the  action. 

I  could  not  help  starting  at  the  question,  while  he  repeated 
It,  pointing  at  the  same  time  to  my  left  shoulder,  from  which 
a  stream  of  blood  was  now  flowing  down  mv  coat  sleeve, 


768  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  I  never  noticed  it,  sir,  till  this  moment ;  it  can't  be  of 
much  consequence,  for  I  have  been  on  horseback  the  entire 
day,  and  never  felt  it." 

"  Look  to  it  at  once,  boy  ;  a  man  wants  all  his  blood  for  this 
campaign.  Go  to  your  quarters ;  I  shall  not  need  you  for  the 
present,  so  pray  see  the  doctor  at  once." 

As  I  left  the  General's  quarters,  I  began  to  feel  sensible  of 
pain,  and,  before  a  quarter  of  an  hour  had  elapsed,  had  quite 
convinced  myself  that  my  wound  was  a  severe  one.  The  hand 
and  arm  were  swollen,  heavy,  and  distended  with  hemorrhage 
beneath  the  skin  ;  my  thirst  became  great,  and  a  cold  shudder- 
ing sensation  passed  over  me  from  time  to  time. 

I  sat  down  for  a  moment  upon  the  grass,  and  was  just  re- 
flecting within  myself  what  course  I  should  pursue,  when  I 
heard  the  tramp  of  feet  approaching.  I  looked  up,  and  per- 
ceived some  soldiers  in  fatigue  dresses,  followed  by  a  few 
others,  who,  from  their  noiseless  gesture  and  sad  countenances, 
I  guessed  were  carrying  some  wounded  comrade  to  the  rear. 

"  Who  is  it,  boys  ?  "  cried  I. 

"  It's  the  Major,  sir ;  the  Lord  be  good  to  him  ! "  said  a 
hardy-looking  Eighty-eighth  man,  wiping  his  eye  w'ith  the  cuff 
of  his  coat  as  he  spoke. 

"  Not  your  Major  ? — not  Major  O'Shaughnessy  ?  "  said  I, 
jumping  up,  and  rushing  forward  towards  the  litter,  Alas  ! 
too  true,  it  was  the  gallant  fellow  himself ;  there  he  lay,  pale 
and  cold ;  his  bloodless  cheek  and  parted  lips  looking  like 
death  itself.  A  thin  blue  rivulet  trickled  from  his  forehead, 
but  his  most  serious  wound  appeared  to  be  in  the  side ;  his 
coat  was  open,  and  showed  a  mass  of  congealed  and  clotted 
blood,  from  the  midst  of  which,  with  every  motion  of  the  w^ay 
a  fresh  stream  kept  welling  upward.  Whether  from  the  shock, 
or  my  loss  of  blood,  or  from  both  together,  I  know  not,  bu! 
I  sank  fainting  to  the  ground. 

#  #  **  #  *  *  ♦ 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  769 

It  would  have  needed  a  clearer  brain  and  a  cooler  judgment 
than  I  possessed  to  have  conjectured  where  I  was,  and  what 
had  occurred  to  me,  when  next  I  recovered  my  senses.  Weak, 
fevered,  and  with  a  burning  thirst,  I  lay,  unable  to  move,  and 
could  merely  perceive  the  objects  which  lay  within  the  immedi- 
ate reach  of  my  vision.  I'he  j^lace  was  cold,  calm,  and  still  as 
the  grave.  A  lamp,  which  hung  high  above  my  head,  threw  a 
faint  light  around,  and  showed  me,  within  a  niche  of  the  op- 
posite wall,  the  figure  of  a  gorgeously  dressed  female  :  she  ap- 
peared to  be  standing  motionless,  but,  as  the  pale  light  flickered 
upon  her  features,  I  thought  I  could  detect  the  semblance  of  a 
smile.  The  splendor  of  her  costume,  and  the  glittering  gems 
which  shone  upon  her  spotless  robe,  gleamed  through  the  dark- 
ness with  an  almost  supernatural  brilliancy,  and  so  beautiful 
did  she  look,  so  calm  her  pale  features,  that,  as  I  opened  and 
shut  my  eyes  and  rubbed  my  lids,  I  scarcely  dared  to  trust  my 
erring  senses,  and  believe  it  could  be  real.  What  could  it  mean  ? 
Whence  this  silence — this  cold  sense  of  awe  and  reverence ; 
was  it  a  dream }  was  it  the  fitful  vision  of  a  disordered  in- 
tellect ?  Could  it  be  death }  My  eyes  were  riveted  upon  that 
beautiful  figure  :  I  essayed  to  speak,  but  could  not ;  I  would  have 
beckoned  her  towards  me,  but  my  hands  refused  their  office. 
I  felt  I  know  not  what  charm  she  possessed  to  calm  my  throb- 
bing brain  and  burning  heart ;  but,  as  I  turned  from  the  gloom 
and  darkness  around  to  gaze  upon  her  fair  brow  and  unmoved 
features,  I  felt  like  the  prisoner  who  turns  from  the  cheerless 
desolation  of  his  cell,  and  looks  upon  the  fair  world  and  the 
smiling  valleys  lying  sunlit  and  shadowed  before  him. 

Sleep  at  length  came  over  me  ;  and  when  I  awoke,  the  day 
seemed  breaking,  for  a  faint  gray  tint  stoic  through  a  stained 
glass  window,  and  fell,  in  many  colored  patches,  upon  the 
pavement.  A  low  muttering  sound  attracted  me;  I  listened — 
it  was  Mike's  voice.  With  difficulty  raising  myself  upon  one 
arm,  I  endeavored  to  see  more  around  me.  Scarcely  had  I 
assumed  this  position,  wiicn  my  eves  onge  more  fell  upon  the 
49 


77©  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

white-clad  figure  of  the  preceding  night.  At  her  feet  knelt 
Mike,  his  hands  clasped,  and  his  head  bowed  upon  his  bosom. 
Shall  I  confess  my  surprise— my  disappointment !  It  was  no 
other  than  an  image  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  decked  out  in  all 
the  gorgeous  splendor  which  Catholic  piety  bestows  upon  her 
saints.  The  features,  which  the  imperfect  light  and  my  more 
imperfect  faculties  had  endowed  with  an  expression  of  calm, 
angelic  beauty,  were,  to  my  waking  senses,  but  the  cold  and 
barren  mockery  of  loveliness  :  the  eyes,  which  my  excited  brain 
gifted  with  looks  of  tenderness  and  pity,  stared  with  no  specu- 
lation in  them  ;  yet,  contrasting  my  feelings  of  the  night  before, 
full  as  they  were  of  their  deceptions,  with  my  now  waking 
thoughts,  I  longed  once  more  for  that  delusion  which  threw  a 
dreamy  pleasure  over  me,  and  subdued  the  stormy  passions  of 
my  soul  into  rest  and  repose. 

"  Who  knows,"  thought  I,  "  but  he  who  kneels  yonder  feels 
now  as  I  did  then  ?  Who  can  tell  how  little  the  cold,  unmean- 
ing reality  before  him  resembles  the  spiritualized  creation  the 
fervor  of  his  love  and  the  ardor  of  his  devotion  may  have 
placed  upon  that  altar  ?  Who  can  limit  or  bound  the  depth 
of  that  adoration  for  an  object  whose  attributes  appeal  not  only 
to  every  sentiment  of  the  heart,  but  also  to  every  sense  of  the 
brain.?  I  fancy  that  I  can  picture  to  myself  how  these  tinselled 
relics,  these  tasteless  waxworks,  changed  by  the  magic  of  de- 
votion and  of  dread,  become  to  the  humble  worshipper  images 
of  loveliness  and  beauty.  The  dim  religious  light ;  the  rever- 
berating footsteps  echoed  along  those  solemn  aisles ;  the  vaulted 
arches,  into  whose  misty  heights  the  sacred  incense  floats  up- 
ward, while  the  deep  organ  is  pealing  its  notes  of  praise  or 
prayer ; — these  are  no  slight  accessories  to  all  the  pomp  and 
grandeur  of  a  church,  whose  forms  and  ceremonial,  unchanged 
for  ages,  and  hallowed  by  a  thousand  associations,  appeal  to 
the  mind  of  the  humblest  peasant  or  the  proudest  noble,  by 
all  the  weaHnesses  as  by  all  the  more  favored  features  of  our 
nature," 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  771 

How  long  I  might  have  continued  to  meditate  in  this  strain 
I  know  not,  when  a  muttered  observation  from  Mike  turned 
the  whole  current  of  my  thoughts.  His  devotion  over,  he  had 
seated  himself  upon  the  steps  of  the  altar,  and  appeared  to  be 
resolving  some  doubts  within  himself  concerning  his  late  pious 
duties. 

"  Masses  is  dearer  here  than  in  Galway.  Father  Rush  would 
be  well  pleased  at  two-and-sixpence  for  what  I  paid  three  doub- 
loons for,  this  morning.  And  sure  it's  droll  enough.  How 
expensive  an  amusement  it  is  to  kill  the  French.  Here's  half- 
a-dollar  I  gave  for  the  soul  of  a  cuirassier  that  I  kilt  yesterday, 
and  nearly  twice  as  much  for  an  artilleryman  I  cut  down  at  the 
guns  ;  and  because  the  villain  swore  like  a  heythen,  Father 
Pedro  told  me  he'd  cost  more  nor  if  he  died  like  a  decent  man." 

At  these  words  he  turned  suddenly  round  towards  the  Virgin, 
and  crossing  himself  devoutly,  added, — 

"  And  sure  it's  yourself  knows  if  it's  fair  to  make  me  pay  for 
devils  that  don't  know  their  duties  ;  and,  after  all,  if  you  don't 
understand  English  nor  Irish,  Fve  been  wasting  my  time  here 
this  two  hours." 

"  I  say,  Mike,  how's  the  Major  !  How's  Major  O'Shaugh- 
nessy  ?  " 

"  Charmingly,  sir.  It  was  only  loss  of  blood  that  ailed  him. 
A  thief  with  a  pike — one  of  the  chaps  they  call  Poles,  bekase 
of  the  long  sticks  they  carry  with  them — stuck  the  Major  in 
the  ribs ;  but  Doctor  Quill — God  reward  him  !  he's  great  a 
doctor,  and  a  funny  divil  too— he  cured  him  in  no  time." 

"  And  where  is  he  now,  Mike  ?  " 

"  Just  convanient,  in  a  small  chapel  off  the  sacristy;  and 
til  rouble  enough  we  have  to  keep  him  quiet.  He  gave  up  the 
rr>;/fusion  of  roses,  and  took  to  punch  ;  and  faith,  it  isn't  hymns 
nor  paslams  [psalms]  he's  singing  all  night.  And  they  iiad  me 
there,  mixing  materials  and  singing  songs,  till  I  heard  the  bell 
for  matins;  and,  what  between  the  punch  and  the  prayers,  I 
never  closed  my  eyes," 


772  THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 

"  What  do  they  call  this  convent  ? " 

"  It  is  a  hard  word,  I  misremember.  It's  something  like 
saltpetre.     But  how's  your  honor?  it's  time  to  ask." 

"  Much  better,  Mike ;  much  better.  But,  as  I  see  that 
either  your  drink  or  your  devotion  seems  to  have  affected  your 
nerves,  you'd  better  lie  down  for  an  hour  or  two.  I  shall  not 
want  you." 

"  That's  just  what  I  can't ;  for  you  see  I'm  making  a  song 
for  this  evening.  The  Rangers  has  a  little  supper,  and  I'm  to 
be  there  :  and,  though  I've  made  one,  I'm  not  sure  it'll  do. 
Maybe  your  honor  would  give  me  your  opinion  about  it  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,  Mike  :  let's  hear  it." 

"  Arrah  !  is  it  here,  before  the  Virgin  and  the  two  blessed 
saints  that's  up  there  in  the  glass  cases  ?  But  sure,  when  they 
make  an  hospital  of  the  place,  and  after  the  Major's  songs 
last  night " 

"  Exactly  so,  Mike  :  out  with  it." 

"  Well,  Ma'am,"  said  he,  turning  towards  the  Virgin,  "  as  I 
suspect  you  don't  know  English,  maybe  you'll  think  it's  my 
offices  I'm  singing.     So,  saving  your  favor,  here  it  is." 

MR.  FREE'S  SONG. 
Air — "  Arrali,  Catty,  iiozu,  can't  yoii  he  asyf'' 

"  Oh  what  stories  I'll  tell  when  my  sodgering's  o'er. 

And  the  gallant  Fourteenth  is  disbanded  ; 
Not  a  drill  nor  parade  will  I  hear  of  no  more, 

When  safely  in  Ireland  landed. 
With  the  blood  that  1  spilt— the  Frenchmen  I  kilt, 

I'll  drive  the  young  girls  half  crazy  ; 
And  some  'cute  one  will  cry,  with  a  wink  of  her  eye, 

'  Mister  Free,  now — ivliy  cati't  you  lie  asy  ? ' 

'  I'll  tell  how  we  routed  the  squadrons  in  fight. 

And  destroyed  them  all  at  '  Talavera,' 
And  then  I'll  just  add  how  we  finished  the  night, 

In  learning  to  dance  the  '  bolera ; ' 
How  by  the  moonshine  we  drank  raal  wine. 

And  rose  next  day  fresh  as  a  daisy ; 
Then  some  one  will  cry,  with  a  look  mighty  sly, 

'  ^rrah,  Mickey— W(77y  cati't  you  be  asy  f ' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  'j)^ 

"  I'll  tell  how  the  nights  with  Sir  Arthur  we  spent. 

Around  a  big  fire  in  the  air  too, 
Or  maybe  enjoying  ourselves  in  a  tent, 

Exactly  like  Donnybrook  fair  too  ; 
How  he'd  call  out  to  me — '  Pass  the  wine,  Mr.  Free, 

For  you're  a  man  never  is  lazy !  ' 
Then  some  one  will  cry,  with  a  wink  of  hertye, 

'Arrah,  Mickey  dear — can't  you  6a  asy  ?* 

"  I'll  tell,  too,  the  long  years  in  fighting  we  passed, 

Till  Mounseer  asked  Bony  to  lead  him ; 
And  Sir  Arthur,  grown  tired  of  glory  at  last. 

Begged  of  one  Mickey  Free  to  lucceed  him. 
'  But,  acushla,'  says  I,  '  the  truth  is  I'm  shy! 

There's  a  lady  in  Ballyniacrazy  ! 
And  I  swore  on  the  book '     He  gave  me  a  look, 

And  cried,  '  Mickey — nmu  can't  you  be  asy  ?*" 

"  Arrah  !  Mickey,  now  can't  you  be  asj  ?  "  sang  out  a  voice 
in  chorus,  and  the  next  moment  Dr.  Quill  himself  made  his 
appearance. 

"Well,  O'Malley,  is  it  a  penitential  psalm  you're  singing,  or 
is  my  friend  Mike  endeavoring  to  raise  your  spirits  with  a 
Galway  sonata?  " 

"  A  little  bit  of  his  own  muse,  Doctor,  nothing  more;  but, 
tell  me,  how  goes  it  with  the  Major — is  the  poor  fellow  out  of 
danger  ?  " 

"  Except  from  the  excess  of  his  appetite,  T  know  of  no  risk 
he  runs.  His  servant  is  making  gruel  for  him  all  day  in  a  thing 
like  the  grog-tub  of  a  frigate.  But  you've  heard  the  news — 
Sparks  has  been  exchanged  ;  he  came  here  last  night ;  but  the 
moment  he  caught  sight  of  me,  he  took  his  departure.  Begad  ! 
I'm  sure  he'd  rather  pass  a  month  in  Verdun  than  a  week  in 
my  company." 

"  I5y-the-bye,  Doctor,  you  never  told  me  how  this  same  an- 
tipathy of  Sparks  for  you  had  its  origin." 

"Sure  I  drove  him  out  of  the  Tenth,  before  he  was  three 
weeks  with  the  regiment." 

"  Ay,  I  remember  ;  you  began  the  story  for  me  one  night  on 
the  retreat  from  the  Coa,  but  something  broke  it  off  in  the 
middle." 


774  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

"Just  so  ;  I  was  sent  for  to  the  rear  to  take  off  some  gentle- 
man's legs  that  weren't  in  dancing  condition  ;  but,  as  there  's 
no  fear  of  interruption  now,  I'll  finish  the  story.  But,  first, 
let  us  have  a  peep  at  the  wounded.  What  beautiful  anatomists 
they  are  in  the  Freijch  artillery !  Do  you  feel  the  thing  I  have 
now  in  my  forceps  ? — there,  don't  jump — that's  a  bit  of  the 
brachial  nerve,  most  beautifully  displayed  ; — faith,  I  think  I'll 
give  Mike  a  demonstration." 

"  Oh  !  Mister  Quill  dear  !     Oh  !   Doctor  darling ! " 

"Arrah !  Mickey,  now  can't  ye  be  asy?"  sang  out  Maurice, 
with  a  perfect  imitation  of  Mike's  voice  and  manner. 

"  A  little  lint  here — bend  your  arm — that's  it — don't  move 
your  fingers.  Now,  Mickey,  make  me  a  cup  of  coffee  with  a 
glass  of  brandy  in  it.  And  now,  Charley,  for  Sparks.  I  be- 
lieve I  told  you  what  kind  of  fellows  the  Tenth  were — regular 
out-and-outers  ;  we  hadn't  three  men  in  the  regiment  that  were 
not  from  the  south  of  Ireland — the  bocca  Corkana  on  their  lips, 
fun  and  devilment  in  their  eyes,  and  more  drollery  and  humbug 
in  their  hearts  than  in  all  the  messes  in  the  service  put  together. 
No  man  had  any  chance  among  them  if  he  wasn't  a  real  droll 
one  ;  every  man  wrote  his  own  songs,  and  sang  them  too ;  it 
was  no  small  promotion  could  tempt  a  fellow  to  exchange  out 
of  the  corps.  You  may  think,  then,  what  a  prize  your  friend 
Sparks  proved  to  us  ;  we  held  a  court-martial  upon  him  the 
week  after  he  joined  ;  it  was  proved  in  evidence  that  he  had 
never  said  a  good  thing  in  his  life,  and  had  about  as  much 
notion  of  a  joke  as  a  Cherokee  has  of  the  Court  of  Chancery  ; 
and  as  to  singing,  Lord  bless  you  !  he  had  a  tune  with  wooden 
turns  to  it,  it  was  most  cruel  to  hear ;  and  then  the  look  of  him 
— those  eyes,  like  dropsical  oysters,  and  the  hair  standing 
every  way,  like  a  field  of  insane  flax,  and  the  mouth,  with  a 
curl  in  it  like  the  slit  in  the  side  of  a  fiddle.  A  pleasant  fellow 
that  for  a  mess  that  always  boasted  the  best-looking  chaps  in 
the  service. 

"  'What's  to  be  done  with  him  ? '  said  the  Major  ;  '  shall  we 


CliAkLES  O'MALLt  V,  775 

tell  him  we  are  ordered  to  India,  and  terrify  him  about  his 
liver  ? ' 

"  *  Or  drill  him  into  a  hectic  fever? ' 

"  '  Or  drink  him  dry  ? ' 

"  '  Or  get  him  into  a  fight,  and  wing  him  ? ' 

"  *  Oh,  no,'  said  I,  '  leave  him  to  me  ;  we'll  laugh  him  out  of 
the  corps.' 

"  '  Yes,  we'll  leave  him  to  you,  Maurice,'  said  the  rest. 

"And  that  day  week  you  might  read  in  the  Gazette,  '  Pierce 
Flynn  O'Haygerty,  to  be  Ensign,  loth  Foot,  vice  Sparks,  ex- 
changed.' " 

"  But  how  was  it  done,  Maurice  ?    You  haven't  told  me  that." 

"  Nothing  easier.  I  affected  great  intimacy  with  Sparks  ; 
bemoaned  our  hard  fate,  mutually,  in  being  attached  to  such  a 
regiment :  '  A  damnable  corps  this — low,  vulgar  fellows — 
practical  jokes — not  the  kind  of  thing  one  expects  in  the  army. 
But  as  for  me,  I've  joined  it  partly  from  necessity.  You,  how- 
ever, who  might  be  in  a  crack  regiment,  I  can't  conceive  your 
remaining  in  it.' 

"  '  But  why  did  you  join,  Doctor  ? '  said  he  ;  '  what  necessity 
could  have  induced  you  ? ' 

"  '  Ah  !  my  friend,'  said  I,  '  that  is  the  secret — that  is  the 
hidden  grief  that  must  lie  buried  in  my  own  bosom.' 

"  I  saw  that  his  curiosity  was  excited,  and  took  every  means 
to  increase  it  further.  At  length,  as  if  yielding  to  a  sudden 
impulse  of  friendship,  and. having  sworn  him  to  secrecy,  I  took 
him  aside,  and  began  thus — 

"  '  I  may  trust  you,  Sparks,  I  feel  I  may  ;  and  when  I  tell 
you  that  my  honor,  my  reputation,  my  whole  fortune  is  at 
stake,  you  will  judge  of  the  importance  of  the  trust.' 

"  The  goggle  eyes  rolled  fearfully,  and  his  features  exhibited 
the  most  craving  anxiety  to  hear  my  story. 

"'You  wish  to  know  why  I  left  the  Fifty-sixth.  Now,  I'll 
tell  you  ;  but  mind,  you're  pledged,  you're  sworn,  never  to 
divulge  it.' 


776  THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON, 

"  '■  Honor  bright.' 

"  *  There,  that's  enough  ;  I'm  satisfied.  It  was  a  slight 
infraction  of  the  articles  of  war ;  a  little  breach  of  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  the  service ;  a  trifling  misconception  of  the 
mess  code ;  they  caught  me  one  evening  leaving  the  mess 
with — what  do  you  think  in  my  pocket?  But  you'll  never  tell  ! 
no,  no,  I  know  you'll  not — eight  forks  and  a  gravy-spoon  ; 
silver  forks  every  one  of  them.  There  now,'  said  I,  grasping 
his  hand,  '  you  have  my  secret ;  my  fame  and  character  are  in 
your  hands;  for,  you  see,  they  made  me  quit  the  regiment — a 
man  can't  stay  in  a  corps  where  he  is  laughed  at.' 

"  Covering  my  face  with  my  handkerchief,  as  if  to  conceal 
my  shame,  I  turned  away,  and  left  Sparks  to  his  meditations. 
That  same  evening  we  happened  to  have  some  strangers  at 
mess ;  the  bottle  was  passing  freely  round,  and,  as  usual,  the 
good  spirits  of  the  party  at  the  top  of  their  bent,  when  sud- 
denly, from  the  lower  end  of  the  table,  a  voice  was  heard 
demanding,  in  tones  of  the  most  pompous  importance,  per- 
mission to  address  the  president  upon  a  topic  where  the 
honor  of  the  whole  regiment  was  concerned. 

'"I  rise,  gentlemen,'  said  Mr.  Sparks,  'with  feelings  the 
most  painful ;  whatever  may  have  been  the  laxity  of  habit  and 
freedom  of  conversation  habitual  in  this  regiment,  I  never 
believed  that  so  flagrant  an  instance  as  this  morning  came  to  my 
ears ' 

"  '  Oh,  murder  ! '  said  I.  '  Oh,  Sparks  darling !  sure  you're 
not  going  to  tell  ?' 

"  '  Doctor  Quill, '  replied  he,  in  an  austere  tone,  *  it  is  im- 
possible for  me  to  conceal  it.' 

"  '  Oh,  Sparks  dear  !  will  you  betray  me  .'' ' 

"I  gave  him  here  a  look  of  the  most  imploring  entreaty,' to 
which  he  replied  by  one  of  unflinching  sternness. 

"  '  I  have  made  up  my  mind,  sir,'  continued  he  ;  'it  is  pos- 
sible the  officers  of  this  corps  may  look  more  leniently  than  I 
do  upon  this  transaction  ;  but  know  it  they  shall !  ' 


CHARLES  O'M ALLEY,  777 

*' '  Out  with  it,  Sparks — tell  it  by  all  means  ! '  cried  a  number 
of  voices ;  for  it  was  clear  to  every  one,  by  this  time,  that  he 
was  involved  in  a  hoax. 

"  Amid,  therefore,  a  confused  volley  of  entreaty  on  the  one 
side,  and  my  reiterated  prayers  for  his  silence,  on  the  other, 
Sparks  thus  began  :— 

" '  Are  you  aware,  gentlemen,  why  Dr,  Quill  left  the  Fifty- 
sixth  ? ' 

"  '  No,  no,  no  ! '  rang  from  all  sides  ;  '  let's  have  it ! ' 

"  '  No,  sir  ! '  said  he,  turning  towards  me,  '  concealment  is 
impossible ;  an  officer  detected  with  the  mess-plate  in  his 
pocket ' 

"  They  never  let  him  finish,  for  a  roar  of  laughter  shook  the 
table  from  one  end  to  the  other ;  while  Sparks,  horror-struck 
at  the  lack  of  feeling  and  propriety  that  could  make  men  treat 
such  a  matter  with  ridicule,  glared  around  him  on  every  side. 

"  '  Oh  !  Maurice,  Maurice,'  cried  the  Major,  wiping  his  eyes, 
'  this  is  too  bad — this  is  too  bad  ! ' 

" '  Gracious  Heaven  1 '  screamed  Sparks,  '  can  you  laugh  at  it  ? ' 

"  '  Laugh  at  it .'' '  re-echoed  the  pay-master,  '  God  grant  I  only 
don't  burst  a  blood-vessel  ! '  And  once  more  the  sounds  of 
merriment  rang  out  anew,  and  lasted  for  several  minutes. 

"  '  Oh  !  Maurice  Quill,'  cried  an  old  captain,  '  you've  been  too 
heavy  on  the  lad.  Why,  Sparks,  man,  he's  been  humbugging 
you.' 

"  Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken  when  he  sprang  from  the 
room  ;  the  whole  truth  flashed  at  once  upon  his  mind  ;  in  an 
instant  he  saw  that  he  had  exposed  himself  to  the  merciless 
ridicule  of  a  mess-table,  and  that  all  peace  for  him,  in  that 
regiment  at  least,  was  over. 

'•  We  got  a  glorious  fellow  in  exchange  for  him  ;  and  Sparks 
descended  into  a  cavalry  regiment — I  ask  your  pardon,  Charley 
— where,  as  you  are  well  aware,  sharp  wit  and  quick  intellect 
are  by  no  means  indispensable.  There,  now,  don't  be  angry, 
or  you'll  Jo  yourself  harnj.     So  good-bye,  for  an  hour  or  two." 


yyg  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

CHAPTER  C. 

THE  count's  letter. 

O'Shaughnessy's  wound,  like  my  own,  was  happily  only  for- 
midable from  the  loss  of  blood.  The  sabre  or  the  lance  are 
rarely,  indeed,  so  death-dealing  as  the  musket  or  the  bayonet ; 
and  the  murderous  fire  from  a  square  of  infantry  is  far  more 
terrific  in  its  consequences  than  the  heaviest  charge  of  a 
cavalry  column.  In  a  few  weeks,  therefore,  we  were  once 
more  about  and  fit  for  duty ;  but,  for  the  present,  the  campaign 
was  ended.  The  rainy  season,  with  its  attendant  train  of 
sickness  and  sorrow  set  in  ;  the  troops  were  cantoned  along 
the  line  of  the  frontier,  the  infantry  occupying  the  villages,  , 
and  the  cavalry  being  stationed  wherever  forage  could  be 
obtained. 

The  Fourteenth  were  posted  at  Avintas,  but  I  saw  little  of 
them.     I   was  continually  employed  upon  the  staff ;   and,  as 
General  Craufurd's  activity  suffered  no  diminution  from  the 
interruption  of   the  campaign,   rarely  passed  a  day  without 
eight  or  nine  hours  on  horseback. 

The  preparations  for  the  siege  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  occupied 
our  undivided  attention.  To  the  reduction  of  this  fortress  and 
of  Badajos,  Lord  Wellington  looked  as  the  most  important  ob- 
jects, and  prosecuted  his  plans  with  unremitting  zeal.  To  my 
staff  appointment  I  owed  the  opportunity  of  witnessing  that 
stupendous  feature  of  war,  a  siege  ;  and,  as  many  of  my  friends 
formed  part  of  the  blockading  force,  I  spent  more  than  one 
night  in  the  trenches.  Indeed,  except  for  this,  the  tiresome 
monotony  of  life  was  most  irksome  at  this  period.  Day  after  day 
the  incessant  rain  poured  down  ;  the  supplies  were  bad,  scanty, 
and  irregular  ;  the  hospitals  crowded  whh  sick  ;  field-sports 
impracticable  ;  books   there  were   none  j  and  a   dulness  and 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  'j'jc) 

spiritless  depression  prevailed  on  every  side.  Those  who 
were  actively  engaged  around  Ciudad  Rodrigo  had,  of  course, 
the  excitement  and  interest  which  the  enterprise  involved,  but 
even  there  the  works  made  slow  progress  ;  the  breaching 
artillery  was  defective  in  every  way  ;  the  rain  undermined  the 
faces  of  the  bastions  ;  the  clayey  soil  sank  beneath  the  weight 
of  the  heavy  guns  ;  and  the  storms  of  one  night  frequently  de- 
stroyed more  than  a  whole  week's  labor  had  effected. 

Thus  passed  the  dreary  months  along  ;  the  cheeriest  and 
gayest  amongst  us  broken  in  spirit,  and  subdued  in  heart,  by 
the  tedium  of  our  life.  The  very  news  which  reached  us  par- 
took of  the  gloomy  features  of  our  prospects  ;  we  heard  only 
of  strong  reinforcements  marching  to  the  support  of  the  French 
in  Estramadura  ;  we  were  told  that  the  Emperor,  whose  suc- 
cesses in  Germany  enabled  him  to  turn  his  entire  attention  to 
the  Spanish  campaign,  would  himself  be  present  in  the  coming 
spring,  with  overwhelming  odds,  and  a  firm  determination  to 
drive  us  from  the  Peninsula. 

In  that  frame  of  mind  which  such  gloomy  and  depressing 
prospects  are  well  calculated  to  suggest,  I  was  returning  one 
night  to  my  quarters  at  Mucia,  when  suddenly  I  beheld  Mike 
galloping  towards  me  with  a  large  packet  in  his  hand,  which  he 
held  aloft  to  catch  my  attention.  "  Letters  from  England,  sir," 
said  he  ;  "  just  arrived  with  the  General's  despatches."  I 
broke  the  envelope  at  once,  which  bore  the  War-office  seal,  and, 
as  I  did  so,  a  perfect  avalanche  of  letters  fell  at  my  feet.  The 
first  which  caught  my  eye  was  an  official  intimation  from  the 
Horse  Guards,  that  the  Prince  Regent  had  been  graciously 
pleased  to  confirm  my  promotion  to  the  troop,  my  commission 
to  bear  date  from  the  appointment,  etc.,  etc.  I  could  not  help 
feeling  struck,  as  my  eye  ran  rapidly  across  the  lines,  that,  al- 
though the  letter  came  from  Sir  Cicorge  Dashwood's  office,  it 
contained  not  a  word  of  congratulation  nor  rcnuinl)rancc  on 
liis  part,  but  was  couched  in  the  usual  cold  and  formal  lan- 
guage of  an  official    document.     Impatient,  liovvcver,  to  look 


ySo  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

over  my  other  letters,  I  thought  but  Httle  of  this  :  so,  throwing 
them  hurriedly  into  my  sabretasche,  I  cantered  on  to  my 
quarters  without  delay.  Once  more  alone  in  silence,  I  sat  down 
to  commune  with  my  far-off  friends,  and  yet,  with  all  my  anxiety 
to  hear  of  home,  passed  several  minutes  in  turning  over  the 
letters,  guessing  from  whom  they  might  have  come,  and  picturing 
to  myself  their  probable  contents.  "  Ah  !  Frank  Webber,  I 
recognize  your  slap-dash,  bold  hand,  without  the  aid  of  the 
initials  in  the  corner  ;  and  this — what  can  this  be  1 — this  queer, 
misshapen  thing,  representing  nothing  save  the  forty-seventh 
proposition  of  Euclid,  and  the  address  seemingly  put  on  with  a 
cat's-tail  dipped  in  lampblack  ?  Yes  !  true  enough,  it  is  from 
Mister  Free  himself.  And  what  have  we  here  ?  this  queer,  quaint 
hand,  is  no  new  acquaintance  ;  how  many  a  time  have  I  looked 
upon  it  as  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  caligraphy  !  But  here  is  one  Fm 
not  so  sure  of  :  who  could  have  written  this  bolt-upright,  old- 
fashioned  superscription,  not  a  letter  of  which  seems  on  speak- 
ing terms  with  its  neighbor  ? — the  very  O  absolutely  turns  its 
back  upon  the  M  in  O'Malley,  and  the  final  Y  wags  his  tail 
with  a  kind  of  independent  shake,  as  if  he  did  not  care  a  curse 
for  his  predecessors  !  And  the  seal,  too — surely  I  know  that 
griffin's  head,  and  that  stern  vi\o\Xo,  Non  rogo  sed  capio.  To  be 
sure,  it  is  Billy  Considine's,  the  Count  himself.  The  very  paper, 
yellow  and  time-stained,  looks  coeval  with  his  youth,  and  I 
could  even  venture  to  wager  that  his  sturdy  pen  was  nibbed 
half  a  century  since.  Fll  not  look  further  among  this  confused 
mass  of  three-cornered  billets,  and  long,  treacherous-looking 
epistles,  the  very  folding  of  which  denote  the  dun.  Here  goes 
for  the  Count  !  "  So  saying  to  myself,  I  drew  closer  to  the 
fire,  and  began  the  following  espistle  : — 

"  O'Malley  Castle,  Nov.  j. 
"  Dear  Charley, 

"  Here  we  sit  in    the  little  parlor,  with  your  last 
letter,  the  Times,  and  a  big  map  before  us,  drinking  your  health. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOl^.  781 

and  wishing  you  a  long  career  of  the  same  glorious  success  you 
have  hitherto  enjoyed.  Old  as  I  am — eighty-two  or  eighty- 
three  (I  forget  which)  in  June — I  envy  you  with  all  rtiy  heart. 
Luck  has  stood  to  you,  my  boy  ;  and,  if  a  Frehch  sabre  or  a 
bayonet  finish  you  now,  you've  at  least  had  a  splendid  burst  of 
it.  I  was  right  in  my  opinion  of  you,  and  Godfrey  himself 
owns  it  now  ; — a  lawyer,  indeed  !  Bad  luck  to  them  !  we've 
had  enough  of  lawyers.  There's  old  Hennesy — honest  Jack,  as 
they  used  to  call  him — that  your  uncle  trusted  for  the  last  forty 
years,  has  raised  eighteen  thousand  pounds  on  the  title  deeds, 
and  gone  off  to  America.  The  old  scoundrel  !  But  it's  no  use 
talking  :  the  blow  is  a  sore  one  to  Godfrey,  and  the  gout  more 
troublesome  than  ever.  Drumgold  is  making  a  motion  in 
Chancery  about  it,  to  break  the  sale,  and  the  tenants  are  in 
open  rebellion,  and  swear  they'll  murther  a  receiver  if  one  is 
sent  down  among  them.  Indeed,  they  came  in  such  force 
into  Galway  during  the  assizes,  and  did  so  much  mischief,  that 
tlie  cases  for  trial  were  adjourned,  and  the  judges  left,  with  a 
military  escort  to  protect  them.  This,  of  course,  is  gratifying 
to  our  feelings  ;  for,  thank  Providence,  there  is  some  good  in 
the  world  yet.  Kihnurry  was  sold  last  week  fortwelve  thousand. 
Andy  Blake  would  foreclose  the  mortgage,  although  we  offered 
him  every  kind  of  satisfaction.  This  has  done  Godfrey  a 
deal  of  harm  ;  and  some  pitiful  economy — taking  only  two 
bottles  of  claret  after  his  dinner — has  driven  the  gout  to  his 
head.  They've  been  telling  him  he'd  lengthen  his  days  by  this, 
and  I  tried  it  myself,  and,  faith,  it  was  the  longest  day  I  ever 
spent  in  my  life.  I  hope  and  trust  you  take  your  liquor  like  a 
gentleman — and  an  Irish  gentleman. 

"  Kinshela,  we  hear,  has  issued  an  execution  against  the 
house  and  furniture  ;  but  the  attempt  to  sell  the  demesne 
nearly  killed  your  uncle.  It  was  advertised  in  a  London  paper, 
and  an  offer  made  for  it  by  an  old  general,  whom  you  may  re- 
niLmber  when  down  here.  Indeed,  if  I  mistake  not,  he  was 
rather  kind  to  you  in  the  beginning.     It  would  appear  he  did 


7S2  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

not  wish  to  have  his  name  known,  but  we  found  him  out,  and  ' 
such  a  letter  as  we  sent  him  !  It's  little  liking  he'll  have  to  buy 
a  Galway  gentleman's  estate  over  his  head,  that  same  Sir 
George  Dashwood  !  Godfrey  offered  to  meet  him  anywhere  he 
pleasad,  and,  if  the  doctor  thought  he  could  bear  the  sea  voyage, 
he'd  even  go  over  to  Holyhead  ;  but  the  sneaking  fellow  sent 
an  apologetic  kind  of  a  letter,  with  some  humbug  excuse  about 
very  different  motives,  etc.  But  we've  done  with  him,  and  I 
think  he  with  us." 

When  I  had  read  thus  far,  I  laid  down  the  letter,  unable  to 
go  on ;  the  accumulated  misfortunes  of  one  I  loved  best  in  the 
world,  following  so  fast  one  upon  another,  the  insult,  unpro- 
voked, gratuitous  insult,  to  him  upon  whom  my  hopes  of  future 
happiness  so  much  depended,  completely  overwhelmed  me. 
I  tried  to  continue  ;  alas  !  the  catalogue  of  evils  went  on  ;  each 
line  bore  testimony  to  some  further  wreck  of  fortune — some 
clearer  evidence  of  a  ruined  house. 

All  that  my  gloomiest  and  darkest  forebodings  had  pictured 
was  come  to  pass ;  sickness,  poverty,  harassing,  unfeeling 
creditors,  treachery,  and  ingratitude,  were  goading  to  madness 
and  despair  a  spirit  whose  kindliness  of  nature  was  unequalled. 
The  shock  of  blasted  fortunes  was  falling  upon  the  dying 
heart ;  the  convictions  which  a  long  life  had  never  brought 
home,  that  men  were  false,  and  their  words  a  lie,  were  stealing 
over  the  man,  upon  the  brink  of  the  grave ;  and  he  who  had 
loved  his  neighbor  like  a  brother  was  to  be  taught,  at  the 
eleventh  hour,  that  the  beings  he  trusted  were  perjured  and 
forsworn. 

A  more  unsuitable  adviser  than  Considine,  in  difficulties  like 
these,  there  could  not  be ;  his  very  contempt  for  all  the  forms 
of  law  and  justice  was  sufficient  to  embroil  my  poor  uncle  still 
further,  so  that  I  resolved  at  once  to  apply  for  leave,  and,  if 
refused,  and  no  other  alternative  offered,  to  leave  the  service. 
It  was  not  without  a  sense  of  sorrow,  bordering  on  despair, 
that  I  came  to  this  determination.     My  soldier's  life  had  be- 


CHARLES  O'M ALLEY,  783 

come  a  passion  with  me  ;  I  loved  it  for  its  bold  and  chivalrous 
enthusiasm  ;  its  hours  of  battle  and  strife  ;  its  days  of  endur- 
ance and  hardship  ;  its  trials,  its  triumphs, — its  very  reverses 
were  endeared  by  those  they  were  shared  with, — and  the  spirit 
of  adventure,  and  the  love  of  danger — that  most  exciting  of  all 
gambling — had  now  entwined  themselves  in  my  very  nature. 
To  surrender  all  these  at  once,  and  to  exchange  the  daily, 
hourly  enthusiasm  of  a  campaign  for  the  prospects  now  before 
me,  was  almost  maddening !  But,  still,  a  sustaining  sense  of 
duty  of  what  I  owed  to  liim  who,  in  his  love,  had  sacrificed 
all  for  me,  overpowered  every  other  consideration.  My  mind 
was  made  up. 

Father  Rush's  letter  was  little  more  than  a  recapitulation  of 
the  Count's.  Debt,  distress,  sickness,  and  the  heart-burnings  of 
altered  fortunes  filled  it,  and,  when  I  closed  it,  I  felt  like  one 
over  all  whose  views  in  life  a  dark  and  ill-omened  cloud  was 
closing  forever.  Webber's  I  could  not  read  ;  the  light  and 
cheerful  raillery  of  a  friend  would  have  seemed,  at  such  a  time, 
like  the  cold,  unfeeling  sarcasm  of  an  enemy.  I  sat  down  at 
last  to  write  to  the  General,  enclosing  my  application  for  leave, 
and  begging  of  him  to  forward  it,  with  a  favorable  recommenda- 
tion, to  head-quarters. 

This  done,  I  lay  down  upon  my  bed,  and,  overcome  by 
fatigue  and  fretting,  fell  asleep  to  dream  of  my  home  and 
those  I  had  left  there,  which,  strangely,  too,  were  presented  to 
my  mind  with  all  the  happy  features  that  made  them  so  dear  to 
my  infancy. 


'CHAPTER  CI. 

THE   TRENCHES. 


"  I  HAVE  not  had  time,  O'Mallcy,  to  think  of  your  applica- 
tion," said  Craufurd,  "nor  is  it  likely  1  can,  for  a  day  or  two. 


;^84  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

Read  that.'*     So  saying,  he  pushed  towards  me  a  note,  written 
in  pencil,  which  ran  thus  : — 

"  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  Dec.  i8. 
"  Dear  C, 

"  Fletcher  tells  me  that  the  breaches  will  be  practicable  by  to- 
morrow evening,  and  I  think  so  myself.  Come  over,  then,  at  once,  for  we 
shall  not  lose  any  time. 

"  Yours, 

"  W." 

*'  I  have  some  despatches  for  your  regiment,  but  if  you  prefer 
coming  along  with  me " 

"  My  dear  General,  dare  I  ask  for  such  a  favor?" 

"  Well,  come  along ;  only  remember  that,  although  my  di- 
vision will  be  engaged,  I  cannot  promise  you  anything  to  do; 
so  now,  get  your  horses  ready  ;  let's  away." 

It  was  in  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  that  we  rode  into 
the  large  plain  before  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  and  in  which  the  allied 
armies  were  now  assembled  to  the  number  of  twelve  thousand 
men.  The  loud  booming  of  the  siege  artillery  had  been  heard 
by  me  for  some  hours  before  ;  but  notwithstanding  this  prelude 
and  my  own  high-wrought  expectations,  I  was  far  from  antici- 
pating the  magnificent  spectacle  which  burst  upon  my  astonished 
view.  The  air  was  calm  and  still  ;  a  clear  blue  wintry  sky 
stretched  overhead,  but,  below,  the  dense  blue  smoke  of  the 
deafening  guns  rolled  in  mighty  volumes  along  the  earth,  and 
entirely  concealed  the  lower  part  of  the  fortress  ;  above  this 
the  tall  towers  and  battlemented  parapets  rose  into  the  thin 
transparent  sky  like  fairy  palaces.  A  bright  flash  of  flame 
would  now  and  then  burst  forth  from  the  walls,  and  a  clanging 
crash  of  the  brass  metal  be  heard ;  but-  the  unceasing  roll  of 
our  artillery  nearly  drowned  all  other  sounds,  save  when  a  loud 
cheer  would  burst  from  the  trenches  ;  while  the  clattering  fall 
of  masonry,  and  the  crumbling  stones  as  they  rolled  down, 
bespoke  the  reason  of  the  cry.  The  utmost  activity  prevailed 
on    all   sides :   troops  pressed  forward   to  the  reliefs  in  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  785 

parallels ;  ammunition  wagons  moved  to  the  front ;  general 
and  staff  ofifiicers  rode  furiously  about  the  plain  ;  and  all  be- 
tokened that  the  hour  of  attack  was  no  longer  far  distant. 

While  all  parties  were  anxiously  awaiting  the  decision  of  our 
chief,  the  general  order  was  made  known,  which,  after  briefly 
detailing  the  necessary  arrangements,  concluded  with  the  em- 
phatic words,  "  Ciudad  Rodrigo  must  be  stormed  to-night." 
All  speculation  as  to  the  troops  to  be  engaged  in  this  daring  en- 
terprise was  soon  at  an  end  ;  for,  with  his  characteristic  sense  of 
duty.  Lord  Wellington  made  no  invidious  selection,  but  merely 
commanded  that  the  attack  should  be  made  by  whatever  divis- 
ions might  chance  to  be  that  day  in  the  trenches.  Upon  the 
third  and  light  divisions,  therefore,  this  glorious  task  devolved. 
The  former  was  to  attack  the  main  breach ;  to  Craufurd's 
division  was  assigned  the,  if  possible,  more  difficult  enterprise 
of  carrying  the  lesser  one  ;  while  Pack's  Portuguese  brigade 
were  to  menace  the  convent  of  La  Caridad  by  a  feint  attack, 
to  be  converted  into  a  real  one,  if  circumstances  should 
permit. 

The  decision,  however  matured  and  comprehensive  in  all  its 
details,  was  finally  adopted  so  suddenly  that  every  staff  officer 
upon  the  ground  was  actively  engaged  during  the  entire  evening 
in  conveying  the  orders  to  the  different  regiments.  As  the  day 
drew  to  a  close,  the  cannonade  slackened  on  either  side,  a 
solitary  gun  would  be  heard  at  intervals,  and,  in  the  calm  still- 
ness around,  its  booming  thunder  re-echoed  along  the  valleys 
of  the  Sierra;  but,  as  the  moon  rose  and  night  set  in,  these 
were  no  longer  heard,  and  a  perfect  stillness  and  tranquillity 
prevailed  around.  Even  in  the  trenches,  crowded  with  armed 
and  anxious  soldiers,  not  a  whisper  was  heard  ;  and,  amid  that 
mighty  host  which  filled  the  plain,  the  tramp  of  a  patrol  could 
be  distinctly  noted,  and  the  hoarse  voice  of  the  French  sentry 
upon  the  walls,  telling  that  all  was  well  in  Ciudad  Rodrigo. 

The  massive  fortress,  looming  larger  as  its  dark  shadow  stood 
out  from  the  sky,  was  still  as  the  grave  ;  while  in  the  greater 
30 


786  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

breach  a  faint  light  was  seen  to  twinkle  for  a  moment,  and 
then  suddenly  to  disappear,  leaving  all  gloomy  and  dark  as 
before. 

Having  been  sent  with  orders  to  the  third  division,  of  which 
the  Eighty-eighth  formed  a  part,  I  took  the  opportunity  of 
finding  out  O'Shaughnessy,  who  was  himself  to  lead  an  es- 
calade party  in  M'Kinnon's  brigade.  He  sprang  towards  me 
as  I  came  forward,  and,  grasping  my  hand  with  a  more  than 
usual  earnestness,  called  out,  "  The  very  man  I  wanted ! 
Charley,  my  boy,  do  us  a  service  now!  " 

Before  I  could  reply,  he  continued  in  a  lower  tone,  "  A  young 
fellow  of  ours,  Harry  Beauclerc,  has  been  badly  wounded  in 
the  trenches,  but  by  some  blunder,  his  injury  is  reported  as  a 
slight  one,  and  although  the  poor  fellow  can  scarcely  stand,  he 
insists  upon  going  with  the  stormers." 

"  Come  here.  Major !  "  come  here  !  "  cried  a  voice  at  a  little 
distance. 

"  Follow  me,  O'Malley,"  cried  O'Shaughnessy,  moving  in  the 
direction  of  the  speaker. 

By  the  light  of  a  lantern  we  could  descry  two  officers  kneel- 
ing upon  the  ground  ;  between  them  on  the  grass  lay  the  figure 
of  a  third,  upon  whose  features,  as  the  pale  light  fell,  the  hand 
of  death  seemed  rapidly  stealing.  A  slight  froth,  tinged  with 
blood,  rested  on  his  lip,  and  the  florid  blood,  which  stained 
the  buff  facing  of  his  uniform,  indicated  that  his  wound  was 
through  the  lungs. 

"  He  has  fainted,"  said  one  of  the  officers,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Are  you  certain  it  is  fainting .-'  "  said  the  other,  in  a  still 
lower. 

"  You  see  how  it  is,  Charley,"  said  O'Shaughnessy  ;  "  this 
poor  boy  must  be  carried  to  the  rear.  Will  you  then,  like  a 
kind  fellow,  hasten  back  to  Colonel  Campbell  and  mention  the 
fact.  It  will  kill  Beauclerc,  should  any  doubt  rest  upon  his 
conduct,  if  he  ever  recover  this." 

While  he  spoke,   four  soldiers  of  the  regiment  placed  the 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOOAK  787 

Wounded  officer  in  a  blanket.  A  long  sigh  escaped  him,  and 
he  muttered  a  few  broken  words. 

"  Poor  fellow  !  it's  his  mother  he's  talking  of.  He  only  joined 
a  month  since,  and  is  a  mere  boy.  Come,  O'Malley,  lose  no 
time.  By  Jove  !  it  is  too  late,  there  goes  the  first  rocket  for  the 
columns  to  form.  In  ten  minutes  more  the  stormers  must  fall 
in." 

"  What's  the  matter,  Giles  .'' "  said  he  to  one  of  the  officers, 
who  had  stopped  the  soldiers  as  they  were  moving  off  with 
their  burden  ;  "  what  is  it  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  cutting  the  white  tape  off  his  arm ;  for, 
if  he  sees  it  on  waking,  he'll  remember  all  about  the  storm- 
ing." 

"  Quite  right — thoughtfully  done  !  "  said  the  other  ;  "  but 
who  is  to  lead  his  fellows  ?     He  was  in  the  forlorn  hope.'' 

"I'll  do  it,"  cried  I,  with  eagerness.  "Come,  O'Shaugh- 
nessy,  you'll  not  refuse  me." 

"  Refuse  you,  boy  !  "  said  he,  grasping  my  hand  within  both 
of  his,  "  never  !  But  you  must  change  your  coat.  The  gallant 
Eighty-eighth  will  never  mistake  their  countryman's  voice. 
But  your  uniform  would  be  devilish  likely  to  get  you  a  bayonet 
through  it;  so  come  back  with  me,  and  we'll  make  you  a 
Ranger  in  no  time." 

"  I  can  give  your  friend  a  cap." 

"  And  I,"  said  the  other,  "  a  brandy  flask,  which,  after  all,  is 
not  the  worst  part  of  a  storming  equipage." 

"I  hope,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  "they  may  find  Maurice  in 
the  rear.     Beauclerc's  all  safe  in  his  hands." 

"  That  they'll  not,"  said  Giles,  "  you  may  swear.  Quill  is 
this  moment  in  the  trenches,  and  will  not  be  the  last  man  at 
the  breach." 

"  Follow  me  now,  lads,"  said  O'Shaughnessy,  in  a  low  voice. 
"Our  fellows  are  at  the  angle  of  this  trench.  Who  the  deuce 
can  that  be,  talking  so  loud  ?  " 

"  It  must  be  Maurice,"  said  Giles. 


y88  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

The  question  was  soon  decided  by  the  Doctor  himself,  who 
appeared  giving  directions  to  his  hospital-sergeant. 

"  Yes,  Peter,  take  the  tools  up  to  a  convenient  spot  near  the 
breach.  There's  many  a  snug  corner  there  in  the  ruins ;  and, 
although  we  mayn't  have  as  good  an  operation-room  as  in  old 
'  Steevens's,'  yet  we'll  beat  them  hollow  in  cases." 

"  Listen  to  the  fellow,"  said  Giles,  with  a  shudder.  "  The 
thought  of  his  confounded  thumbscrews  and  tourniquets  is 
worse  to  me  than  a  French  howitzer." 

"The  devil  a  kinder-hearted  fellow  than  Maurice,"  said 
O'Shaughnessy,  "  for  all  that ;  and  if  his  heart  was  to  be  known 
this  moment,  he'd  rather  handle  a  sword  than  a  saw." 

"True  for  you,  Dennis,"  said  Quill,  overhearing  him  ;  "  but 
we  are  both  useful  in  our  way,  as  the  hangman  said  to  Lord 
Clare." 

"  But  should  you  not  be  in  the  rear,  Maurice  .?  "  said  L 

"  You  are  right,  O'Malley,"  said  he,  in  a  whisper  ;  "  but,  you 
see,  I  owe  the  Cork  Insurance  Company  a  spite  for  making  me 
pay  a  gout  premium,  and  that's  the  reason  I'm  here.  I  warned 
them  at  the  time  that  their  stinginess  would  come  to  no  good." 

"  I  say,  Captain  O'Malley,"  said  Giles,  "  I  find  I  can't  be  as 
good  as  my  word  with  you  ;  my  servant  has  moved  to  the  rear 
with  all  my  traps." 

"  What  is  to  be  done  ? "  said  I. 

"  Is  it  shaving  utensils  you  want  ?  "  said  Maurice.  "  Would 
a  scalpel  serve  your  turn  ?" 

"  No,  Doctor,  I'm  going  to  take  a  turn  of  duty  with  your 
fellows  to-night." 

"  In  the  breach — with  the  stormers  ?  " 

"  With  the  forlorn  hope,"  said  O'Shaughnessy.  "  Beauclerc 
is  so  badly  wounded  that  we've  sent  him  back  ;  and  Charley, 
like  a  good  fellow,  has  taken  his  place." 

"  Martin  told  me,"  said  Maurice,  "  that  Beauclerc  was  only 
stunned  ;  but,  upon  my  conscience,  the  hospital-mates,  now-a- 
days,  are  no  better  than  the  watchmakers  ;  they  can't  tell  what's 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  789 

wrong  with  the  instrument  till  they  pick  it  to  pieces.  Whiz  ! 
there  goes  a  blue  light." 

"  Move  on,  move  on,"  whispered  O'Shaughnessy  :  "  they're 
telling  off  the  storraers.     That  rocket  is  the  order  to  fall  in." 

"  But  what  am  I  to  do  for  a  coat .-' " 

"  Take  mine,  my  boy,"  said  Maurice,  throwing  off  an  upper 
garment  of  coarse  gray  freize  as  he  spoke. 

"  There's  a  neat  bit  of  uniform,"  continued  he,  turning  him- 
self round  for  our  admiration  ;  "  don't  I  look  mighty  like  the 
pictures  of  George  the  First  at  the  battle  of  Dettingen  .-' " 

A  burst  of  approving  laughter  was  our  only  answer  to  this 
speech,  while  Maurice  proceeded  to  denude  himself  of  his  most 
extraordinary  garment. 

"  What,  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  is  it  ? "  said  I. 

"  Don't  despise  it,  Charley  ;  it  knows  the  smell  of  gunpowder 
as  well  as  any  bit  of  scarlet  in  the  service  ;  "  while  he  added, 
in  a  whisper,  "  it's  the  ould  Roscommon  Yeomanry.  My  uncle 
commanded  them  in  the  year  '42,  and  this  was  his  coat.  I  don't 
mean  to  say  that  it  was  new  then  ;  for  you  see  it's  a  kind  oi 
heirloom  in  the  Quill  family ;  and  it's  not  every  one  I'd  be  giv- 
ing it  to." 

"  A  thousand  thanks,  Maurice,"  said  I,  as  I  buttoned  it  on, 
amid  an  ill-suppressed  titter  of  laughter. 

"  It  fits  you  like  a  sentry-box,"  said  Maurice,  as  he  surveyed 
me  with  a  lantern.  "  The  skirts  separate  behind  in  the  most 
picturesque  manner  ;  and  when  you  button  the  collar,  it  will 
keep  your  head  up  so  higli,  tiiat  the  devil  a  bit  you'll  see  except 
the  blessed  moon.  It's  a  thousand  pities  you  haven't  the  three- 
cocked  hat,  with  the  fiatlier  trimming.  If  you  wouldn't  frighten 
the  French,  my  name's  not  Maurice.  Turn  about  here  till 
1  admire  you.  If  you  only  saw  yourself  in  a  glass,  you'd  never 
join  the  dragoons  again.  And  luok  now,  d<jn'l  be  exposing 
yourself,  for  I  wouldn't  have  those  blue  facings  destroyed  for  a 
week's   pay." 

"  .\h  then,  it's  yourself  is  the  darling,  Doctor  dear  1  "  said  a 


790  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

voice  behind  me.  I  turned  round  :  it  was  Mickey  Free,  who 
was  standing  with  a  most  profound  admiration  of  Maurice 
beaming  in  every  feature  of  his  face.  "  It's  yourself  has  a  joke 
for  every  hour  o'  the  day." 

"  Get  to  the  rear,  Mike — get  to  the  rear  with  the  cattle; 
this  is  no  place  for  you  or  them." 

"  Good-night,  Mickey,"  said  Maurice. 

"  Good-night,  your  honor,"  muttered  Mike  to  himself;  "  may 
I  never  die  till  you  set  a  leg  for  me." 

"  Are  you  dressed  for  the  ball  ?  "  said  Maurice,  fastening  the 
white  tape  upon  my  arm.  "  There  now,  my  boy,  move  on,  for 
I  think  I  hear  Picton's  voice  ;  not  that  it  signifies  now,  for  he's 
always  in  a  heavenly  temper  when  any  one's  going  to  be  killed. 
I'm  sure  he'd  behave  like  an  angel,  if  he  only  knew  the  ground 
was  mined  under  his  feet." 

"  Charley — Charley  ! "  called  out  O'Shaughnessy,  in  a  sup- 
pressed voice,  "  come  up  quickly." 

"  No.  24,  John  Forbes — here  !     Edward  Gillespie — here  !  " 

"  Who  leads  this  party.  Major  O'Shaughnessy  ?" 

"  Mr.  Beauclerc,  sir,"  replied  O'Shaughnessy,  pushing  me 
forward  by  the  arm  while  he  spoke. 

"  Keep  your  people  together,  sir  ;  spare  the  powder,  and 
trust  to  your  cold  iron."  He  grasped  my  hand  within  his  iron 
grip,  and  rode  on. 

"  Who  was  it,  Dennis  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Don't  you  know  him,  Charley  ?     That  was  Picton." 


CHAPTER  CII. 

THE  STORMING  OF  CIUDAD  RODRIGO. 

Whatever  the  levity  of  the  previous  moment,  the  scene  be- 
fore us  now  repressed  it  effectually.  The  deep-toned  bell  of 
the  cathedral  tolled  seven,  and  scarcely  were   its  notes  dying 


THE  IRISH  DRACO  ON.  7  9 1 

away  in  the  distance,  when  the  march  of  the  columns  was 
heard  steaUng  along  the  ground.  A  low  murmuring  whisper 
ran  along  the  advanced  files  of  the  forlorn  hope  ;  stocks  were 
loosened,  packs  and  knapsacks  thrown  to  the  ground  ;  each 
man  pressed  his  cap  more  firmly  down  upon  his  brow,  and, 
with  lip  compressed  and  steadfast  eye,  waited  for  the  word  to 
move. 

It  came  at  last :  the  word  "  March  !  "  passed  in  whispers  from 
rank  to  rank,  and  the  dark  mass  moved  on.  What  a  moment 
was  that,  as  we  advanced  to  the  foot  of  the  breach  !  The  con- 
sciousness that,  at  the  same  instant,  from  different  points  of 
that  vast  plain,  similar  parties  were  moving  on  ;  the  feeling  that, 
at  a  word,  the  flame  of  the  artillery  and  the  flash  of  steel  would 
spring  from  that  dense  cloud,  and  death  and  carnage,  in  every 
shape  our  imagination  can  conceive,  be  dealt  on  all  sides  ;  the 
hurried,  fitful  thought  of  home  ;  the  years  long  past,  compressed 
into  one  minute's  space  ;  the  last  adieu  of  all  we've  loved, 
mingling  with  the  muttered  prayer  to  Heaven,  while,  high  above 
all,  the  deep  pervading  sense  that  earth  has  no  temptation 
strong  enough  to  turn  us  from  that  path  whose  ending  must 
be  a  sepulchre  ! 

Each  heart  was  too  full  for  words.  We  followed  noiselessly 
along  the  turf,  the  dark  figure  of  our  leader  guiding  us  through 
the  gloom.  On  arriving  at  the  ditch,  the  party  with  the  ladders 
moved  to  the  front.  Already  some  hay-packs  were  thrown  in, 
and  the  forlorn  hope  sprang  forward. 

All  was  still  and  silent  as  the  grave.  "  Quietly,  my  men — 
quietly !  "  said  M'Kinnon  ;  "  don't  press."  Scarcely  had  he 
spoken  when  a  muskel,  whose  charge,  contrary  to  orders,  had 
not  been  drawn,  went  off.  The  whizzing  bullet  could  not  have 
struck  the  wall,  when  suddenly  a  bright  flame  burst  forth  from 
the  ramparts,  and  shot  upwards  towards  the  sky.  For  an  instant 
the  whole  scene  before  us  was  bright  as  noonday.  On  one  side 
the  (lark  ranks  and  glistening  bayonets  of  the  enemy  :    on  the 


792  CHARLES  OWf ALLEY, 

other,  the  red  uniform  of  the  British  columns  ;  compressed  like 
some  solid  wall,  they  stretched  along  the  plain. 

A  deafening  roll  of  musketry  from  the  extreme  right 
announced  that  the  third  division  was  already  in  action,  while 
the  loud  cry  of  our  leader,  as  he  sprang  into  the  trench,  sum- 
moned us  to  the  charge.  The  leading  sections,  not  waiting 
for  the  ladders,  jumped  down,  others  pressing  rapidly  behind 
them,  when  a  loud  rumbling  thunder  crept  along  the  earth,  a 
hissing,  crackling  noise  followed,  and  from  the  dark  ditch  a 
forked  and  livid  lightning  burst  like  the  flame  from  a  volcano, 
and  a  mine  exploded.  Hundreds  of  shells  and  grenades  scat- 
tered along  the  ground  were  ignited  at  the  same  moment ;  the 
air  sparkled  with  the  whizzing  fuses,  the  musketry  plied  inces- 
santly from  the  walls,  and  every  man  of  the  leading  company 
of  the  stormers  was  blown  to  pieces.  While  this  dreadful 
catastrophe  was  enacting  before  our  eyes,  the  different  assaults 
were  made  on  all  sides;  the  whole  fortress  seemed  girt  around 
with  fire.  From  every  part  arose  the  yells  of  triumph  and  the 
shouts  of  the  assailants.  As  for  us,  we  stood  upon  the  verge 
of  the  ditch,  breathless,  hesitating  and  horror-struck.  A  sudden 
darkness  succeeded  to  the  bright  glare,  but  from  the  midst  of 
the  gloom  the  agonizing  cries  of  the  wounded  and  the  dying 
rent  our  very  hearts. 

"  Make  way  there!  make  way  !  here  comes  Mackie's  party," 
cried  an  officer  in  the  front,  and  as  he  spoke  the  forlorn  hope 
of  the  Eighty-eighth  came  forward  at  a  run  ;  jumping  recklessly 
into  the  ditch,  they  made  towards  the  breach  ;  the  supporting 
division  of  stormers  gave  one  inspiring  cheer,  and  sprang  after 
them.  The  rush  was  tremendous  ;  for  scarcely  had  we  reached 
the  crumbling  ruins  of  the  rampart,  when  the  vast  column, 
pressing  on  like  some  mighty  torrent,  bore  down  upon  our  rear. 
Now  commenced  a  scene  to  which  nothing  I  ever  before  con- 
ceived of  war  could  in  any  degree  compare  :  the  whole  ground, 
covered  with  combustibles  of  every  deadly  and  destructive  con- 
trivance, was  rent   open   with  a  crash ;  the  huge  masses  of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  ^93 

masonry  bounded  into  the  air  like  things  of  no  weight ;  the 
ringing  clangor  of  the  iron  howitzers,  the  crackling  of  the  fuses, 
the  blazing  splinters,  the  shouts  of  defiance,  the  more  than  savage 
yell  of  those  in  whose  ranks  alone  the  dead  and  the  dying  were 
numbered,  made  up  a  mass  of  sights  and  sounds  almost  mad- 
dening with  their  excitement.  On  we  struggled  ;  the  muti- 
lated bodies  of  the  leading  files  almost  filling  the  way. 

By  this  time  the  third  division  had  joined  us,  and  the  crush 
of  our  thickening  ranks  was  dreadful ;  every  moment  some  well- 
known  leader  fell  dead  or  mortally  wounded,  and  his  place  was 
supplied  by  some  gallant  fellow  who,  springing  from  the  lead- 
ing files,  would  scarcely  have  uttered  his  cheer  of  encourage- 
ment, ere  he  himself  was  laid  low.  Many  a  voice,  with  whose 
notes  I  was  familiar,  would  break  upon  my  ear  in  tones  of 
heroic  daring,  and  the  next  moment  burst  forth  in  a  death-cry. 
For  above  an  hour  the  frightful  carnage  continued,  fresh  troops 
continually  advancing,  but  scarcely  afoot  of  ground  was  made; 
the  earth  belched  forth  its  volcanic  fires,  and  that  terrible 
barrier  did  no  man  pass.  In  turn  the  bravest  and  the  boldest 
would  leap  into  the  whizzing  flame,  and  the  taunting  cheers  of 
the  enemy  triumphed  in  derision  at  the  effort. 

"  Stormers  to  the  front !  only  the  bayonet  !  trust  to  nothing 
but  the  bayonet !  "  cried  a  voice,  whose  almost  cheerful  accents 
contrasted  strangely  with  the  dead-notes  around,  and  Gurwood, 
who  led  the  forlorn  hope  of  the  Fifty-second,  bounded  into  the 
chasm  ;  all  the  officers  sprang  simultaneously  after  him  ;  the 
men  pressed  madly  on;  a  roll  of  withering  musketry  crashed 
upon  them  ;  a  furious  shout  replied  to  it.  The  British,  spring- 
ing over  the  dead  and  dying,  bounded  like  blood-hounds  on 
their  prey.  Meanwhile,  the  ramparts  trembled  beneath  the 
tramp  of  the  light  division,  who,  having  forced  the  lesser  breach, 
came  down  upon  the  fiank  of  the  French.  The  garrison,  how- 
ever, thickened  their  numbers,  and  bravely  held  their  ground. 
Man  to  man  now  was  the  combat.  No  cry  for  quarter.  No 
supplicating  look  for  mercy  ;  it  was  the  death  struggle  of  ven- 


794  CIJARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

geance  and  despair.  At  this  instant  an  explosion  louder  than 
the  loudest  thunder  shook  the  air ;  the  rent  and  torn  up  ram- 
parts sprang  into  the  sky  ;  the  conquering  and  the  conquered 
were  alike  the  victims  ;  for  one  of  the  greatest  magazines  had 
been  ignited  by  a  shell ;  the  black  smoke,  streaked  with  a  lurid 
flame,  hung  above  the  dead  and  the  dying.  The  artillery  and  the 
murderous  musketry  were  stilled,  paralyzed  as  it  were,  by  the 
ruin  and  devastation  before  them  :  both  sides  stood  leaning 
upon  their  arms ;  the  pause  was  but  momentary  ;  the  cries  of 
wounded  comrades  called  upon  their  hearts.  A  fierce  burst  of 
vengeance  rent  the  air ;  the  British  closed  upon  the  foe  ;  for 
one  instant  they  were  met ;  the  next,  the  bayonets  gleamed 
upon  the  ramparts,  and  Ciudad  Rodrigo  was  won. 


CHAPTER    cm. 

THE   RAMPART. 

While  such  were  the  scenes  passing  around  me,  of  my  own 
part  in  them,  I  absolutely  knew  nothing  ;  for,  until  the  moment 
that  the  glancing  bayonets  of  the  light  division  came  rushing 
on  the  foe,  and  the  loud,  long  cheer  of  victory  burst  above  us, 
I  felt  like  one  in  a  trance.  Then  I  leaned  against  an  angle 
of  the  rampart,  overpowered  and  exhausted  ;  a  bayonet  wound, 
which  some  soldier  of  our  own  ranks  had  given  me  when 
mounting  the  breach,  pained  me  somewhat;  my  uniform  was 
actually  torn  to  rags  ;  my  head  bare  :  of  my  sword,  the  hilt 
and  four  inches  of  the  blade  alone  remained,  while  my  left 
hand  firmly  grasped  the  rammer  of  a  cannon,  but  why  or  where- 
fore I  could  not  even  guess.  As  thus  I  stood,  the  unceasing 
tide  of  soldiery  pressed  on  ;  fresh  divisions  came  pouring  in, 
eager  for  plunder,  and  thirsting  for  the  spoil.  The  dead  and 
the  dying  were  alike  trampled  beneath  the  feet  of  that  remorse- 


THE  iRtSH  DRAGOON  795 

less   mass,  who,  actuated  by  vengeance  and  by  rapine,  sprang 
fiercely  up  the  breach. 

Weak  and  exhausted,  faint  from  my  wound,  and  overcome 
by  my  exertions,  I  sank  among  the  crumbling  ruin.  The  loud 
shouts  which  rose  from  the  town,  mingled  with  cries  and 
screams,  told  the  work  of  pillage  was  begun ;  while  still  a 
dropping  musketry  could  be  heard  on  the  distant  rampart, 
where  even  yet  the  French  made  resistance.  At  last  even 
this  was  hushed,  but  to  it  succeeded  the  far  more  horrifying 
sounds  of  rapine  and  of  murder  ;  the  forked  flames  of  burning 
houses  rose  here  and  there  amid  the  black  darkness  of  the 
night ;  and  through  the  crackling  of  the  timbers,  and  the  falling 
crash  of  roofs,  the  heart-rending  shriek  of  women  rent  the  very 
air.  Officers  pressed  forward,  but  in  vain  were  their  efforts  to 
restrain  their  men — the  savage  cruelty  of  the  moment  knew  no 
bounds  of  restraint.  More  than  one  gallant  fellow  perished  in 
his  fruitless  endeavor  to  enforce  obedience ;  and  the  most 
awful  denunciations  were  now  uttered  against  those  before 
whom,  at  any  other  time,  they  dared  not  mutter. 

Thus  passed  the  long  night,  far  more  terrible  to  me  than  all 
the  dangers  of  the  storm  itself,  with  all  its  death  and  de- 
struction dealing  around  it.  I  know  not  if  I  slept :  if  so,  the  hor- 
rors on  every  side  were  pictured  in  my  dreams  ;  and,  when  the 
gray  dawn  was  breaking,  the  cries  from  the  doomed  city  were 
still  ringing  in  my  ears.  Close  around  me  the  scene  was  still 
and  silent  ;  the  wounded  had  been  removed  during  the  night, 
but  the  thickly-packed  dead  lay  side  by  side  where  they  fell. 
It  was  a  fearful  sight  to  see  them  as,  blood-stained  and  naked 
(for  already  the  camp-followers  had  stripped  the  bodies),  they 
covered  the  entire  breach.  From  the  rampart  to  the  ditch,  the 
ranks  lay  where  they  had  stood  in  Ufe.  A  faint  phosphoric 
flame  flickered  above  their  ghastly  corpses,  making  even  death 
still  more  horril^le.  I  was  gazing  steadfastly,  with  all  that 
stupid  intensity  wliicli  imperfect  senses  and  exhausted  faculties 
possess,  when  the  sound  of  voices  near  aroused  me. 


796  CHARLES  O^M ALLEY, 

"  Bring  him  along — this  way,  Bob.  Over  the  breach  with  the 
scoundrel,  into  the  fosse." 

"  He  shall  die  no  soldier's  death,  by  Heaven  ! "  cried 
another  and  a  deeper  voice,  "  if  I  lay  his  skull  open  with 
my  axe." 

"  Oh,  mercy,  mercy  !  as  you  hope  for " 

"  Traitor  !  don't  dare  to  mutter  here  !  "  As  the  last  words 
were  spoken,  four  infantry  soldiers,  reeling  from  drunkenness, 
dragged  forward  a  pale  and  haggard  wretch,  whose  limbs 
trailed  behind  him  like  those  of  palsy  ;  his  uniform  was  that 
of  a  French  chasseur,  but  his  voice  bespoke  him  English. 

"  Kneel  down  there,  and  die  like  a  man  !  You  were  one 
once  ! " 

"  Not  so,  Bill :  never.  Fix  bayonets,  boys  !  That's  right ! 
Now  take  the  word  from  me." 

"  Oh,  forgive  me  !  for  the  love  of  Heaven,  forgive  me  !  " 
screamed  the  voice  of  the  victim  ;  but  his  last  accents  ended  in 
a  death-cry,  for,  as  he  spoke,  the  bayonets  flashed  for  an  in- 
stant in  the  air,  and  the  next  were  plunged  into  his  body. 
Twice  I  had  essayed  to  speak,  but  my  voice,  hoarse  from  shout- 
ing, came  not ;  and  I  could  but  look  upon  this  terrible  murder 
with  staring  eyes  and  burning  brain.  At  last  speech  came,  as 
if  wrested  by  the  very  excess  of  my  agony,  and  I  muttered 
aloud,  "  O  God  !  "  The  words  were  not  well-spoken,  when  the 
muskets  were  brought  to  the  shoulders,  and,  reeking  with 
the  blood  of  the  murdered  man,  their  savage  faces  scowled  at 
me  as  I  lay. 

A  short  and  heartfelt  prayer  burst  from  my  lips,  and  I  was 
still.  The  leader  of  the  party  called  out,  "  Be  steady !  and 
together.  One,  two  !  Ground  arms,  boys  !  Ground  arms  !  " 
roared  he,  in  a  voice  of  thunder;  "  it's  the  Captain  himself!  " 
Down  went  the  muskets  with  a  crash  ;  while,  springing  towards 
me,  the  fellows  caught  me  in  their  arms,  and  with  one  jerk 
mounted  me  upon  their  shoulders,  the  cheer  that  accompanied 
the  sudden  movement  seeming  like  the  yell  of  maniacs.     "  Ha, 


THE  IRISH  dragoon:  797 

ha,  ha  !  we  have  him  now  !  "  sang  their  wild  voices,  as,  with 
blood-stained  hands  and  infuriated  features,  they  bore  me  down 
the  rampart.  My  sensations  of  disgust  and  repugnance  to  the 
party  seemed  at  once  to  have  evidenced  themselves,  for  the 
corporal,  turning  abruptly  round,  called  out — 

"  Don't//Vj'  him,  Captain  ;  the  scoundrel  was  a  deserter ;  he 
escaped  from  the  picket  two  nights  ago,  and  gave  information 
of  all  our  plans  to  the  enemy." 

"  Ay,"  cried  another,  "  and  what's  worse,  he  fired  through  an 
embrasure  near  the  breach,  for  two  hours,  upon  his  own  regi- 
ment.    It  was  there  we  found  him.     This  way,  lads." 

So  saying,  they  turned  short  from  the  walls,  and  dashed 
down  a  dark  and  narrow  lane  into  the  town.  My  struggles  to 
get  free  were  perfectly  ineffectual,  and  to  my  entreaties  they 
were  totally  indifferent. 

In  this  way,  therefore,  we  made  our  entrance  into  the 
Plaza,  where  some  hundred  soldiers,  of  different  regiments, 
were  bivouacked.  A  shout  of  recognition  welcomed  the  fellows 
as  they  came ;  while,  suddenly,  a  party  of  Eighty-eighth  men, 
springing  from  the  ground,  rushed  forward  with  drawn  bay- 
onets, calling  out,  "  Give  him  up  this  minute,  or,  by  the  Father 
of  Moses,  we'll  make  short  work  of  ye  !  " 

The  order  was  made  by  m^n  who  seemed  well  disposed  to 
execute  it  ;  and  I  was  accordingly  grounded  with  a  shock  and 
a  rapidity  that  savored  much  more  of  ready  compliance  than 
any  respect  for  my  individual  comfort.  A  roar  of  laughter 
rang  through  the  motley  mass,  and  every  powder-stained 
face  around  me  seemed  convulsed  with  merriment.  As  I  sat 
passively  upon  the  ground,  looking  ruefully  about,  whether  my 
gestures  or  my  words  heightened  the  absurdity  of  my  appear- 
ance it  is  hard  to  say ;  but  certainly  the  laughter  increased  at 
each  moment,  and  the  drunken  wretches  danced  round  me  in 
ecstasy. 

"  Where  is  your  Major  ?   Major  O'.Shaughnessy,  lads  ?  "  said  I. 

■'  llc'.s  in  the  cliun  h,  with  the  (icncral,  your  honor,"  .said  (he 


798  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

sergeant  of  the  regiment ;  upon  whom  the  mention  of  his  offi- 
cer's name  seemed  at  once  to  have  a  sobering  influence.  Assist- 
ing me  to  rise  (for  I  was  weak  as  a  child),  he  led  me  through 
the  dense  crowd,  who,  such  is  the  influence  of  example,  now 
formed  into  line,  and,  as  well  as  their  state  permitted,  gave  me 
a  military  salute  as  I  passed.  "  Follow  me,  sir,"  said  the 
sergeant ;  "  this  little  dark  street  to  the  left  will  take  us  to  the 
private  door  of  the  chapel." 

"  Wherefore  are  they  there,  sergeant .-'  " 

"  There's  a  general  of  division  mortally  wounded." 

"  You  did  not  hear  his  name  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.  All  I  know  is,  he  was  one  of  the  storming  party 
at  the  lesser  breach." 

A  cold,  sickening  shudder  came  over  me ;  I  durst  not  ask 
further,  but  pressed  on  with  anxious  steps  towards  the 
chapel. 

"  There,  sir,  yonder,  where  you  see  the  light.  That's  the 
door." 

So  saying,  the  sergeant  stopped  suddenly,  and  placed  his 
hand  to  his  cap.  I  saw  at  once  that  he  was  sufficiently  aware 
of  his  condition  not  to  desire  to  appear  before  his  officers  : 
so,  hurriedly  thanking   him,  I  walked  forward. 

"  Halt,  there  !  and  give  the  countersign,"  cried  a  sentinel, 
who  with  fixed  bayonet  stood  before  the  door. 

"  I  am  an  officer,"  said  I,  endeavoring  to  pass  in. 

"  Stand  bock,  stand  bock !  "  said  the  harsh  voice  of  the 
Highlander,  for  such  he  was. 

"  Is  Major  O'Shaughnessy  in  the  church  ?  " 

"  I  dinna  ken,"  was  the  short,  rough  answer. 

"Who  is  the  officer  so  badly  wounded?" 

"  I  dinna  ken,"  repeated  he,  as  gruffly  as  before  ;  while  he 
added,  in  a  louder  key,  "  Stand  bock,  I  tell  ye,  man  !  Dinna 
ye  see  the  staff  coming  ?  " 

I  turned  round  hastily,  and  at  the  same  instant  several  of- 
ficefSj  who  apparently  from  precaution  had  dismounted  at  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  799 

end  of  the  street,  were  seen  approaching.  They  came  hurriedly 
forward,  but  without  speaking.  He  who  was  in  advance  of  the 
party  wore  a  short,  blue  cape,  over  an  undress  uniform.  The 
rest  were  in  full  regimentals.  I  had  scarcely  time  to  throw  a 
passing  glance  upon  him,  when  the  officer  I  have  mentioned  as 
coming  first,  called  out  in  a  stern  voice, — 

"  Who  are  you,  sir  ?  " 

I  started  at  the  sounds  :  it  was  not  the  first  time  those  ac- 
cents had  been  heard  by  me. 

"Captain  0'AIalley,f'ourteenth  Light  Dragoons." 

"  What  brings  you  here,   sir  ?     Your  regiment  is  at  Caya." 

"  I  have  been  employed  as  acting  aide-de-camp  to  General 
Craufurd,"  said  I,  hesitatingly. 

*'  Is  that  your  staff  uniform  ?  "  said  he,  as  with  compressed 
brow  and  stern  look  he  fixed  his  eyes  upon  my  coat.  Before 
I  had  time  to  reply,  or,  indeed,  before  I  well  knew  how  to  do 
so,  a  gruff  voice  from  behind  called  out, — 

"  Damn  me  !  if  that  ain't  the  fellow  that  led  the  stormers 
through  a  broken  embrasure !  I  say,  my  Lord,  that's  the 
yeoman  I  was  telling  you  of.  Is  it  not  so,  sir  ?  "  continued  he, 
turning  towards  me. 

"  Yes,  sir.     I  led  a  party  of  the  Eighty-eighth  at  the  breach." 

"  And  devilish  well  you  did  it,  too  !  "  added  Picton,  for  it  was 
he  who  recognized  me.  "I  saw  him,  my  Lord,  spring  down 
from  the  parapet  upon  a  French  gunner,  and  break  his  sword 
as  he  cleft  his  helmet  in  two.  Yes,  yes ;  I  shall  not  forget  in 
a  hurry  how  you  laid  about  you  with  the  rammer  of  the  gun  ! 
By  Jove!  that's  it  he  has  in  his  hand  !  " 

While  Picton  ran  thus  hurriedly  on,  Lord  Wellington's  calm 
but  stern  features  never  changed  their  expression.  The  looks 
of  liiosc  around  were  bent  upon  nic  witli  interest  and  even  ad- 
miration ;   but  his  evinced  nothing  of  either. 

Reverting  at  once  to  my  absence  from  my  post,  he  asked 
me, — 

"  Did  you  (jbtain  leave  for  a  particular  service,  sir  ,''  " 


Soo  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"■  No,  my  Lord.  It  was  simply  from  an  accidental  circum- 
stance that '' 

"  Then,  report  yourself  at  your  quarters  as  under  arrest." 

"  But,   my  Lord,"  said  Picton Lord  Wellington  waited 

not  for  the  explanation,  but  walked  firmly  forward,  and  strode 
into  the  church.  The  staff  followed  in  silence,  Picton  turning 
one  look  of  kindness  on  me  as  he  went,  as  though  to  say,  "  I'll 
not  forget  you." 

"  The  devil  take  it,"  cried  I ,  as  I  found  myself  once  more 
alone,  "  but  I'm  unlucky.  What  would  turn  out  with  other  men 
the  very  basis  of  their  fortune,  is  ever  with  me  the  source  of  ill 
luck." 

It  was  evident,  from  Picton's  account,  that  I  had  distin- 
guished myself  in  the  breach  ;  and  yet,  nothing  was  more  clear 
than  that  my  conduct  had  displeased  the  Commander-in-Chief. 
Picturing  him  ever  to  my  mind's  eye  as  the  l>eau  ideal  of  a  mili- 
tary leader,  by  some  fatality  of  fortune  I  was  continually  incur- 
ring his  displeasure,  for  whose  praise  I  would  have  risked  my 
life.  "  And  this  confounded  costume — what  in  the  name  of 
every  absurdity,  could  have  ever  persuaded  me  to  put  it  on. 
What  signifies  it,  though  a  man  should  cover  himself  with 
glory,  if  in  the  end  he  is  to  be  laughed  at  1  Well,  well,  it 
matters  not  much  ;  now  my  soldiering's  over !  And  yet  I 
could  have  wished  that  the  last  act  of  my  campaigning  had 
brought  with  it  pleasanter  recollections." 

As  thus  I  ruminated,  the  click  of  the  soldier's  musket  near 
aroused  me  :  Picton  was  passing  out.  A  shade  of  gloom  and 
depression  was  visible  upon  his  features,  and  his  lip  trembled 
as  he  muttered  some  sentences  to  himself. 

"  Ha  !  Captain — I  forget  the  name.  Yes- — Captain  O'Mal- 
ley ;  you  are  released  from  arrest.  General  Craufurd  has  spoken 
very  well  of  you,  and  Lord  Wellington  has  heard  the  circum- 
stances of  your  case." 

"  Is  it  General  Craufurd,  then,  that  is  wounded,  sir  ?  "•  said 
I,  eagerly. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  80 1 

Picton  paused  for  a  moment,  while,  with  an  effort,  he  con- 
trolled his  features  into  their  stern  and  impassive  expression, 
then  added  hurriedly  and  almost  harshly: — 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  badly  wounded,  through  the  arm,  and  in  the 
lung.  He  mentioned  you  to  the  notice  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  and  your  application  for  leave  is  granted.  In  fact,  you 
are  to  have  the  distinguished  honor  of  carrying  back  de- 
spatches.    There,  now ;  you  had  better  join  your  brigade." 

"  Could  I  not  see  my  General  once  more  "i  It  may  be  for 
the  last  time." 

"  No,  sir  !  "  sternly  replied  Picton.  "  Lord  Wellington  be- 
lieves you  under  arrest.  It  is  as  well  he  should  suppose  you 
obeyed  his  orders." 

There  was  a  tone  of  sarcasm  in  these  words  that  prevented 
my  reply;  and,  muttering  my  gratitude  for  his  well-timed  and 
kindly  interference  in  my  behalf,  I  bowed  deeply  and  turned 
away. 

"  I  say,  sir  !  "  said  Picton,  as  he  returned  towards  the  church, 
"  should  anything  befall — that  is,  if,  unfortunately,  circum- 
stances should  make  you  in  want  and  desirous  of  a  staff  ap- 
pointment, remember  that  you  are  known  to  General  Picton." 

Downcast  and  depressed  by  the  news  of  my  poor  General, 
1  wended  my  way,  with  slow  and  uncertain  steps,  towards  the 
rampart.  A  clear,  cold,  wintry  sky,  and  a  sharp,  bracing  air, 
made  my  wound,  slight  as  it  was,  more  painful,  and  I 
endeavored  to  reach  the  reserves,  where  I  knew  the  hospital- 
staff  had  established,  for  the  present,  their  quarters.  I  had  not 
gone  far  when,  from  a  marauding  party,  1  learned  that  my  man. 
Mike,  was  in  search  of  me  through  the  plain.  A  report  of  my 
death  had  reached  him,  and  the  poor  fellow  was  half  dis- 
tracted. 

Longing  an.xiously  to  allay  his  fears  on  my  account,  which  I 
well  knew  might  lead  iiiiu  into  any  act  of  folly  or  insanity,  J 
pressed  forward;  besides — sh;ill  1  confess  it? — amid  the  mani- 
fold thoughts  of  sorrow  and  affliction  which  weighed  me  down, 
5' 


8o2  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

I  could  not  divest  myself  of  the  feeling  that,  so  long  as  I  wore 
my  present  absurd  costume,  I  could  be  nothing  but  an  object 
of  laughter  and  ridicule  to  all  who  met  me. 

I  had  not  long  to  look  for  my  worthy  follower,  for  I  soon 
beheld  him  cantering  about  the  plain.  A  loud  shout  brought 
him  beside  me ;  and  truly  the  poor  fellow's  delight  was  great 
and  sincere.  With  a  thousand  protestations  of  his  satisfaction, 
and  reiterated  assurances  of  what  he  would  not  have  done  to 
the  French  prisoners  if  anything  had  happened  me,  we  took 
our  way  together  towards  the  camp. 


CHAPTER  CIV. 

THE   DESPATCH. 

I  WAS  preparing  to  visit  the  town  on  the  following  morning, 
when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  a  dialogue  which  took  place 
beneath  my  window. 

"  I  say,  my  good  friend,"  cried  a  mounted  orderly  to  Mike, 
who  was  busily  employed  in  brushing  a  jacket—"  I  say,  are  you 
Captain  O'Malley's  man  ?  " 

"  The  least  taste  in  life  o'  that  same,"  replied  he,  with  a  half 
jocular  expression. 

"  Well,  then,"  said  the  other,  "  take  up  these  letters  to  your 
master.  Be  alive,  my  fine  fellow,  for  they  are  despatches, 
and  I  must  have  a  written  return  for  them." 

"  Won't  ye  get  off,  and  take  a  drop  of  somethin'  refreshing ; 
the  air  is  cowld  this  morning." 

"  I  can't  stay,  my  good  friend,  but  thank  you  all  the  same  ; 
so  be  alive,  will  you  ? " 

"  Arrah  !  there's  no  hurry  in  life.  Sure,  it's  an  invitation  to 
dinner  to  Lord  Wellington,  or  a  tea-party  at  Sir  Denny's  ;  sure, 
my  master's  bothered  with  them  every  day  o'  th'  w^ek ;  that' § 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  803 

the  misfortune  of  being  an  agreeable  creature  ;  and  I'd  be  led 
into  dissipation  myself,  if  I  wasn't  rear'd  prudent." 

"  Well,  come  along,  take  these  letters,  for  1  must  be  off ;  my 
time  is  short." 

"  That's  more  nor  your  nose  is,  honey,"  said  Mike,  evidently 
piqued  at  the  little  effect  his  advances  had  produced  upon  the 
Englishman.  "  Give  them  here,"  continued  he,  while  he  turned 
the  various  papers  in  every  direction,  affecting  to  read  their 
addresses. 

"  There's  nothing  for  me  here,  I  see.  Did  none  of  the 
generals  ask  after  me .''  " 

"  You  are  a  queer  one  !  "  said  the  dragoon,  not  a  little  puz- 
zled what  to  make  of  him. 

Mike  meanwhile  thrust  the  papers  carelessly  into  his  pocket, 
and  strode  into  the  house,  whistling  a  quick  step  as  he  went, 
with  the  air  of  a  man  perfectly  devoid  of  care  or  occupation. 
The  next  moment,  however,  he  appeared  at  my  door,  wiping 
his  forehead  with  the  back  of  his  hand,  and  apparently  breath- 
less with  haste. 

"  Despatches,  Mister  Charles — despatches  from  Lord  Wel- 
lington.    The  orderly  is  waiting  below  for  a  return." 

"Tell  him  he  shall  have  it  in  one  moment,"  replied  I. 
"  And  now  bring  me  a  light." 

Before  I  had  broken  the  seal  of  the  envelope,  Mike  was  once 
more  at  the  porch. 

"  My  master  is  writing  a  few  lines  to  say  he'll  do  it.  Don't 
be  talking  of  it,"  added  he,  dropping  his  voice,  "but  they  want 
him  to  take  another  fortress." 

What  turn  the  dialogue  subsequently  took,  I  cannot  say,  for 
I  was  entirely  occupied  by  a  letter  which  accompanied  the  de- 
spatches.    It  ran  as  follows  : — 

"  Dkar  Sir, 

"  The  Commander-in-Chief  has  been  kind  enough  to  accord  you 
the  leave  of  absence  you  applied  for,  and  takes  the  opportunity  of  your 
return  to  England   to  send   you  the  accompanying  letters   for  his  Roya} 


8o4  CHARLES  OWI ALLEY. 

Highness  the  Duke  of  York.  To  his  approval  of  your  conduct  in  the 
assault  last  night  you  owe  this  distinguished  mark  of  Lord  Wellington's 
favor,  which,  I  hope,  will  be  duly  appreciated  by  'you,  and  serve  to 
increase  your  zeal  tor  that  service  in  which  you  have  already  distinguished 
yourself. 

"  Believe  me  that  I  am  most  happy  in  being  made  the  medium  of  this 
communication,  and  have  the  honor  to  be, 

"  Very  truly  yours, 

"  T.   PiCTON. 
"  Quarter-General, 
"Ciudad  Rodrigo,  Jan.  20,  1812." 

I  read  and  re-read  this  note  again  and  again.  Every  line 
was  conned  over  by  me,  and  every  phrase  weighed  and  bal- 
anced in  my  mind.  Nothing  could  be  more  gratifying,  nothing 
more  satisfactory  to  my  feelings  ;  and  I  would  not  have  ex- 
changed its  possession  for  the  brevet  of  a  lieutenant-colonel. 

"  Halloo,  orderly  !  "  cried  I,  from  the  window,  as  I  hurriedly 
sealed  my  few  words  of  acknowledgment,  "  take  this  note 
back  to  General  Picton,  and  here's  a  guinea  for  yourself."  So 
saying,  I  pitched  into  his  ready  hand  one  of  the  very  few  which 
remained  to  me  in  the  world.  "  This  is,  indeed,  good  news  !  " 
said  I  to  myself ;  "  this  is,  indeed,  a  moment  of  unmixed 
happiness  !  " 

As  I  closed  the  window,  I  could  hear  Mike  pronouncing  a 
glowing  eulogium  upon  my  liberality,  from  which  he  could  not, 
however,  help  in  some  degree  detracting,  as  he  added  : — 

"  But  the  devil  thank  him,  after  all  !  sure,  it's  himself  has  the 
illigant  fortune  and  the  fine  place  of  it !  " 

Scarcely  were  the  last  sounds  of  the  retiring  horseman  dying 
away  in  the  distance,  when  Mike's  meditations  took  another 
form,  and  he  muttered  between  his  teeth — "  Oh  !  holy  Agatha  ; 
a  guinea,  a  raal  gold  guinea  to  a  thief  of  a  dragoon  that  come 
with  the  letter,  and  here  am  I  wearing  a  picture  of  the  holy 
family  for  aback  to  my  waistcoat,  all  out  of  economy  ;  and  sure, 
God  knows,  but  maybe  they'll  take  their  dealing  trick  out  of 
me  in  purgatory  for  this  hereafter  ;  and,  faith,  it's  a  beautiful 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  805 

pair  of  breeches  I'd  have  had,  if  I  wasn't  ashamed  to  put  the 
twelve  apostles  on  my  legs." 

While  Mike  ran  on  at  this  rate,  my  eyes  fell  upon  a  few  lines 
of  postscript  in  Picton's  letter,  which  I  had  not  previously 
noticed. 

"  The  official  despatches  of  the  storming  are  of  course 
entrusted  to  senior  officers,  but  I  need  scarcely  remind  you, 
that  it  will  be  a  polite  and  proper  attention  to  his  Royal  High- 
ness, to  present  your  letters  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. 
Not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost  on  your  landing  in  England." 

"  Mike  !  "  cried  I,  "  how  look  the  cattle  for  a  journey  ?  " 

"The  chestnut  is  a  little  low  in  flesh,  but  in  great  wind,  your 
honor  ;  and  the  black  horse  is  jumping  like  a  filly." 

"And  Badger?"  said  I. 

"  Howld  him,  if  you  can,  that's  all ;  but  it's  murthering  work 
this,  carrying  despatches  day  after  day." 

"  This  time,  how'ever,  Mike,  we  must  not  grumble." 

"  Maybe  it  isn't  far  ? " 

"  Why,  as  to  that,  I  shall  not  promise  much.  I'm  bound  for 
England,  Mickey." 

"  For  England  !  " 

"  Yes,  Mike,  and  for  Ireland." 

"  For  Ireland  !  whoop  !  "  shouted  he,  as  he  shied  his  cap  into 
one  corner  of  the  room,  the  jacket  he  was  brushing  into  the 
other,  and  began  dancing  round  the  table  with  no  bad  imitation 
of  an  Indian  war  dance. 

"  How  I'll  dance  like  a  fairy, 
To  see  oiild  Dunleary, 
And  think  twice  ere  I  leave  it  to  be  a  dragoon." 

"  Oh  !  blessed  hour  !  isn't  it  beautiful  to  think  of  the  illumi- 
nations, and  dinners,  and  speeches,  and  shaking  of  hands, 
huzzaing,  and  hip,  hipping.  Maybe  there  won't  be  pictures  of 
us  in  all  the  shops — Mister  Charles  and  his  man  Mister  Free. 
Maybe  they  won't  make  plays  out  of  us  ;  myself  dressed  in  the 
gray  coat  with  the  red  cuffs,  the  cords,  the  tops,  and  the  Caro- 


8o6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

lin^  hat  a  little  cocked,  with  a  phiz  in  the  side  of  it."  Here  he 
made  a  sign  with  his  expanded  fingers  to  represent  a  cockade, 
which  he  designated  by  this  word.  "  I  think  I  see  myself 
dining  with  the  Corporation,  and  the  Lord  Mayor  of  Dublin 
getting  up  to  propose  the  health  of  the  hero  of  El  Bodon,  Mr. 
Free  ;  and  three  times  three,  hurrah  !  hurrah  !  hurrah  !  Musha, 
but  it's  dry  I  am  gettin'  with  the  thoughts  of  the  punch  and  the 
poteen  negus." 

"  If  you  go  on  at  this  rate,  we're  not  likely  to  be  soon  at  our 
journey's  end  ;  so  be  alive  now  ;  pack  up  my  kit ;  I  shall  start 
by  twelve  o'clock." 

With  one  spring  Mike  cleared  the  stairs,  and,  overthrowing 
everything  and  everybody  in  his  way,  hurried  towards  the 
stable,  chanting  at  the  top  of  his  voice  the  very  poetical  strain 
he  had  indulged  me  with  a  few  minutes  before. 

My  preparations  were  rapidly  made;  a  few  hurried  lines  of 
leave-taking  to  the  good  fellows  I  had  lived  so  much  with  and 
felt  so  strongly  attached  to,  with  a  firm  assurance  that  I  should 
join  them  again  ere  long,  was  all  that  my  time  permitted.  To 
Power  I  wrote  more  at  length,  detailing  the  circumstances 
which  my  own  letters  informed  me  of,  and  also  those  which 
invited  me  to  return  home.  This  done.  I  lost  not  another 
moment,  but  set  out  upon  my  journey. 


CHAPTER  CV. 


THE    LEAVE. 


After  an  hour's  sharp  riding  we  reached  the  Aguada,  where 
the  river  was  yet  fordable  ;  crossing  this,  we  mounted  the  Sierra 
by  a  narrow  and  winding  pass  which  leads  through  the  moun- 
tains towards  Almeida.  .  Here  I  turned  once  more  to  cast  a  last 
and  farewell  look  at  the  scene   of  our  late  encounter.     It  was 


CHARLES  O'M ALLEY,  807 

but  a  few  hours  that  I  had  stood  almost  on  the  same  spot,  and 
yet  how  altered  was  all  around.  The  wide  plain,  then  bustling 
with  all  the  life  and  animation  of  a  large  army,  was  now  nearly 
deserted ;  some  dismounted  guns,  some  broken  up,  dismantled 
batteries,  around  which  a  few  sentinels  seemed  to  loiter  rather 
than  to  keep  guard  ;  a  strong  detachment  of  infantry  could  be 
seen  wending  their  way  towards  the  fortress,  and  a  confused 
mass  of  camp-followers,  sutlers,  and  peasants,  following  their 
steps  for  protection  against  the  pillagers  and  the  still  ruder 
assaults  of  their  own  Guerillas.  The  fortress,  too,  was  changed 
indeed.  Those  mighty  walls  before  whose  steep,  sides  the 
bravest  fell  back  baffled  and  beaten,  were  now  a  mass  of  ruin 
and  decay  ;  the  muleteer  could  be  seen  driving  his  mule  along 
through  the  rugged  ascent  of  that  breach,  to  win  whose  top  the 
best  blood  of  Albion's  chivalry  was  shed  ;  and  the  peasant  child 
looked  timidly  from  those  dark  enclosures  in  the  deep  fosse 
below,  where  perished  hundreds  of  our  best  and  bravest.  The 
air  was  calm,  clear,  and  unclouded  ;  no  smoke  obscured  the 
transparent  atmosphere  ;  the  cannon  had  ceased :  and  the 
voices  that  rang  so  late  in  accents  of  triumphant  victory  were 
stilled  in  death.  Everything,  indeed,  had  undergone  a  mighty 
change  ;  but  nothing  brought  the  altered  fortunes  of  the  scene 
so  vividly  to  my  mind  as  when  I  remembered  that  when  last  I 
had  seen  those  walls,  the  dark  chako  of  the  French  grenadiers 
peered  above  their  battlements,  and  now  the  gay  tartan  of  the 
Highlander  fluttered  above  them,  and  the  red  flag  of  England 
waved  boldly  in  the  breeze. 

Up  to  that  moment  my  sensations  were  those  of  unmixed 
pleasure  ;  the  thought  of  my  home,  my  friends,  my  country,  the 
feeling  that  I  was  returning  with  the  bronze  of  the  battle  upon 
my  cheek,  and  the  voice  of  praise  still  ringing  in  my  heart  ; 
these  were  proud  thoughts,  and  my  bosom  heaved  short  and 
quickly,  as  I  revolved  them  ;  but,  as  I  turned  my  gaze  for  the 
last  time  towards  the  gallant  army  I  was  leaving,  a  pang  of 
sorrow,  of  self-reproach,  shot  through  me,  and  1  could  not  help 


8o8  THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 

feeling  how  far  less  worthily  was  I  acting  in  yielding  to  the 
impulse  of  my  wishes,  than  had  I  remained  to  share  the 
fortunes  of  the  campaign. 

So  powerfully  did  these  sensations  possess  me,  that  I  sat 
motionless  for  some  time,  uncertain  whether  to  proceed  ;  for- 
getting that  I  was  the  bearer  of  important  information,  I  only 
remembered  that  by  my  own  desire  I  was  there ;  my  reason 
but  half  convinced  me  that  the  part  I  had  adopted  was  right 
and  honorable,  and  more  than  once  my  resolution  to  proceed 
hung  in  the  balance.  It  was  just  at  this  critical  moment  of  my 
doubts  that  Mike,  who  had  been  hitherto  behind,  came  up. 

"  Is  it  the  upper  road,  sir  ? "  said  he,  pointing  to  a  steep  and 
rugged  path  which  led  by  a  zigzag  ascent  towards  the  crest  of 
the  mountain. 

I  nodded  in  reply,  when  he  added  : — 

"  Doesn't  this  remind  your  honor  of  Sleibh  More,  above  the 
Shannon,  where  we  used  to  be  grouse  shooting  ?  And  there's 
the  keeper's  house  in  the  valley ;  and  that  might  be  your 
uncle,  the  master  himself,  waving  his  hat  to  you." 

Had  he  known  the  state  of  my  conflicting  feelings  at  the 
moment,  he  could  not  more  readily  have  decided  this  doubt. 
I  turned  abruptly  away,  put  spurs  to  my  horse,  and  dashed  up 
the  steep  pass  at  a  pace  which  evidently  surprised,  and  as  evi- 
dently displeased,  my  follower. 

How  natural  it  is  ever  to  experience  a  reaction  of  depression 
and  lowness  after  the  first  burst  of  unexpected  joy  !  The  mo- 
ment of  happiness  is  scarce  experienced  ere  come  the  doubts  of 
its  reality,  the  fears  for  its  continuance  :  the  higher  the  state  of 
pleasurable  excitement,  the  more  painful  and  the  more  pressing 
the  anxieties  that  await  on  it ;  the  tension  of  delighted  feelings 
cannot  last,  and  our  overwrought  faculties  seek  repose  in  re- 
grets. Happy  he  who  can  so  temper  his  enjoyments  as  to 
view  them  in  their  shadows  as  in  their  sunshine  ;  he  may  not, 
it  is  true,  behold  the  landscape  in  the  blaze  of  its  noonday 
brightness,  but  he  need  not  fear  the  thunder-cloud  nor  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  S09 

hurricane.  The  calm  autumn  of  his  bhss,  if  it  dazzle  not  in  its 
brilliancy,  will  not  any  more  be  shrouded  in  darkness  and  in 
gloom. 

My  first  burst  of  pleasure  over,  the  thought  of  my  uncle's 
changed  fortunes  pressed  deeply  on  my  heart,  and  a  hundred 
plans  suggested  themselves  in  turn  to  my  mind  to  relieve  his 
present  embarrassments  ;  but  I  knew  how  impracticable  they 
would  all  prove  when  opposed  by  his  prejudices.  To  sell 
the  old  home  of  his  forefathers,  to  wander  from  the  roof  which 
had  sheltered  his  name  for  generations,  he  would  never  con- 
sent to ;  the  law  might  by  force  expel  him,  and  drive  him  a 
wanderer  and  an  exile,  but  of  his  own  free  will  the  thing  was 
hopeless.  Considine,  too,  would  encourage  rather  than  repress 
such  feelings  ;  his  feudalism  would  lead  him  to  any  lengths  ;  and, 
in  defence  of  what  he  would  esteem  a  right,  he  would  as  soon 
shoot  a  sheriff  as  a  snipe,  and,  old  as  he  was,  ask  for  no  better 
amusement  than  to  arm  the  whole  tenantry  and  give  battle  to 
the  king's  troops  on  the  wide  plain  of  Scariff.  Amid  such  con- 
ilicting  thoughts,  I  travelled  on  moodily  and  in  silence,  to  the 
palpable  astonishment  of  Mike,  who  could  not  help  regarding 
me  as  one  from  whom  fortune  met  the  most  ungrateful  returns. 
At  every  new  turn  of  the  road  he  would  endeavor  to  attract  my 
attention  by  the  objects  around ;  no  white-turreted  chateau,  no 
tapered  spire  in  the  distance,  escaped  him  ;  he  kept  up  a  con- 
stant ripple  of  half-muttered  praise  and  censure  upon  all  he 
saw,  and  instituted  unceasing  comparisons  between  the  country 
and  his  own,  in  which,  I  am  bound  to  say,  Ireland  rarely,  if  ever, 
had  to  complain  of  his  patriotism. 

When  we  arrived  at  Almeida,  I  learned  that  the  Mcdca  sloop 
of  war  was  lying  off  Oporto,  and  expected  to  sail  for  England 
in  a  few  days.  The  opportunity  was  not  to  be  neglected  ;  tiie 
official  despatches,  I  was  aware,  would  be  sent  llirough  Lisbon, 
where  the  Gorgon  frigate  was  in  waiting  to  convey  them;  but 
should  I  be  fortunate  enough  to  reach  Oporto  in  time,  I  had 
little  doubt  of  arriving  in  England  with  the  first  intelligence  of 


8lO  CHARLES    O'M ALLEY, 

the  fall  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo.  Reducing  my  luggage,  therefore, 
to  the  smallest  possible  compass,  and  having  provided  myself 
with  a  juvenile  guide  for  the  pass  of  La  Reyna,  I  threw  myself, 
without  undressing,  upon  the  bed,  and  waited  anxiously  for  the 
break  of  day  to  resume  my  journey. 

As  I  ruminated  over  the  prospect  my  return  presented,  I 
suddenly  remembered  Frank  Webber's  letter,  which  I  had 
hastily  thrust  into  a  portfolio  without  reading,  so  occupied  was 
I  by  Considine's  epistle ;  with  a  little  searching  I  discovered 
it,  and,  trimming  my  lamp,  as  I  felt  no  inclination  to  sleep,  I 
proceeded  to  the  examination  of  what  seemed  a  more  than 
usually  voluminous  epistle.  It  contained  four  closely-written 
pages,  accompanied  by  something  like  a  plan  in  an  engineering 
sketch.  My  curiosity  becoming  further  stimulated  by  this,  I 
sat  down  to  peruse  it.     It  began  thus  : — ■ 

"  Official  Despatch  of  Lieutenant-General  Francis  Webber  to 
Lord  Castlereagh,  detailing  the  assault  and  capture  of  the  old 
pump,  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  on  the  night  of  the  second 
of  December,  eighteen  hundred  and  eleven,  with  returns  of 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  with  other  information  from 
the  seat  of  war. 

'"''Head-quarters,  No.  2,  Old  Square. 
"  My  Lord, 

"  In  compliance  with  the  instructions  contained  in 
your  Lordship's  despatch  of  the  twenty-first  ultimo,  I  concen- 
trated the  force  under  my  command,  and,  assembling  the  gen- 
erals of  division,  made  known  my  intentions  in  the  following 
general  order  : — 

«  A.  G.  O. 

"  The  following  troops  will  this  evening  assemble  at  head- 
quarters, and,  having  partaken  of  a  sufficient  dinner  for  the  next 
two  days,  with  punch  for  four,  will  hold  themselves  in  readiness 
to  march,  in  the  following  order  : — 

'*  Harry  Nesbitt's  brigade  of  Incorrigibles  will  form  a  block- 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  8 1 1 

ading  force,  in  the  line  extending  from  the  Vice-Provost's  house 
to  the  library.  The  light  division,  under  Mark  Waller,  will 
skirmish  from  the  gate  towards  the  middle  of  the  square,  ob- 
structing the  march  of  the  Cuirassiers  of  the  Guard,  which, 
under  the  command  of  old  Duncan  the  porter,  are  expected  to 
move  in  that  direction.  Two  columns  of  attack  will  be  formed 
by  the  senior  sophisters  of  the  Old  Guard,  and  a  forlorn  hope 
of  the  '  cautioned  '  men  at  the  last  four  examinations  will  form, 
under  the  orders  of  Timothy  O'Rourke,  beneath  the  shadow  of 
the  dining-hall. 

"  At  the  signal  of  the  Dean's  bell  the  stormers  will  move  for- 
ward. A  cheer  from  the  united  corps  will  then  announce  the 
moment  of  attack. 

"The  word  for  the  night  will  be,  'May  the  devil  admire 
me!' 

"  The  Commander  of  the  Forces  desires  that  the  different 
corps  should  be  as  strong  as  possible,  and  expects  that  no  man 
will  remain,  on  any  pretence  whatever,  in  the  rear,  with  the 
lush.  During  the  main  assault,  Cecil  Cavendish  will  make  a 
feint  upon  the  Provost's  windows,  to  be  converted  into  a  real 
attack  if  the  ladies  scream. 

"general  order. 

"  The  Commissary-General,  Foley,  will  supply  the  following 
articles  for  the  use  of  the  troops  : — Two  hams ;  eight  pair  of 
chickens,  the  same  to  be  roasted  ;  a  devilled  turkey ;  sixteen 
lobsters ;  eight  hundred  of  oysters,  with  a  proportionate  quan- 
tity of  cold  sherry  and  hot  punch. 

"The  army  will  get  drunk  by  ten  o'clock  to-night. 

"  Having  made  these  dispositions,  my  Lord,  I  proceeded  to 
mislead  the  enemy  as  to  our  intentions,  in  suffering  my  servant 
to  be  taken  with  an  intercepted  despatch.  This,  being  a  pre- 
scription by  Doctor  CoUes,  would  convey  to  tiie  Dean's  mind 
the  impression  that  I  was  still  upon  the  sick   list.     Tliis  being 


8i2  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

done,  and  four  canisters  of  Dartford  gunpowder  being  procured 
on  tick,  our  military  chest  being  in  a  most  deplorable  condition, 
I  waited  for  the  moment  of  attack. 

"A  heavy  rain,  accompanied  with  a  frightful  hurricane,  pre- 
vailed during  the  entire  day,  rendering  the  march  of  the  troops 
who  came  from  the  neighborhood  of  Merrion  Square  and  Filz- 
william  Street,  a  service  of  considerable  fatigue.  The  outly- 
ing pickets  in  College  Green,  being  induced,  probably  by  the 
inclemency  of  the  season,  were  rather  tipsy  on  joining,  and 
having  engaged  in  a  skirmish  with  old  M'Calister,  tying  his  red 
uniform  over  his  head,  the  moment  of  attack  was  precipitated, 
and  we  moved  to  the  trenches  by  half-past  nine  o'clock. 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  orderly,  nothing  more  perfect  than 
the  march  of  the  troops.  As  we  approached  the  corner  of  the 
commons'-hall  a  skirmish  on  the  rear  apprised  us  that  our  in- 
tentions had  become  known  ;  and  I  soon  learned  from  my  aide- 
de-camp.  Bob  Moore,  that  the  attack  was  made  by  a  strong 
column  of  the  enemy,  under  the  command  of  Old  Fitzgerald. 

"  Perpendicular  (as  your  Lordship  is  aware  he  is  styled  by 
the  army)  came  on  in  a  determined  manner,  and  before  many 
minutes  had  elapsed  had  taken  several  prisoners,  among  others 
Tom  Drummond — Long  Tom — who,  having  fallen  on  all  fours, 
was  mistaken  for  a  long  eighteen.  The  success,  however,  was 
but  momentary ;  Nesbitt's  brigade  attacked  them  in  flank,  res- 
cued the  prisoners,  extinguished  the  Dean's  lantern,  and,  hav- 
ing beaten  back  the  heavy  porters,  took  Perpendicular  himself 
prisoner. 

"  An  express  from  the  left  informed  me  that  the  attack  upon 
the  Provost's  house  had  proved  equally  successful ;  there  wasn't 
a  whole  pane  of  glass  in  the  front,  and  from  a  footman  who 
deserted,  it  was  learned  that  Mrs.  Hutchinson  was  in  hys- 
terics. 

"  While  I  was  reading  this  despatch,  a  strong  feeling  of  the 
line  towards  the  right  announced  that  something  was  taking 
place  in  that  direction.     Bob  Moore,  who  rode  by  on  Drum- 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  8 1 3 

mond's  back,  hurriedly  informed  me  that  Williams  had  put  the 
lighted  end  of  his  cigar  to  one  of  the  fuses,  but  the  powder 
being  wet,  did  not  explode,  notwithstanding  his  efforts  to  effect 
it.  Upon  this,  I  hastened  to  the  front,  where  I  found  the  in- 
dividual in  question  kneeling  upon  the  ground,  and  endeavor- 
ing, as  far  as  punch  would  permit  him,  to  kindle  aflame  at  the 
portfire.  Before  I  could  interfere,  the  spark  had  caught ;  a  loud, 
hissing  noise  followed  ;  the  different  magazines  successively 
became  ignited,  and  at  length  the  fire  reached  the  great  four- 
pound  charge. 

"  I  cannot  convey  to  your  Lordship,  by  any  words  of  mine,  an 
idea  of  this  terrible  explosion  ;  the  blazing  splinters  were  hurled 
into  the  air,  and  fell  in  fiery  masses  on  every  side  from  the  park 
to  King  William  ;  Ivey  the  bell-ringer,  was  precipitated  from  the 
scaffold  beside  the  bell,  and  fell  headlong  into  the  mud  be- 
neath ;  the  surrounding  buildings  trembled  at  the  shock ;  the 
windows  were  shattered,  and  in  fact,  a  scene  of  perfect  devasta- 
tion ensued  on  all  sides. 

"  When  the  smoke  cleared  away,  I  rose  from  my  recumbent 
position,  and  perceived  with  delight  that  not  a  vestige  of  the 
pump  remained.  The  old  iron  handle  was  imbedded  in  the 
wall  of  the  dining-hall,  and  its  round  knob  stood  out  like  the 
end  of  a  queue. 

"  Our  loss  was,  of  course,  considerable  ;  and,  ordering  the 
wounded  to  the  rear,  I  proceeded  to  make  an  orderly  and  regu- 
lar retreat.  At  this  time,  however,  the  enemy  had  assembled 
in  force.  Two  battalions  of  porters,  led  on  by  Dr.  Dobbin, 
charged  us  on  the  flank  ;  a  heavy  brigade  poured  down  upon 
us  from  the  battery,  and,  but  for  the  exertions  of  Harry  Nesbitt, 
our  communication  with  our  reserves  must  have  been  cut  off. 
Cecil  Cavendish  also  came  up ;  for  although  beaten  in  his 
great  attack,  the  forces  under  his  connnand  had  penetrated  by 
the  kitchen  windows,  and  carried  off  a  consiilerablc  quantity  of 
cold  meat. 

"  Concentrating  the  different  corps,  I  made  an  echelon  move- 


8 1 4  THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON. 

ment  upon  the  chapel,  to  admit  of  the  light  division  coming  up. 
This  they  did  in  a  few  moments,  informing  me  that  they  had 
left  Perpendicular  in  the  haha,  which,  as  your  lordship  is 
aware,  is  a  fosse  of  the  very  greenest  and  most  stagnant 
nature.  We  now  made  good  our  retreat  upon  number  "  2,  " 
carrying  our  wounded  with  us  :  the  plunder  we  also  secured, 
but  we  kicked  the  prisoners,  and  suffered  them  to  escape. 

"  Thus  terminated,  my  Lord,  one  of  the  brightest  achieve- 
ments of  the  under-graduate  career.  I  enclose  a  list  of  the 
wounded,  as  also  an  account  of  the  various  articles  returned  in 
the  Commissary-General's  list. 

"  Harry  Nesbitt :  severely  wounded  ;  no  coat  nor  hat ;  a 
black  eye  ;  left  shoe  missing. 

"  Cecil  Cavendish  :  face  severely  scratched  ;  supposed  to 
have  received  his  wound  in  the  attack  upon  the  kitchen. 

"  Tom  Drummond :  not  recognizable  by  his  friends ;  his 
features  resembling  a  transparency  disfigured  by  the  smoke  of 
the  preceding  night's  illumination. 

"  Bob  Moore  :  slightly  wounded. 

"  I  would  beg  particularly  to  recommend  all  these  officers  to 
your  Lordship's  notice  ;  indeed,  the  conduct  of  Moore,  in  kick- 
ing the  Dean's  lantern  out  of  the  porter's  hand,  was  marked 
by  great  promptitude  and  decision.  This  officer  will  present 
to  H.  R.  H.  the  following  trophies,  taken  from  the  enemy  :  The 
Dean's  cap  and  tassel;  the  key  of  his  chambers;  Dr.  Dobbin's 
wig  and  bands  ;  four  porters'  helmets,  and  a  book  on  the 
cellar. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  my  Lord,  etc., 

"  Francis  Webber, 
"  G.  O. 

"  The  commander  of  the  forces  returns  his  thanks  to  the 
various  officers  and  soldiers  employed  in  the  late  assault,  for 
their  persevering  gallantry  and  courage.  The  splendor  of  the 
achievement  can  only  be  equalled  by  the  humanity  and  good 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOOM.  8 1 5 

conduct  of  the  troops.  It  only  remains  for  him  to  add,  that 
the  less  they  say  about  the  transaction,  and  the  sooner  they 
are  severally  confined  to  their  beds  with  symptoms  of  con- 
tagious fever,  the  better. 

"  Meanwhile,  to  concert  upon  the  future  measures  of  the 
campaign,  the  army  will  sup  to-night  at  Morrison's." 

Here  ended  this  precious  epistle,  rendering  one  fact  suffi- 
ciently evident — that,  however  my  worthy  friend  advanced  in 
years,  he  had  not  grown  in  wisdom. 

While  ruminating  upon  the  strange  infatuation  which  could 
persuade  a  gifted  and  an  able  man  to  lavish  upon  dissipation 
and  reckless  absurdity  the  talents  that  must,  if  well  directed, 
raise  him  to  eminence  and  distinction,  a  few  lines  of  a  newspaper 
paragraph  fell  from  the  paper  I  was  reading.     It  ran  thus  : — 

"  LATE  OUTRAGE  IN  TRINITY    COLLEGE,  DUBLIN. 

"  We  have  great  pleasure  in  stating  that  the  serious  disturb- 
ance which  took  place  within  the  walls  of  our  University  a  few 
evenings  since,  was  in  no  wise  attributable  to  the  conduct  of 
the  students.  A  party  of  ill-disposed  townspeople  were,  it 
would  appear,  the  instigators  and  perpetrators  of  the  outrage. 
That  their  object  was  the  total  destruction  of  our  venerated 
University  there  can  be  but  little  doubt.  Fortunately,  however, 
they  did  not  calculate  upon  the  esprit  de  corps  of  the  students, 
a  body  of  whom,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Webber,  success- 
fully opposed  the  assailants,  and  finally  drove  them  from  the 
walls. 

"  It  is,  we  understand,  the  intention  of  the  board  to  confer 
some  mark  of  approbation  upon  Mr.  Webber,  who,  independ- 
ently of  this,  has  strong  claims  upon  their  notice,  his  collegiate 
success  pointing  him  out  as  the  most  extraordinary  man  of  his 
day." 

"This,  my  dear  Charley,  will  give  you  some  faint  conception 
of  one  of  the  most  brilliant  exploits  of   modern   days.     The 


8i6  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

bulletin,  believe  me,  is  not  Napoleonized  into  any  bombastic 
extravagance  of  success.  The  thing  was  splendid  ;  from  the 
brilliant  firework  of  the  old  pump  itself  to  the  figure  of  Perpendi- 
cular dripping  with  duckweed,  like  an  insane  rivergod,  it  was 
unequalled.  Our  fellows  behaved  like  trumps ;  and,  to  do 
them  justice,  so  did  the  enemy.  But  unfortunately,  notwith- 
standing this,  and  the  plausible  paragraphs  of  the  morning 
papers,  I  have  been  summoned  before  the  board  for  Tuesday 
next. 

"  Meanwhile,  I  employ  myself  in  throwing  off  a  shower  of 
small  squibs  for  the  journals,  so  that  if  the  board  deal  not 
mercifully  with  me,  I  may  meet  with  sympathy  from  the  public. 
I  have  just  despatched  a  little  editorial  bit  for  the  Times,  call- 
ing, in  terms  of  parental  tenderness,  upon  the  University  to 
say — 

"  '  How  long  will  the  extraordinary  excesses  of  a  learned  func- 
tionary be  suffered  to  disgrace  college }     Is  Doctor to  be 

permitted  to  exhibit  an  example  of  more  riotous  insubordina- 
tion than  would  be  endured  in  an  undergraduate }  More  on 
this  subject  hereafter.' 

"  *  Saunders''  News-letter. — Dr.  Barret  appeared  at  the  head 
police-ofiice,  before  Alderman  Darley,  to  make  oath  that  neither 
he  nor  Catty  were  concerned  in  the  late  outrage  upon  the 
pump,'  etc.,  etc. 

"  Paragraphs  like  these  are  flying  about  in  every  provincial 
paper  of  the  empire.  People  shake  their  heads  when  they 
speak  of  the  University,  and  respectable  females  rather  cross 
over  by  King  William  and  the  Bank  than  pass  near  its 
precincts. 

"  Tuesday  Evejiing. 
"  Would  you  believe  it,  they've  expelled  me  !     Address  your 
next  letter  as  usual,  for  they  haven't  got  rid  of  nie  yet. 

"  Yours, 

"F.  W." 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOOA^.  8 1 7 

"  So  I  shall  find  him  in  his  old  quarters,"  thought  I,  "  and 
evidently  not  much  altered  since  we  parted."  It  was  not  with- 
out a  feeling  of  (I  trust  pardonable)  pride  that  I  thought  over 
my  own  career  in  the  interval.  My  three  years  of  campaigning 
life  had  given  me  some  insight  into  the  world,  and  some  knowl- 
edge of  myself,  and  conferred  upon  me  a  boon,  of  which  I 
know  not  the  equal — that,  while  yet  young,  and  upon  the  very 
threshold  of  life,  I  should  have  tasted  the  enthusiastic  pleasures 
of  a  soldier's  fortune,  and  braved  the  dangers  and  difficulties 
of  a  campaign  at  a  time  when,  under  other  auspices,  I  might 
have  wasted  my  years  in  unprofitable  idleness  or  careless  dis- 
sipation. 


CHAPTER  CVI. 

LONDON. 

Twelve  hours  after  my  arrival  in  England  I  entered  London. 
I  cannot  attempt  to  record  the  sensations  which  thronged  my 
mind,  as  the  din  and  tumult  of  that  mighty  city  awoke  me 
from  a  sound  sleep  I  had  fallen  into  in  the  corner  of  the  chaise. 
The  seemingly  interminable  lines  of  lamplight,  the  crash  of 
carriages,  the  glare  of  the  shops,  the  buzz  of  voices,  made  up 
a  chaotic  mass  of  sights  and  sounds,  leaving  my  efforts  at 
thought  vain  and  fruitless. 

Obedient  to  my  instructions,  I  lost  not  a  moment  in  my  prepar- 
ations to  deliver  my  despatches.  Having  dressed  myself  in 
the  full  uniform  of  my  corps,  I  drove  to  the  Horse  Guards.  It 
was  now  nine  o'clock,  and  I  learned  that  his  Royal  Highness 
had  gone  to  dinner  at  Carlton  House.  In  a  few  words  which 
I  spoke  witii  the  aide-de-camp,  I  discovered  that  no  informa- 
tion of  the  fall  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  had  yet  reached  England. 
The  greatest  anxiety  prevailed  as  to  tiie  events  of  the  Penin- 
52 


8l8  CtiARLES  CfM ALLEY, 

sula,  from  which  no  despatches  had  been  received  for  several 
weeks  past. 

To  Carlton  House  I  accordingly  bent  my  steps,  without  any 
precise  determination  how  I  should  proceed  when  there,  nor 
knowing  how  far  etiquette  might  be  an  obstacle  to  the 
accomplishment  of  my  mission.  The  news  of  which  I  was  the 
bearer  was,  however,  of  too  important  a  character  to  permit  me 
to  hesitate,  and  I  presented  myself  to  the  aide-de-camp  in 
waiting,  simply  stating  that  I  was  entrusted  with  important 
letters  to  his  Royal  Highness,  the  purport  of  which  did  not 
admit  of  delay. 

"  They  have  not  gone  to  dinner  yet,"  lisped  out  the  aide-de- 
camp, "  and  if  you  would  permit  me  to  deliver  the  letters " 

"  Mine  are  despatches,"  said  I,  somewhat  proudly,  and  in 
no  way  disposed  to  cede  to  another  the  honor  of  personally 
delivering  them  into  the  hands  of  the  Duke. 

"  Then  you  had  better  present  yourself  at  the  levee  to- 
morrow morning,"  replied  he,  carelessly,  while  he  turned  into 
one  of  the  window  recesses,  and  resumed  the  conversation 
with  one  of  the  gentlemen-in-waiting. 

I  stood  for  some  moments  uncertain  and  undecided ; 
reluctant  on  the  one  part  to  relinquish  my  claim  as  the  bearer 
of  the  despatches,  and  equally  unwilling  to  defer  their  delivery 
till  the  following  day. 

Adopting  the  former  alternative,  I  took  my  papers  from  my 
sabretasche,  and  was  about  to  place  them  in  the  hands  of  the 
aide-de-camp,  when  the  folding-doors  at  the  end  of  the  apart- 
ment suddenly  flew  open,  and  a  large  and  handsome  man,  with 
a  high,  bald  forehead,  entered  hastily. 

The  different  persons  in  waiting  sprang  from  their  lounging 
attitudes  upon  the  sofas,  and  bowed  respectfully  as  he  passed 
on  towards  another  door.  His  dress  was  a  plain  blue  coat,  but- 
toned to  the  collar,  and  his  only  decoration  a  brilliant  star  upon 
the  breast.     There  was  that  air,  however,  of  high  birth  and  bear- 


THE  IRISH  DRA  GOON.  8 1  g 

ing  about  him  that  left  no  doubt  upon  my  mind  he  was  of  the 
blood  royal. 

As  the  aide-de-camp  to  whom  I  had  been  speaking  opened 
the  door  for  him  to  pass  out,  I  could  hear  some  words  in  a  low- 
voice,  in  which  the  phrases  "letters of  importance  "  and  "your 
Royal  Highness  "occurred.  The  individual  addressed  turned 
suddenly  about,  and,  casting  a  rapid  glance  around  the  room, 
without  deigning  a  word  in  reply,  walked  straight  up  to  where 
I  was  standing. 

"  Despatches  for  me,  sir  ?  "  said  he,  shortly,  taking,  as  he 
spoke,  the  packet  from  my  hand. 

"  For  his  Royal  Highness  the  Commander-in-Chief,"  said 
I,  bowing  respectfully,  and  still  uncertain  in  whose  presence  I 
was  standing.  He  broke  the  seal  without  answering,  and,  as 
his  eye  caught  tlie  first  lines  of  the  despatch,  broke  out  into  an 
exclamation  of — 

"  Ha  !     Peninsula  news  !     When  did  you  arrive,  sir  ?  " 

"  An  hour  since,  sir." 

"  And  these  letters  are  from " 

"  General  Picton,  your  Royal  Highness." 

"How  glorious — how  splendidly  done!"  muttered  he  to 
himself,  as  he  ran  his  eyes  rapidly  over  the  letter.  "  Arc 
you  Captain  O'Malley,  whose  name  is  mentioned  here  so 
favorably  ?  " 

I  bowed  deeply  in  reply. 

"  You  are  most  highly  spoken  of,  and  it  will  give  me  sincere 
pleasure  to  recommend  you  to  the  notice  of  the  Prince  Regent. 
I5ut  stay  a  moment."  So  saying,  he  hurriedly  passed  from  the 
room,  leaving  me  overwhelmed  at  tlic  suddenness  of  the 
incident,  and  a  mark  of  no  small  astonishment  to  the  different 
persons  in  waiting,  wlio  had  hitherto  no  other  idea  but  that 
my  despatches  were  from  Ilounslow  or  Knightsbridge. 

"  Captain  O'Malley,"  said  an  officer  covered  with  decorations, 
and  whose  slightly  foreign  accent  bespoke  the  Hanoverian, 
"  his  Royal  Highness  requests  you  will  accompany  me."      ilie 


826  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

door  opened  as  he  spoke,  and  I  found  myself  in  a  most 
splendidly  lit-up  apartment ;  the  walls  covered  with  pictures, 
and  the  ceiling  divided  into  panels,  resplendent  with  the  rich- 
est gilding.  A  group  of  persons,  in  court  dresses,  were 
conversing  in  a  low  tone  as  we  entered,  but  suddenly  ceased, 
and,  saluting  my  conductor  respectfully,  made  way  for  us  to 
pass  on.  The  folding-doors  again  opened  as  we  approached, 
and  we  found  ourselves  in  a  long  gallery,  whose  sumptuous 
furniture  and  costly  decorations  shone  beneath  the  rich  tints 
of  a  massive  lustre  of  ruby  glass,  diffusing  a  glow  resembling 
the  most  gorgeous  sunset.  Here  also  some  persons  in  handsome 
uniform  were  conversing,  one  of  whom  accosted  my  companion 
by  the  title  of  "  Baron  ;  "  nodding  familiarly  as  he  muttered  a 
few  words  in  German,  he  passed  forward,  and  the  next  moment 
the  doors  were  thrown  suddenly  wide,  and  we  entered  the 
drawing-room. 

The  buzz  of  voices  and  the  sound  of  laughter  reassured  me 
as  I  came  forward,  and,  before  I  had  well  time  to  think  where 
and  why  I  was  there,  the  Duke  of  York  advanced  towards  me 
with  a  smile  of  peculiar  sweetness  in  its  expression,  and  said, 
as  he  turned  towards  one  side  : — 

"  Your  Royal  Highness — Captain  O'Malley  !  " 

As  he  spoke,  the  Prince  moved  forward,  and  bowed 
slightly. 

"  You've  brought  us  capital  news,  Mr.  O'Malley.  May  I 
beg,  if  you're  not  too  much  tired,  you'll  join  us  at  dinner.  I 
am  most  anxious  to  learn  the  particulars  of  the  assault." 

As  I  bowed  my  acknowledgments  to  the  gracious  invitation 
he  continued  : — 

"  Are  you  acquainted  with  my  friend  here  ? — but  of  course 
you  can  scarcely  be — you  began  too  early  as  a  soldier.  So  let 
me  present  you  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Tierney,"  a  middle-aged 
man,  whose  broad,  white  forehead  and  deep-set  eyes  gave  a 
character  to  features  that  were  otherwise  not  remarkable  in 
e^cpression,  and  who  bowed  rather  stiffly. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  82  i 

Before  he  had  concluded  a  somewhat  labored  compliment 
to  me,  we  were  joined  by  a  third  person,  whose  strikingly-hand- 
some features  were  lit  up  with  an  expression  of  the  most  ani- 
mated kind.  He  accosted  the  Prince  with  an  air  of  easy 
familiarity,  and,  while  he  led  him  from  the  group,  appeared  to 
be  relating  some  anecdote,  which  actually  convulsed  his  Royal 
Highness  with  laughter. 

Before  I  had  time  or  opportunity  to  inquire  who  the  individual 
could  be,  dinner  was  announced,  and  the  wide  folding-doors 
being  thrown  open,  displayed  the  magnificent  dining-room  of 
Carlton  House,  in  all  the  blaze  and  splendor  of  its  magnifi- 
cence. 

The  sudden  change  from  the  rough  vicissitudes  of  campaign- 
ing life  to  all  the  luxury  and  voluptuous  elegance  of  a  brilliant 
court,  created  too  much  confusion  in  my  mind  to  permit  of  my 
impressions  being  the  most  accurate  or  most  collected.  The 
splendor  of  the  scene,  the  rank,  but,  even  more,  the  talent  of 
the  individuals  by  whom  I  was  surrounded,  had  all  their  full 
effect  upon  me ;  and,  although  I  found,  from  the  tone  of  the 
conversation  about,  how  immeasurably  I  was  their  inferior, 
yet,  by  a  delicate  and  courteous  interest  in  the  scene  of  which 
I  had  lately  partaken,  they  took  away  the  awkwardness  which, 
in  some  degree,  was  inseparable  from  the  novelty  of  my  posi- 
tion among  them. 

Conversing  about  the  Peninsula  with  a  degree  of  knowledge 
which  I  could  in  no  wise  comprehend  from  tliose  not  engaged 
in  the  war,  they  appeared  perfectly  acquainted  with  all  the 
details  of  the  campaign  ;  and  I  heard  on  every  side  of  me  anec- 
dotes and  stories  which  I  scarcely  believed  known  beyond  the 
precincts  of  a  regiment.  The  Prince  himself — the  grace  and 
charm  of  whose  narrative  talents  have  seldom  been  excelled — 
was  particularly  conspicuous,  and  I  could  not  help  feeling 
struck  with  his  admirable  imitations  of  voice  and  manner.  The 
most  accomplished  actor  could  not  have  personated  the  cannie, 
calculating  spirit  of  the  Scot,  or  the  rollicking  recklessness  of 


822  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  Irishman,  with  more  tact  and  fiiiesse.  But  far  above  all 
this  shone  the  person  I  have  already  alluded  to  as  speaking  to 
his  Royal  Highness  in  the  drawing-room.  Combining  the  hap- 
piest conversational  eloquence  with  a  quick,  ready,  and  brilliant 
fancy,  he  threw  from  him  in  all  the  careless  profusion  of  bound- 
less resource  a  shower  of  pointed  and  epigrammatic  witticisms; 
now,  illustrating  a  really  difficult  subject  by  one  happy  touch, 
as  the  blaze  of  the  lightning  will  light  up  the  whole  surface  of 
the  dark  landscape  beneath  it ;  now,  turning  the  force  of  an 
adversary's  argument  by  some  fallacious  but  unanswerable 
jest,  accompanying  the  whole  by  those  fascinations  of  voice,  look 
gesture,  and  manner,  which  have  made  those  who  once  have 
seen,  never  able  to  forget  Brinsley  Sheridan. 

I  am  not  able,  were  I  even  disposed,  to  record  more  par- 
ticularly the  details  of  that  most  brilliant  evening  of  my  life. 
On  every  side  of  me  I  heard  the  names  of  those  whose  fame  as 
statesmen,  or  whose  repute  as  men  of  letters,  was  ringing 
throughout  Europe  ;  they  were  then,  too,  not  in  the  easy  indo- 
lence of  ordinary  life,  but  displaying  with  their  utmost  effort 
those  powers  of  wit,  fancy,  imagination,  and  eloquence,  which 
had  won  for  them  elsewhere  their  high  and  exalted  position. 
The  masculine  understanding  and  powerful  intellect  of  Tierney 
vied  with  the  brilliant  and  dazzling  conceptions  of  Sheridan. 
The  easy  bonhomie  and  English  heartiness  of  Fox  contrasted 
with  the  cutting  sarcasm  and  sharp  raillery  of  O'Kelly. 
While  contesting  the  palm  with  each  himself,  the  Prince  evinced 
powers  of  mind  and  eloquent  facilities  of  expression  that,  in 
any  walk  of  life,  must  have  made  their  possessor  a  most  dis- 
tinguished man.  Politics,  war,  women,  literature,  the  turf,  the 
navy,  the  opposition,  architecture,  and  the  drama,  were  all  dis- 
cussed with  a  degree  of  information  and  knowledge  that  proved 
to  me  how  much  of  real  acquirements  can  be  obtained  by  those 
whose  exalted  station  surrounds  them  with  the  collective  in- 
tellect of  a  nation.  As  for  myself,  the  time  flew  past  uncon- 
sciously.    So  brilliant  a  display  of  all  that  was  courtly  and 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  823 

fascinating  in  manner,  and  all  that  was  brightest  in  genius,  was 
so  novel  to  me,  that  I  really  felt  like  one  entranced.  To  this 
hour,  my  impression,  however  confused  in  details,  is  as  vivid 
as  though  that  evening  were  but  yesternight;  and  although 
since  that  period  I  have  enjoyed  numerous  opportunities  of 
meeting  with  the  great  and  the  gifted,  yet  I  treasure  the  mem- 
ory of  that  evening  as  by  far  the  most  exciting  of  my  whole 
life. 

While  I  abstain  from  any  mention  of  the  many  incidents 
of  the  evening,  I  cannot  pass  over  one  which,  occurring  to  my- 
self, is  valuable  but  as  showing,  by  one  slight  and  passing  trait, 
the  amiable  and  kind  feeling  of  one  whose  memory  is  hallowed 
in  the  service. 

A  little  lower  than  myself,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  table, 
I  perceived  an  old  military  acquaintance  whom  I  had  first  met 
in  Lisbon  ;  he  was  then  on  Sir  Charles  Stewart's  staff,  and  we 
met  almost  daily.  Wishing  to  commend  myself  to  his  rec- 
ollection, I  endeavored  for  some  time  to  catch  his  eye,  but 
in  vain  ;  but  at  last,  when  I  thought  I  had  succeeded,  I  called 
to  him, — 

"  I  say,  Fred,  a  glass  of  wine  with  you." 

When  suddenly  the  Duke  of  York,  who  was  speaking  to 
Lord  Hertford,  turned  quickly  round,  and,  taking  the  decanter 
in  his  hand,  replied, — 

"  With  pleasure,  O'Malley  ;  what  shall  it  be,  my  boy.?  " 

I  shall  never  forget  the  manly  good-humor  of  his  look  as  he 
sat  waiting  for  my  answer.  He  had  taken  my  speech  as  ad- 
dressed to  himself,  and  concluding  that,  from  fatigue,  the 
novelty  of  the  scene,  my  youth,  etc.,  I  was  not  over  collected, 
vouchsafed  in  this  kind  way  to  receive  it. 

"  So,"  said  he,  as  I  stammered  out  my  explanation,  "  I  was 
deceived  ;  however,  don't  cheat  me  out  of  my  glass  of  wine. 
Let  us  have  it  now." 

With  this  little  anecdote,  whose  truth  I  vouch  for,  I  shall 
conclude.     More  than  one  now  living  was  a  witness  to  it,  and 


824  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

my  only  regret  in  the  mention  of  it  is  my  inability  to  convey 
the  readiness  with  which  he  seized  the  moment  of  apparent 
difficulty  to  throw  the  protection  of  his  kind  and  warm-hearted 
nature  over  the  apparent  folly  of  a  boy. 

It  was  late  when  the  party  broke  up,  and,  as  I  took  my  leave 
of  the  Prince,  he  once  more  expressed  himself  in  gracious 
terms  towards  me,  and  gave  me  personally  an  invitation  to  a 
breakfast  at  Hounslow  on  the  following  Saturday. 


CHAPTER  CVII. 


THE  BELL  AT    BRISTOL. 


On  the  morning  after  my  dinner  at  Carlton  House,  I  found 
my  breakfast-table  covered  with  cards  and  invitations.  The 
news  of  the  storming  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  was  published  in  all 
the  morning  papers,  and  my  own  humble  name,  in  letters  of 
three  feet  long,  was  exhibited  in  placards  throughout  the  city. 
Less  to  this  circumstance,  however,  than  to  the  kind  and 
gracious  notice  of  the  Prince,  was  I  indebted  for  the  attentions 
which  were  shown  me  by  every  one  ;  and,  indeed,  so  flattering 
was  the  reception  I  met  with,  and  so  overwhelming  the  civility 
showered  on  me  from  all  sides,  that  it  required  no  small  effort 
on  my  part  not  to  believe  myself  as  much  a  hero  as  they 
would  make  me.  An  eternal  round  of  dinners,  balls,  break- 
fasts, and  entertainments,  filled  up  the  entire  week.  I  was 
included  in  every  invitation  to  Carlton  House,  and  never  ap- 
peared without  receiving  from  his  Royal  Highness  the  most 
strikmg  marks  of  attention.  Captivating  as  all  this  undoubt- 
edly was,  and  fascinated  as  I  felt  in  being  the  lion  of  London, 
the  courted  and  sought  after  by  the  high,  the  titled,  and  the 
talented  of  the  great  city  of  the  universe,  yet,  amid  all  the 
splendor  and  seduction  of  that  new  world,  my  heart  instinct- 


THE  JRJSII  DRAGOON.  S25 

ively  turned  from  the  glare  and  brilliancy  of  gorgeous  saloons 
— from  the  soft  looks  and  softer  voice  of  beauty — from  the 
words  of  praise,  as  they  fell  from  the  lips  of  those  whose  notice 
was  fame  itself — to  my  humble  home  amid  the  mountains  of 
the  west.  Delighted  and  charmed  as  I  felt  by  that  tribute  of 
flattery  which  associated  my  name  with  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liant actions  of  my  country,  yet  hitherto  I  had  experienced 
no  touch  of  home  or  fatherland.  England  was  to  me  as  the 
high  and  powerful  head  of  my  house,  whose  greatness  and 
whose  glory  shed  a  halo  far  and  near,  from  the  proudest  to 
the  humblest  of  those  that  call  themselves  Britons ;  but  Ireland 
was  the  land  of  my  birth — the  land  of  my  earliest  ties,  my 
dearest  associations — the  kind  mother,  whose  breath  had 
fanned  my  brow  in  infancy  ;  and  for  her  in  my  manhood  my 
heart  beat  with  every  throb  of  filial  affection.  Need  I  say, 
then,  how  ardently  I  longed  to  turn  homeward  ;  for,  independ- 
ent of  all  else,  I  could  not  avoid  some  self-reproach  on  think- 
ing what  might  be  the  condition  of  those  I  prized  the  most  on 
earth,  at  that  very  moment  I  was  engaging  in  all  the  volupt- 
uous abandonment,  and  all  the  fascinating  excesses  of  a  life 
of  pleasure.  I  wrote  several  letters  home,  but  received  no 
answer ;  nor  did  I,  in  the  whole  round  of  London  society,  meet 
with  a  single  person  who  could  give  me  information  of  my 
family  or  my  friends.  The  Easter  recess  had  sent  the  differ- 
ent members  of  Parliament  to  their  homes  ;  and  thus,  within 
a  comparatively  short  distance  of  all  I  cared  for,  I  could  learn 
noticing  of  their  fate. 

The  invitations  of  the  Prince  Regent,  which  were,  of  course, 
to  be  regarded  as  commands,  still  detained  me  in  London  ; 
and  I  knew  not  in  what  manner  to  escape  from  the  fresh  en- 
gagements which  each  day  heaped  upon  me.  In  my  anxiety 
upon  the  subject,  I  communicated  my  wishes  to  a  friend  on 
the  Duke's  staff,  and  tiie  following  morning,  as  I  presented 
myself  at  his  levee,  he  called  me  towards  him,  and  addressed 
me  : — 


!S26  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  What  leave  have  you  got,  Captain  O'Malley  ? " 

"  Three  months,  your  Royal  Highness." 

"  Do  you  desire  an  unattached  troop?  for,  if  so,  an  op- 
portunity occurs  just  at  this  moment." 

"  I  thank  you  most  sincerely,  sir,  for  your  condescension 
in  thinking  of  me,  but  my  wish  is  to  join  my  regiment  at  the 
expiration  of  my  leave." 

"  Why,  I  thought  they  told  me  you  wanted  to  spend  some 
time  in  Ireland  ?  " 

*'  Only  sufficient  to  see  my  friends,  your  Royal  Highness. 
That  done,  I'd  rather  join  my  regiment  immediately." 

"  Ah  !  that  alters  the  case.  So  then,  probably,  you'd  like 
to  leave  us  at  once.  I  see  how  it  is ;  you've  been  staying  here 
against  your  will  all  this  while.  Then,  don't  say  a  word.  I'll 
make  your  excuses  at  Carlton  House  ;  and,  the  better  to  cover 
your  retreat,  I'll  employ  you  on  service.  Here,  Gordon,  let 
Captain  O'Malley  have  the  despatches  for  Sir  Henry  Howard, 
at  Cork."  As  he  said  this,  he  turned  towards  me  with  an  air 
of  affected  sternness  in  his  manner,  and  continued  :  "  I  expect, 
Captain  O'Malley,  that  you  will  deliver  the  despatches  en- 
trusted to  your  care  without  a  moment's  loss  of  time.  You 
will  leave  London  within  an  hour.  The  instructions  for  your 
journey  will  be  sent  to  your  hotel.  And  now,"  said  he,  again 
changing  his  voice  to  its  natural  tone  of  kindliness  and  courtesy 
— "  and  now,  my  boy,  good-bye,  and  a  safe  journey  to  you. 
These  letters  will  pay  your  expenses,  and  the  occasion  save  you 
all  the  worry  of  leave-taking." 

I  stood  confused  and  speechless,  unable  to  utter  a  single 
word  of  gratitude  for  such  unexpected  kindness.  The  Duke 
saw  at  once  my  difficulty,  and,  as  he  shook  me  warmly  by  the 
hand,  added,  in  a  laughing  tone, — 

"  Don't  wait,  now.  You  mustn't  forget  that  your  despatches 
are  pressing." 

I  bowed  deeply,  attempted  a  few  words  of  acknowledgment, 
hesitated,  blundered,  and  broke   down  ;   and  at  last  got  out 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  827 

of  the  room,  Heaven  knows  how  !  and  found  myself  running 
towards  Long's  at  the  top  of  my  speed.  Within  that  same 
hour  I  was  rattHng  along  towards  Bristol  as  fast  as  four  posters 
could  burn  the  pavement,  thinking  with  ecstasy  over  the 
pleasures  of  my  reception  in  England ;  but,  far  more  than  all, 
of  the  kindness  evinced  towards  me  by  him  who,  in  every 
feeling  of  his  nature,  and  in  every  feature  of  his  deportment, 
was  "  every  inch  a  prince." 

However  astonished  I  had  been  at  the  warmth  by  which  I 
was  treated  in  London,  I  was  still  less  prepared  for  the  en- 
thusiasm which  greeted  me  in  every  town  through  which  I 
passed.  There  was  not  a  village  where  we  stopped  to  change 
horses  whose  inhabitants  did  not  simultaneously  pour  forth 
to  welcome  me  with  every  demonstration  of  delight.  That 
the  fact  of  four  horses  and  a  yellow  chaise  should  have  elicited 
such  testimonies  of  satisfaction,  was  somewhat  difficult  to 
conceive  ;  and,  even  had  the  important  news  that  I  was  the 
bearer  of  despatches  been  telegraphed  from  London  by  suc- 
cessive postboys,  still  the  extraordinary  excitement  was  un- 
accountable. It  was  only  on  reaching  Bristol  that  I  learned 
to  wliat  circumstance  my  popularity  was  owing.  My  friend 
Mike,  in  humble  imitation  of  election  practices,  had  posted  a 
large  placard  on  the  back  of  the  chaise,  announcing,  in  letters 
of  portentous  length,  something  like  the  following  : — 

"  Bloody  news  !  Fall  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  !  Five  thousand 
prisoners  and  two  hundred  pieces  of  cannon  taken  !  " 

This  veracious  and  satisfactory  statement,  aided  by  Mike's 
personal  exertions,  and  an  unwearied  performance  on  the 
trumpet  he  had  taken  from  the  French  dragoon,  had  roused 
the  population  of  every  hamlet,  and  made  our  journey  from 
London  to  Bristol  one  scene  of  uproar,  noise  and  confusion. 
All  my  attempts  to  suppress  Mike's  oratory  or  music  were 
perfectly  unavailing.  \\\  fact,  he  had  pledged  my  health  so 
many  times  during  the  day — he  had  drunk  so  many  toasts  to 
the  success  of  the  British  arms — so  many  to  the  English  nation — 


828  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

so  many  in  honor  of  Ireland — and  so  many  in  honor  of 
Mickey  Free  himself,  that  all  respect  for  my  authority  was 
lost  in  his  enthusiasm  for  my  greatness,  and  his  shouts  became 
wilder,  and  the  blasts  from  the  trumpet  more  fearful  and 
incoherent ;  and  finally,  on  the  last  stage  of  our  journey,  having 
exhausted  as  it  were  every  tribute  of  his  lungs,  he  seemed  (if  I 
were  to  judge  by  the  evidence  of  my  ears)  to  be  performing 
something  very  like  a  hornpipe  on  the  roof  of  the  chaise. 

Happily  for  me  there  is  a  limit  to  all  human  efforts,  and 
even  /lis  powers  at  length  succumbed  ;  so  that,  when  we  arrived 
at  Bristol,  I  persuaded  him  to  go  to  bed,  and  I  once  more  was  left 
to  the  enjoyment  of  some  quiet.  To  fill  up  the  few  hours  which 
intervened  before  bedtime,  I  strolled  into  the  coifee-room. 
Th^  English  look  of  every  one,  and  everything  around,  had 
still  its  charm  for  me ;  and  I  was  contemplating,  with  no  small 
admiration,  that  air  of  neatness  and  propriety  so  observant 
from  the  bright-faced  clock,  that  ticked  unwearily  upon  the 
mantelpiece,  to  the  trim  waiter  himself,  with  noiseless  step, 
and  that  mixed  look  of  vigilance  and  vacancy.  The  perfect 
stillness  struck  me,  save  when  a  deep  voice  called  for  "  another 
brandy-and-water,"  and  some  more  modestly-toned  request 
would  utter  a  desire  for  "  more  cream."  The  attention  of  each 
man,  absorbed  in  the  folds  of  his  voluminous  newspaper, 
scarcely  deigning  a  glance  at  the  new  comer  who  entered,  were 
all  in  keeping  ;  giving,  in  their  solemnity  and  gravity,  a  charac- 
ter of  almost  religious  seriousness,  to  what,  in  any  other  land, 
would  be  a  scene  of  riotous  and  discordant  tumult.  I  was 
watching  all  these  with  a  more  than  common  interest,  when 
the  door  opened,  and  the  waiter  entered  with  a  large  placard. 
He  was  followed  by  another  with  a  ladder,  by  whose  assistance 
he  succeeded  in  attaching  the  large  square  of  paper  to  the  wall, 
above  the  fireplace.  Every  one  about  rose  up,  curious  to 
ascertain  what  was  going  forward ;  and  I  myself  joined  in  the 
crowd  around  the  fire.     The  first  glance  of  the  announcement 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  829 

showed  me  what  it  meant ;  and  it  was  with  a  strange  mixture 
of  shame  and  confusion  I  read  : — 

'•  '  Fall  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo ;  with  a  full  and  detailed  account 
of  the  storming  of  the  great  breach — capture  of  the  enemy's 
cannon,  etc. — by  Michael  Free,  14th  Light  Dragoons.'" 

Leaving  the  many  around  me  busied  in  conjecturing  who  the 
aforesaid  Mr.  Free  might  be,  and  what  peculiar  opportunities 
he  might  have  enjoyed  for  his  report,  I  hurried  from  the  room 
and  called  the  waiter. 

"  What's  the  meaning  of  the  announcement  you've  just  put 
up  in  the  coffee-room  ?     Where  did  it  come  from  t  " 

"  Most  important  news,  sir  ;  exclusively  in  the  columns  of  the 
Bristol  Telegraph;  the  gentleman  has  just  arrived " 

"  Who  pray  ?     What  gentleman  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Free,  sir.  No.  13 — large  bedroom — blue  damask — 
supper  for  two — oysters — a  devil — brandy-and-water — mulled 
port." 

"  What  the  devil  do  you  mean  ?     Is  the  fellow  at  supper?  " 

Somewhat  shocked  by  the  tone  I  ventured  to  assume  towards 
the  illustrious  narrator,  the  waiter  merely  bowed   his  reply. 

"  Show  me  to  his  room,"  said  I  ;  "I  should  like  to  see 
him." 

"  Follow  me  ,  if  you  please,  sir — this  way — what  name  shall 
I  say,  sir  ?  " 

"  You  need  not  mind  announcing  me — I'm  an  old  acquaint- 
ance— just  show    me  the  room." 

"  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  but  Mr.  Meekins,  the  editor  of  the 
liicgrap/i,  is  engaged  with  him  at  present  ;  and  positive  orders 
are  given  not  to  suffer  any   interruption." 

"  No  matter  :  do  as  I  bid  you.  Is  that  it  ?  Oh  !  I  hear  Iiis 
voice.  There,  that  will  do.  'N'ou  may  go  downstairs,  I'll 
introduce   myself." 

So  saying,  and  slipping  a  crown  into  the  waiter's  hand,  I 
()ioceeded  cautiously  towards  the  door,  and  opened  it  stealth- 
il\.     My    caution   was,    however,  needless  ;  for  a  large    screen 


830  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

was  drawn  across  this  part  of  the  room,  completely  concealing 
the  door ;  closing  which  behind  me,  I  took  my  place  beneath 
the  shelter  of  this  ambuscade,  determined  on  no  account  to  be 
perceived  by  the  parties. 

Seated  in  a  large  arm-chair,  a  smoking  tumbler  of  mulled 
port  before  him,  sat  my  friend  Mike,  dressed  in  my  full  regi- 
mentals, even  to  the  helmet,  which,  unfortunately,  however,  for 
the  effect,  he  had  put  on  back  foremost ;  a  short  "  dudeen  " 
graced  his  lip,  and  the  trumpet,  so  frequently  alluded  to,  lay 
near  him. 

Opposite  him  sat  a  short,  puny,  round-faced  little  gentleman, 
with  rolling  eyes  and  a  turned-up  nose.  Numerous  sheets  of 
paper,  pens,  etc.,  lay  scattered  about ;  and  he  evinced,  by  his 
air  and  gesture,  the  most  marked  and  eager  attention  to  Mr. 
Tree's  narrative,  whose  frequent  interruptions,  caused  by  the 
drink  and  the  oysters,  were  viewed  with  no  small  impatience 
by  the  anxious  editor. 

"  You  must  remember,  Captain,  time's  passing  ;  the  placards 
are  all  out ;  must  be  at  press  before  one  o'clock  to-night ;  the 
morning  edition  is  everything,  with  us.  You  were  at  the  first 
parallel,  I  think." 

"  Devil  a  one  o'  me  knows.  Just  ring  that  bell  near  you. 
Them's  elegant  oysters :  and  you're  not  taking  your  drop  of 

liquor.     Here's     a    toast   for  you  :  '  May '   whoop — raal 

Carlingford's,  upon  my  conscience.  See  now  if  I  won't  hit 
the  little  black  chap  up  there,  the  first  shot." 

Scarcely  were  the  words  spoken,  when  a  little  painted  bust 
of  Shakespeare  fell  in  fragments  on  the  floor  as  an  oyster-shell 
laid  him  low. 

A  faint  effort  at  a  laugh  at  the  eccentricities  of  his  friend 
was  all  the  poor  editor  could  accomplish,  while  Mike's  triumph 
knew  no  bounds. 

"  Didn't  I  tell  you  ?  But  come  now,  are  you  ready?  Give 
the  pen  a  drink,  if  you  won't  take  one  yourself." 

"  I'm  ready,  quite  ready,"  responded  the  editor. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  831 

"  Faith,  and  it's  more  nor  I  am.  See  now,  here  it  is  :  The 
night  was  murthering  dark ;  you  could  not  see  a  stim." 

"  Not  see  a — a  what  ?  " 

"  A  stim,  bad  luck  to  you  ;  don't  you  know  English  ?  Hand 
me  the  hot  water.     Have  you  that  down  yet  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Pray  proceed." 

"  The  fifth  division  was  orthered  up,  bekase  they  were 
fighting   chaps  ;    the    Eighty-eighth   was    among    them  ;    the 

Rangers Oh!    upon  my  soul,  we  must  drink  the  Rangers 

Here,  devil  a  one  o'  me  will  go  on  till  we  give  them  all  the 
honors — hip — begin." 

"  Hip,"  sighed  the  luckless  editor,  as  he  rose  from  his  chair, 
obedient  to  the  command. 

"  Hurra — hurra — hurra  !  Well  done  !  there's  stufif  in  you 
yet,  ould  foolscap  !  The  little  bottle's  empty — ring  again,  if 
ye  plaze." 

"  Oh,  Father  Magan, 

Was  a  beautiful  man, 
But  a  bit  of  a  rogue,  a  bit  of  a  rogue. 

He  was  just  six  feet  high. 

Had  a  cast  in  his  eye, 
And  an  illigant  brogue,  an  illigant  brogue. 

"  He  was  bom  in  Killamey, 
And  reared  up  in  blarney " 

"  Arrah,  don't  be  looking  miserable  and  dissolute  that  way. 
Sure,  I'm  only  screwing  myself  up  for  you  ;  besides,  you  can 
print  the  song  av  you  like  !  it's  a  sweet  tune — '  Teddy,  you 
Gander.'  " 

"  Really,  Mr.  Free,  I  see  no  prospect  of  our  ever  getting 
done." 

"The  saints  in  Heaven  forbid,"  interrupted  Mike,  piously; 
"the  evening's  young,  and  drink  plenty.  Here  now,  make 
ready  !  " 

The  editor  once  more  made  a  gesture  of  preparation. 

"  Well,  as  1  was  saying,"  resumed  Mike,  "  it  was  pitch  dark 
when  the  columns  moved  up,  and  a  cold,  raw  night,  with  a 
)iule  thin  rain  falling.     Have  you  that  down  ?" 


832  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Yes.     Pray  go  on." 

"  Well,  just  as  it  might  be  here,  at  the  corner  of  the  trench, 
I  met  Dr.  Quill.  '  They're  waiting  for  you,  Mr.  Free,'  says 
he,  '  down  there.  Picton's  asking  for  you.'  '  Faith,  and  he 
must  wait,'  says  I,  '  for  I'm  terrible  dry.'  With  that,  he  pulled 
out  his  canteen  and  mixed  me  a  little  brandy-and-water.  'Are 
you  taking  it  without  a  toast  ? '  says  Doctor  Maurice.  '  Never 
fear,'  says  I ;  '  here's  Mary  Brady '  " 

"  But,  my  dear  sir,"  interposed  Mr.  Meekins,  "pray  do 
remember  this  is  somewhat  irrelevant.  In  fifteen  minutes  it 
will  be  twelve  o'clock." 

"  I  know  it,  ould  boy,  I  know  it.  I  see  what  you're  at. 
You  were  going  to  observe  how  much  better  we'd  be  for  a 
broiled  bone." 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind,  I  assure  you.  For  Heaven's  sake, 
no  more  eating  and  drinking." 

"  No  more  eating  nor  drinking  !  Why  not  ?  You've  a  nice 
notion  of  a  convivial  evening.  Faith,  we'll  have  the  broiled 
bone  sure  enough,  and,  what's  more,  a  half-gallon  of  the 
strongest  punch  they  can  make  us  ;  an'  I  hope  that,  grave  as 
you  are,  you'll  favor  the  company  with  a  song." 

"  Really,  ^Ir.  Free " 

"  Arrah  1  none  of  your  blarney.  Don't  be  misthering  me. 
Call  me  Mickey,  or  Mickey  Free,  if  you  like  better." 

"I  protest,"  said  the  editor,  with  dismay,  "that  here  we  are 
two  hours  at  work,  and  we  haven't  got  to  the  foot  of  the  great 
breach." 

"  And  wasn't  the  army  three  months  and  a  half  in  just 
getting  that  far,  with  a  battering  train,  and  mortars,  and  the 
finest  troops  ever  were  seen  ?  and  there  you  sit,  a  little  fat 
creature,  with  your  pen  in  your  hand,  grumbling  that  you  can't 
do  more  than  the  whole  British  army.  Take  care  you  don't 
provoke  me  to  beat  you  ;  for  I  am  quiet  till  I'm  roused.  But, 
by  the  Rock  o'  Cashel " 

Here  he  grasped  the  brass  trumpet  with  an  energy  that 
made  the  editor  spring  from  his  chair. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  833 

"  For  mercy's  sake,  Mr.  Free " 

"Well,  I  won't;  but  sit  down  there,  and  don't  be  bothering 
^ne  about  sieges,  and  battles,  and  things  you  know  nothing 
about." 

"  I  protest,"  rejoined  IVTr.  Meekins,  "  that,  had  you  not  sent 
to  my  office  intimating  your  wish  to  communicate  an  account 
of  the  siege,  I  never  should  have  thought  of  intruding  myself 
upon  you.  And  now,  since  you  appear  indisposed  to  afford 
the  information  in  question,  if  you  will  permit  me,  V\\  wish 
you  a  very  good-night." 

"  Faith,  and  so  you  shall,  and  help  me  to  pass  one,  too ; 
for  not  a  step  out  o'  that  chair  shall  you  take  till  morning. 
Do  ye  think  I  am  going  to  be  left  here  by  myself,  all  alone  ?  " 

"  I  must  observe,"   said  Mr.  Meekins 

"  To  be  sure,  to  be  sure,"  said  Mickey  ;  "  I  see  what  you 
mean.  You're  not  the  best  of  company,  it's  true;  but  at  a 
pinch  like  this There  now,  take  your  liquor." 

"  Once  for  all,  sir,"  said  the  editor,  "  I  would  beg  you  to 
recollect  that,  on  the  failh  of  your  message  to  me,  I  have  an- 
nounced an  account  of  the  storming  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo  for  our 
morning  edition.  Are  you  prepared,  may  I  ask,  for  the  con- 
sequences of  my  disappointing  ten  thousand  readers  ?  " 

"  It's  little  I  care  for  one  of  them.  I  never  knew  much  of 
reading  myself." 

"  If  you  think  to  make  a  jest  of  me,"  interposed  Mr. 
Meekins,  reddening  with  passion 

"A  jest  of  you  !  Troth,  it's  little  fun  I  can  get  out  of  you; 
you're  as  tiresome  a  creature  as  ever  I  spent  an  evening  with. 
See  now,  I  told  you  before  not  to  provoke  me  :  we'll  have  a 
little  more  drink;  ring  the  bell  :  wlu)  knows  but  you'll  turn 
out  better  by-and-by  ?  " 

As   Mike  rose   at   these  words   to  sununun  the   waiter,  Mr. 

Meekins  seized  the  opportunity  to  make  his  escape.     Scarcely 

had  he  reached  the  door,  however,  when  he  was  perceived  by 

Mickey,  who  hurled  the  trumpet  at  him  with  all  his  force,  whilQ 

53 


834  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

he  uttered  a  shout  that  nearly  left  the  poor  editor  lifeless  with 
terror.  This  time,  happily,  Mr.  Free's  aim  failed  him,  and, 
before  he  could  arrest  the  progress  of  his  victim,  he  had  gained 
the  corridor,  and,  with  one  bound,  cleared  the  first  flight  of 
the  staircase,  his  pace  increasing  every  moment  as  Mike's 
denunciations  grew  louder  and  louder,  till  at  last,  as  he  reached 
the  street,  Mr.  Free's  delight  overcame  his  indignation,  and  he 
threw  himself  upon  a  chair  and  laughed  immoderately. 

"  Oh,  may  I  never  !  if  I  didn't  frighten  the  editor.  The 
little  spalpeen  couldn't  eat  his  oysters  and  take  his  punch  like 
a  man.  But  sure  if  he  didn't,  there's  more  left  for  his  betters." 
So  saying,  he  filled  himself  a  goblet  and  drank  it  off.  "  Mr. 
Free,  we  won't  say  much  for  your  inclinations,  for  maybe  they 
are  not  the  best ;  but  here's  bad  luck  to  the  fellow  that  doesn't 
think  you  good  company ;  and  here,"  added  he,  again  filling 
his  glass — "  and  here's  may  the  devil  take  editors,  and  authors, 
and  compositors,  that  won't  let  us  alone,  but  must  be  taking 
our  lives,  and  our  songs,  and  our  little  devilments,  that  belongs 
to  one's  own  family,  and  tell  them  all  over  the  world.  A  lazy 
set  of  thieves  you  are,  every  one  of  you  ;  spending  your  time 
inventing  lies,  devil  a  more  nor  less ;  and  here  " — this  time 
he  filled  again — "  and  here's  a  hot  corner  and  Kilkenny  coals, 
that's  half  sulphur,  to  the  villain " 

For  what  particular  class  of  offenders  Mike's  penal  code 
was  now  devised,  I  was  not  destined  to  learn  ;  for,  overcome 
by  punch  and  indignation,  he  gave  one  loud  whoop,  and 
measured  his  length  upon  the  floor.  Having  committed  him 
to  the  care  of  the  waiters,  from  whom  I  learned  more  fully  the 
particulars  of  his  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Meekins,  I  enjoined 
them,  strictly,  not  to  mention  that  I  knew  anything  of  the 
matter  ;  and  betook  myself  to  my  bed,  sincerely  rejoicing  that 
in  a  few  hours  more  Mike  would  be  again  in  that  land  where 
even  his  eccentricities  and  excesses  would  be  viewed  with  a 
favorable  and  forgiving  eye. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  835 

CHAPTER    CVIII. 

IRELAND, 

"  You'd  better  call  your  master  up,"  said  the  Skipper  to 
Mickey  Free,  on  the  second  evening  after  our  departure  from 
Bristol ;  "  he  said  he'd  like  to  have  a  look  at  the  coast." 

The  words  were  overheard  by  me,  as  I  lay  between  sleeping 
and  waking  in  the  cabin  of  the  packet,  and  without  waiting  for 
a  second  invitation,  I  rushed  upon  deck.  The  sun  was  setting, 
and  one  vast  surface  of  yellow  golden  light  played  upon  the 
water,  as  it  rippled  beneath  a  gentle  gale.  The  white  foam 
curled  at  our  prow,  and  the  rushing  sound  told  the  speed  we 
were  going  at.  The  litde  craft  was  staggering  under  every 
sheet  of  her  canvas,  and  her  spars  creaked  as  her  white  sails 
bent  before  the  breeze.  Before  us,  but  to  my  landsman's  eyes 
scarcely  perceptible,  were  the  ill-defined  outlines  of  cloudy 
darkness  they  called  land,  and  which  I  continued  to  gaze  at 
with  a  strange  sense  of  interest,  while  I  heard  the  names  of 
certain  well-known  headlands  assigned  to  apparently  mere 
masses  of  fog-bank  and  vapor. 

He  wlio  has  never  been  separated  in  early  years,  while  yet 
the  budding  affections  of  his  heart  are  tender  shoots,  from  the 
land  of  liis  hirtli  and  of  his  lioinc,  knows  nothing  of  the  throng 
of  sensations  that  crowd  upon  him  as  he  nears  the  shore  of  his 
country.  The  names,  familiar  as  household  words,  come  with 
a  train  of  long-buried  thoughts  ;  the  feeling  of  attachment  to 
all  we  call  our  own — that  patriotism  of  the  heart — stirs  strongly 
within  him,  as  the  mingled  thrills  of  hope  and  fear  alternately 
move  him  to  joy  or  sadness. 

Hard  as  are  the  worldly  struggles  between  the  daily  cares  of 
him  who  carves  out  his  own  career  and  fortune,  vet  he  has 


836  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

never  experienced  the  darkest  poverty  of  fate  who  has  not  felt 
what  it  is  to  be  a  wanderer,  without  a  country  to  lay  claim  to. 
Of  all  the  desolations  that  visit  us,  this  is  the  gloomiest  and 
the  worst.  The  outcast  from  the  land  of  his  fathers,  whose 
voice  must  never  be  heard  within  the  walls  where  his  infancy 
was  nurtured,  nor  his  step  be  free  upon  the  mountains  where 
he  gambolled  in  his  youth,  this  is  indeed  wretchedness.  The 
instinct  of  country  grows  and  strengthens  with  our  years  ;  the 
joys  of  early  life  are  linked  with  it ;  the  hopes  of  age  point 
towards  it ;  and  he  who  knows  not  the  thrill  of  ecstasy  some 
well-remembered,  long-lost-sight-of  place  can  bring  to  his  heart 
when  returning  after  years  of  absence,  is  ignorant  of  one  of  the 
purest  sources  of  happiness  of  our  nature. 

With  what  a  yearning  of  the  heart,  then,  did  I  look  upon  the 
dim  and  misty  cliffs,  that  mighty  framework  of  my  island  home, 
their  stern  sides  lashed  by  the  blue  waters  of  the  ocean,  and 
their  summits  lost  within  the  clouds  !  With  what  an  easy  and 
natural  transition  did  my  mind  turn  from  the  wild  mountains 
and  the  green  valleys  to  their  hardy  sons,  who  toiled  beneath 
the  burning  sun  of  the  Peninsula !  and  how,  as  some  twinkling 
light  of  the  distant  shore  would  catch  my  eye,  did  I  wonder 
within  myself  whether  beside  that  hearth  and  board  there  might 
not  sit  some,  whose  tlioughts  were  wandering  over  the  sea  be- 
side the  bold  steeps  of  El  Bodon,  or  the  death-strewn  plain  of 
Talavera  !  their  memories  calling  up  some  trait  of  him  who 
was  the  idol  of  his  home  ;  whose  closing  lids  some  fond  mother 
had  watched  over  ;  above  whose  peaceful  slumber  her  prayers 
had  fallen  ;  but  whose  narrow  bed  was  now  beneath  the  breach 
of  Badajos,  and  his  sleep  the  sleep  that  knows  not  waking. 

I  know  not  if  in  my  sad  and  sorrowing  spirit  I  did  not  envy 
him  who  thus  had  met  a  soldier's  fate, — for  what  of  promise 
had  my  own  !  My  hopes  of  being  in  any  way  instrumental  to 
my  poor  uncle's  happiness  grew  hourly  less.  His  prejudices 
were  deeply  rooted  and  of  long  standing ;  to  have  asked  him 
to  surrender  any  of  what  he  looked  upon  as  the  prerogatives  of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  837 

his  house  and  name,  would  be  to  risk  the  loss  of  his  esteem. 
What  then  remained  for  me  ?  Was  I  to  watch,  day  by  day 
and  hour  by  hour,  the  falling  ruin  of  our  fortunes  ?  Was  I  to 
involve  myself  in  the  petty  warfare  of  unavailing  resistance  to 
the  law  ?  and  could  I  stand  aloof  from  my  best,  my  truest,  my 
earliest  friend,  and  see  him,  alone  and  unaided,  oppose  his 
weak  and  final  struggle  to  the  unrelenting  career  of  persecu- 
tion. Between  these  two  alternatives  the  former  could  be  my 
only  choice  ;  and  what  a  choice  ! 

Oh,  how  I  thought  over  the  wild  heroism  of  the  battle-field, 
the  reckless  fury  of  the  charge,  the  crash,  the  death-cry,  and 
the  sad  picture  of  the  morrow,  when  all  was  past,  and  a  soldier's 
glory  alone  remained  to  shed  its  high  halo  over  the  faults  and 
the  follies  of  the  dead. 

As  night  fell,  the  twinkling  of  the  distant  lighthouses, — some 
throwing  a  column  of  light  from  the  very  verge  of  the  horizon, 
others  shining  brightly,  like  stars,  from  some  lofty  promontory^ 
— marked  the  different  outlines  of  the  coast,  and  conveyed  to 
me  the  memory  of  that  broken  and  wild  mountain  tract  that 
forms  the  bulwark  of  the  Green  Isle  against  the  waves  of  the 
Atlantic.  Alone  and  silently  I  trod  the  deck,  now  turning  to 
look  towards  the  shore,  where  I  thought  I  could  detect  the 
position  of  some  well-known  headland,  now  straining  my  eyes 
seaward  to  watch  some  bright  and  flitting  star,  as  it  rose  from 
or  merged  beneath  the  foaming  water,  denoting  the  track  of 
the  swift  pilot-boat,  or  the  hardy  lugger  of  the  fisherman  ;  while 
the  shrill  whistle  of  the  floating  sea-gull  was  the  only  sound, 
save  the  rushing  waves  that  broke  in  spray  upon  our  quarter. 

What  is  it  that  so  inevitably  inspires  sad  and  depressing 
thoughts,  as  we  walk  the  deck  of  some  little  craft,  in  the  silence 
of  the  night's  dark  hours  ?  No  sense  of  danger  near,  we  hold 
on  our  course  swiftly  and  steadily,  cleaving  the  dark  waves, 
and  bending  gracefully  beneath  the  freshening  breeze.  Yet 
still  the  motion  whicli,  in  the  bright  sunshine  of  the  noonday 
tells  of  jr>y  and  gladness,  brings  now  no  touch  of  pleasure  to 


838  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

our  hearts.  The  dark  and  frowning  sky,  the  boundless  expanse 
of  gloomy  water,  spread  like  some  gigantic  pall  around  us,  and 
our  thoughts  either  turn  back  upon  the  saddest  features  of  the 
past,  or  look  forward  to  the  future  with  a  sickly  hope  that  all 
may  not  be  as  we  fear  it. 

Mine  were  indeed  of  the  gloomiest,  and  the  selfishness  alone 
of  the  thought  prevented  me  from  wishing  that,  like  many 
another,  I  had  fallen  by  a  soldier's  death  on  the  plains  of  the 
Peninsula  ! 

As  the  night  wore  on,  I  wrapped  myself  in  my  cloak  and 
lay  down  beneath  the  bulwark.  The  whole  of  my  past  life  came 
in  review  before  me,  and  I  thought  over  my  first  meeting  with 
Lucy  Dashwood  ;  the  thrill  of  boyish  admiration  gliding  into 
love  ;  the  hopes,  the  fears,  that  stirred  my  heart ;  the  firm 
resolve  to  merit  her  affection,  which  made  me  a  soldier,  Alas  ! 
how  little  thought  she  of  him  to  whose  whole  life  she  had 
been  a  guide-star  and  a  beacon  !  And,  as  I  thought  over  the 
hard-fought  fields,  the  long,  fatiguing  marches,  the  nights 
around  the  watch-fires,  and  felt  how,  in  the  whirl  and  enthu- 
siasm of  a  soldier's  life,  the  cares  and  sorrows  of  every-day 
existence  are  forgotten,  I  shuddered  to  reflect  upon  the  career 
that  might  now  open  before  me.  To  abandon,  perhaps  for- 
ever, the  glorious  path  I  had  been  pursuing  for  a  fife  of  indo- 
lence and  weariness,  while  my  name  that  had  already,  by  the 
chance  of  some  fortunate  circunstances,  begun  to  be  mentioned 
with  a  testimony  of  approval,  should  be  lost  in  oblivion,  or 
remembered  but  as  that  of  one  whose  early  promise  was  not 
borne  out  by  the  deeds  of  his  manhood. 

As  day  broke,  overcome  by  watching,  I  slept ;  but  was  soon 
awoke  by  the  stir  and  bustle  around  me.  The  breeze  had 
freshened,  and  we  were  running  under  a  reefed  mainsail  and 
foresail ;  and,  as  the  little  craft  bounded  above  the  blue  water, 
the  white  foam  crested  above  her  prow,  and  ran  in  boiling 
rivulets  along  towards  the  after-deck.  The  tramp  of  the  seamen, 
the  hoarse  voice  of  the  captain,  the  shrill  cry  of  the  sea-birds, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  839 

betokened,  however,  nothing  of  dread  or  danger  ;  and  listlessly 
I  leant  upon  my  elbow  and  asked  what  was  going  forward. 

"  Nothing,  sir  ;  only  making  ready  to  drop  our  anchor." 

"  Are  we  so  near  shore,  then  ?  "  said  I. 

"  You've  only  to  round  that  point  to  windward,  and  have  a 
clear  run  into  Cork  harbor." 

I  sprang  at  once  to  my  legs  ;  the  land-fog  prevented  my 
seeing  anything  whatever,  but  I  thought  that  in  the  breeze,  fresh 
and  balmy  as  it  blew,  I  could  feel  the  wind  off  shore. 

"  At  last,"  said  I,  "  at  last !  "  as  I  stepped  into  the  little 
wherry  which  shot  alongside  of  us,  and  we  glided  into  the  still 
basin  of  Cove.  How  I  remember  every  white-walled  cottage, 
and  the  beetling  cliffs,  and  that  bold  headland  beside  which  the 
valley  opens,  with  its  dark  green  woods  ;  and  then  Spike  Island. 
And  what  a  stir  is  yonder,  early  as  it  is  ;  the  men-of-war  tenders 
seem  alive  with  people,  while  still  the  little  village  is  sunk  in 
slumber,  not  a  smoke-wreath  rising  from  its  silent  hearths  ; 
every  plash  of  the  oars  in  the  calm  water,  as  I  neared  the  land, 
every  chance  word  of  the  bronzed  and  hardy  fisherman,  told 
upon  my  heart.     I  felt  it  was  my  home. 

"  Isn't  it  beautiful,  sir  ?  isn't  it  illigant  ?  "  said  a  voice  behind 
me,  which  there  could  be  little  doubt  in  my  detecting,  although 
I  had  not  seen  the  individual  since  I  left  England. 

"  Is  not  what  beautiful  ?  "  replied  I,  rather  harshly,  at  the 
interruption  of  my  own  thoughts. 

"  Ireland,  to  be  sure  ;  and  long  life  to  her  !  "  cried  he, 
with  a  cheer,  that  soon  found  its  responsive  echoes  in  the 
hearts  of  our  sailors,  who  seconded  the  sentiment  with  all  their 
energy. 

"How  am  I  to  get  up  to  Cork,  lads?"  said  I;  "I  am 
pressed  for  time,  and  must  get  forward." 

"  We'll  row  your  honor  the  whole  way,  av  it's  plazing  to 
you." 

"Why,  thank  you,  I'd  ratiicr  find  some  quicker  mode  of 
proceeding." 


840  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

"  Maybe  you'd  have  a  chaise  ;  there's  an  elegant  one  at 
M'Cassidy's." 

"  Sure  the  blind  mare's  in  foal,"  said  the  bow  oar;  "the 
devil  a  step  she  can  go  out  of  a  walk ;  so,  your  honor,  take 
Tim  Riley's  car,  and  you'll  get  up  cheap.  Not  that  you  care 
for  money ;  but  he's  going  up  at  eight  o'clock  with  two  young 
ladies." 

"  Oh  !  be  gorra,"  said  the  other,  "  and  so  he  is;  and,  faix, 
ye  might  do  worse — they're  nice  craytures." 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "your  advice  seems  good  ;  but  perhaps  they 
might  object  to  my  company." 

"  I've  no  fear  ;  they're  always  with  the  officers.  Sure  the 
Miss  Dalrymples " 

"The  Miss  Dalrymples! — Push  ahead,  boys;  it  must  be 
later  than  I  thought ;  we  must  get  the  chaise  :  I  can't  wait." 

Ten  minutes  more  brought  us  to  land. 

******** 

My  arrangements  were  soon  made,  and,  as  my  impatience  to 
press  forward  became  greater  the  nearer  I  drew  to  my  destina- 
tion, I  lost  not  a  moment. 

The  yellow  chaise — sole  glory  of  Cove — was  brought  forth 
at  my  request ;  and,  by  good  fortune,  four  posters  which  had 
been  down  the  preceding  evening  from  Cork  to  some  gentle- 
man's seat  near,  were  about  to  return.  These  were  also  pressed 
into  my  service ;  and  just  as  the  first  early  riser  of  the  little 
village  was  drawing  his  curtain  to  take  a  half-closed  eye 
glance  upon  the  breaking  morning,  I  rattled  forth  upon  my 
journey  at  a  pace  which,  could  I  only  have  secured  its  continu- 
ance, must  soon  have  terminated  my  weary  way." 

Beautiful  as  the  whole  line  of  country  is,  I  was  totally 
unconscious  of  it  ;  and  even  Mike's  conversational  powers, 
divided  as  they  were  between  myself  and  the  two  postilions, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  841 

were  fruitless  in  arousing  me  from  the  deep  preoccupation  of 
my  mind  by  tlioughts  of  home. 

It  was,  then,  with  some  astonishment  I  heard  the  boy  upon 
the  wheeler  ask  whither  he  should  drive  me  to. 

"Tell  his  honor  to  wake  up,  we're  in  Cork  now." 

"  In  Cork  !   impossible  already." 

"  Faith,  maybe  so — but  it's  Cork,  sure  enough." 

"  Drive  to  the  '  George  ;  '  it's  not  far  from  the  Commander- 
in-Chief's  quarters." 

"  'Tis  five  minutes'  walk,  sir  ;  you'll  be  there  before  they're 
put  to  again." 

'•  Horses  for  Fermoy  !"  shouted  out  the  postilions,  as  we 
tore  up  to  the  door  in  a  gallop.  I  sprang  out,  and,  by  the  assist- 
ance of  the  waiter,  discovered  Sir  Henry  Howard's  quarters,  to 
whom  my  despatches  were  addressed.  Having  delivered  them 
into  the  hands  of  an  aide-de-camp,  who  sat  bolt  upright  in  his 
bed,  rubbing  his  eyes  to  appear  awake,  I  again  hurried  down- 
stairs, and,  throwing  myself  into  the  chaise,  continued  my 
journey. 

"  Tiiem's  beautiful  streets,  anyhow  !  "  said  Mike,  ''  av  they 
wasn't  kept  so  dirty,  and  the  houses  so  dark,  and  the  pavement 
bad.  That's  Mr.  Beamish's — that  fine  house  there,  with  the 
brass  rapper  and  the  green  lamp  beside  it  ;  and  there's  the 
hospital  ;  faix  !  and  there's  the  place  we  beat  the  police,  when 
I  was  here  before  ;  and  the  house  with  the  sign  of  the  High- 
lander is  thrown  down— and  what's  the  big  building  with  the 
stone  posts  at  the  door  ?  " 

"The  bank,  sir,"  said  the  postilion,  with  a  most  deferential 
air,  as  Mike  addressed  him. 

"  What  bank,  acushla  ?  " 

"  Not  a  one  of  me  knows,  sir ;  but  they  call  it  the  bank, 
though  it's  only  an  empty  house." 

"  Cary  and  Moore's  bank,  perhaps  .^  "  said  I,  having  heard 
that  in  days  long  past  some  such  names  had  failed  in  Cork  for 
a  large  amount, 


842  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

"  So  it  is ;  your  honor's  right,"  cried  the  postilion  ;  while 
Mike,  standing  up  on  the  box,  and  menacing  the  house  with 
his  clenched  fist,  shouted  out  at  the  very  top  of  his  voice,— 

"  Oh,  bad  luck  to  your  cobwebbed  windows  and  iron  railings  ! 
sure  it's  my  father's  son  ought  to  hate  the  sight  of  you." 

"  I  hope,  Mike,  your  father  never  trusted  his  property  in 
such  hands  ?  " 

"  I  don't  suspect  he  did,  your  honor  ;  he  never  put  much 
belief  in  the  banks  ;  but  the  house  cost  him  dear  enough  without 
that." 

As  I  could  not  help  feeling  some  curiosity  in  this  matter,  I 
pressed  Mickey  for  an  explanation. 

"  But  maybe  it's  not  Gary  and  Moore's,  after  all ;  and  I'm, 
maybe,  cursing  dacent  people." 

Having  reassured  his  mind,  by  telling  him  that  the  reserva- 
tion he  made  by  the  doubt  would  tell  in  their  favor  should  he 
prove  mistaken,  he  afforded  me  the  following  information  : — 

"  When  my  father — the  heavens  be  his  bed !— was  in  the 
'Cork,'  they  put  him  one  night  on  guard  at  that  same  big 
house  you  just  passed — av  it  was  the  same  ;  but,  if  it  wasn't 
that,  it  was  another  ;  and  it  was  a  beautiful  fine  night  in  August, 
and  the  moon  up,  and  plenty  of  people  walking  about,  and  all 
kinds  of  fun  and  devilment  going  on— drinking  and  dancing, 
and  everything. 

"  Well,  my  father  was  stuck  up  there,  with  his  musket,  to 
walk  up  and  down,  and  not  say  '  God  save  you  kindly,'  or  the 
time  of  day,  or  anything,  but  just  march  as  if  he  was  in  the 
barrack-yard ;  and  by  reason  of  his  being  the  man  he  was  he 
didn't  like  it  half,  but  kept  cursing  and  swearing  to  himself  like 
mad  when  he  saw  pleasant  fellows  and  pretty  girls  going  by, 
laughing  and  joking. 

"  '  Good-evening,  Mickey,'  says  one  ;  '  fine  sport  ye  have  all 
to  yourself,  with  your  long  feather  in  your  cap.' 

"  '  Arrah,  look  how  proud  he  is,'  says  another,  'with  his  head 
up  as  if  he  didn't  see  a  bodv.' 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  843 

<'  *  Shoulder  hoo  ! '  cried  a  drunken  chap,  with  a  shovel  in 
his  hand.     They  all  began  laughing  away  at  my  father. 

"  '  Let  the  dacent  man  alone,'  said  an  ould  fellow  in  a  wig  ; 
'isn't  he  guardmg  the  bank,  wid  all  the  money  in  it  .^ ' 

"  '  Faix  he  isn't,'  says  another,  'for  there's  none  left.' 

"  '  What's  that  you're  saying  ? '  says  my  father. 

"'Just  that  the  bank's  broke,  devil  a  more,'  says  he. 

"  '  And  there's  no  goold  in  it  ? '  says  my  father. 

"  '  Divil  a  guinea.' 

"  '  Nor  silver  ? ' 

" '  No,  nor  silver,  nor  as  much  as  sixpence,  either.' 

" '  Didn't  ye  hear,  that  all  day  yesterday,  when  the  people 
was  coming  in  with  their  notes,  the  chaps  there  were  heating 
the  guineas  in  a  frying-pan,  pretending  that  they  were  making 
them  as  fast  as  they  could ;  and  sure,  when  they  had  a  batch 
red-hot  they  spread  them  out  to  cool ;  and  what  betune  the 
hating  and  the  cooling,  and  the  burning  the  fingers  counting 
them,  they  kept  the  bank  open  to  three  o'clock,  and  then  they 
ran  away.' 

"  '  Is  it  truth  yer  telling  ? '  says  my  father. 

"  '  Sorra  word  o'  lie  in  it !  myself  had  two-and-fourpence  of 
their  notes.' 

"  '  And  so  they're  broke,'  says  my  father,  '  and  nothing  left  ? ' 

"  *  Not  a  brass  farden.' 

" '  And  wliat  am  I  staying  here  for,  I  wonder,  if  there's 
nothing  to  guard  ?' 

"  'Faix,  if  it  isn't  for  the  pride  of  the  thing ' 

"  *  Oh,  sorra  taste.' 

"'Well,  maybe  for  divarsion.' 

"  '  Nor  that  either.' 

"  *  Faix  !  then  you're  a  droll  man,  to  spend  the  evening  that 
way,'  says  he  !  and  all  the  crowd — for  there  was  a  crowd — said 
the  same.  So  with  that  my  father  unscrewed  his  bayonet,  and 
put  his  piece  on  his  shoulder,  and  walked  off  to  his  bed  in  the 
barrack  as  peaceable  as  need  be.     But  well,  when  they  came  to 


844  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

relieve  him,  wasn't  there  a  raal  commotion  ?  and  faith,  you 
see,  it  went  mighty  hard  with  my  father  the  next  morning ;  for 
the  bank  w-as  open  just  as  usual,  my  father  was  sintinced  to 
fifty  lashes,  but  got  off  with  a  week  in  prison,  and  three  more, 
rowling  a  big  stone  in  the  barrack-yard." 

Thus  chatting  away,  the  time  passed  over,  until  we  arrived 
at  Fermoy.  Here  there  was  some  little  delay  in  procuring 
horses  ;  and  during  the  negotiation,  Mike,  who  usually  made 
himself  master  of  the  circumstances  of  every  place  through 
which  he  passed,  discovered  that  the  grocer's  shop  of  the 
village  was  kept  by  a  namesake,  and  possibly  a  relation  of  his 
own. 

"  I  always  had  a  notion.  Mister  Charles,  that  I  came  from  a 
good  stock  ;  and,  sure  enough,  here's  '  Mary  Free'  over  the  door 
there,  and  a  beautiful  place  inside  ;  full  of  tay  and  sugar,  and 
gingerbread,  and  glue,  and  coffee,  and  bran,  pickled  herrings, 
soap,  and  many  other  commodities." 

"  Perhaps  you'd  like  to  claim  kindred,  Mike,"  said  I,  inter- 
rupting ;  "  I'm  sure  she'd  feel  flattered  to  discover  a  relative  in 
a  Peninsula  hero." 

"It's  just  what  I'm  thinking;  av  we  were  going  to  pass  the 
evening  here,  I'd  try  if  I  couldn't  make  her  out  a  second  cousin 
at  least." 

Fortune,  upon  this  occasion,  seconded  Mike's  wishes,  for 
when  the  horses  made  their  appearance,  I  learned,  to  my  sur- 
prise, that  the  near  side  one  would  not  bear  a  saddle,  and  the 
off-sider  could  only  run  on  his  own  side.  In  this  conjuncture, 
the  postilion  was  obliged  to  drive  from  what,  Hihernice  speak- 
ing, is  called  the  perch  ;  no  ill-applied  denomination  to  a  piece 
of  wood,  which,  about  the  thickness  of  one's  arm,  is  hung 
between  the  two  fore-springs,  and  serves  as  a  resting-place,  in 
which  the  luckless  wight,  weary  of  the  saddle,  is  not  sorry  to 
repose  himself. 

"What's  to  be  done.?"  cried  I.  "There's  no  room  within; 
my  traps  barely  leave  space  for  myself  amongst  them." 


THE  IRISH  DRAG 00 X.  845 

"Sure,  sir,"  said  the  postilion,  "the  other  gentleman  can 
follow  in  the  morning  coach  ;  and  if  any  accident  happens  to 
yourself  on  the  road,  by  reason  of  a  break-down,  he'll  be  there 
as  soon  as  yourself." 

This,  at  least,  was  an  agreeable  suggestion,  and,  as  I  saw  it 
chimed  with  Mike's  notions,  I  acceded  at  once  ;  he  came  run- 
ning up  at  the  moment. 

"  I  had  a  peep  at  her  through  the  window,  Mister  Charles, 
and,  faix,  she  has  a  great  look  of  the  family." 

"  Well,  Mickey,  I'll  leave  you  twenty-four  hours  to  cultivate 
the  acquaintance  ;  and  to  a  man  like  you  the  time,  I  know,  is 
ample.  Follow  me  by  the  morning's  coach.  Till  then,  good- 
bye." 

Away  we  rattled  once  more,  and  soon  left  the  town  behind 
us.  The  wild  mountain  tract  which  stretched  on  either  side  of 
the  road  presented  one  bleak  and  brown  surface,  unrelieved 
by  any  trace  of  tillage  or  habitation  ;  an  apparently  endless 
succession  of  fern-clad  hills  lay  on  every  side ;  above,  the 
gloomy  sky  of  leaden,  louring  aspect,  frowned  darkly  ;  the  sad 
and  wailing  cry  of  the  pewet  or  the  plover  was  the  only  sound 
that  broke  the  stillness,  and,  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  a 
dreary  waste  extended.  The  air,  too,  was  cold  and  chilly;  it 
was  one  of  those  days  which,  in  our  springs,  seemed  to  cast  a 
retrospective  glance  towards  the  winter  they  have  left  behind 
them.  The  prospect  was  no  cheering  one  ;  from  heaven  above 
or  earth  below  there  came  no  sight  nor  sound  of  gladness. 
The  rich  glow  of  the  Peninsular  landscape  was  still  fresh  in 
my  memory — the  luxurious  verdure — the  olive,  the  citron,  and 
the  vine — the  fair  valleys  teeming  with  abundance — the  moun- 
tains terraced  with  their  vineyards— the  blue  transparent  sky 
spreading  o'er  all — while  tiie  very  air  was  rife  with  the  cheering 
song  of  birds  that  peopled  every  grove.  What  a  contrast  was 
here  !  We  travelled  on  for  miles,  but  no  \illage  nor  one  human 
face  did  we  see.  Far  in  the  distance  a  thin  wreath  of  smoke 
curled  upwards  ;  but  it  came  froni  no  hearth  j  it  arose  from  one 


846  CHARLES  aM ALLEY, 

of  those  field-fires  by  which  spendthrift  husbandry  cultivates 
the  ground.  It  was,  indeed,  sad  ;  and  yet,  I  know  not  how,  it 
spoke  more  home  to  my  heart  than  all  the  brilliant  display  and 
all  the  voluptuous  splendor  I  had  witnessed  in  London.  By 
degrees  some  traces  of  wood  made  their  appearance,  and,  as  we 
descended  the  mountain  towards  Cahir,  the  country  assumed 
a  more  cultivated  and  cheerful  look — patches  of  corn  or  of 
meadow-land  stretched  on  either  side,  and  the  voice  of  children, 
and  the  lowing  of  oxen,  mingled  with  the  cawing  of  the  rooks, 
as,  in  dense  clouds,  they  followed  the  ploughman's  track.  The 
changed  features  of  the  prospect  resembled  the  alternate  phases 
of  temperament  of  the  dweller  in  the  soil — the  gloomy  deter- 
mination— the  smiling  carelessness — the  dark  spirit  of  boding — 
the  reckless  jollity — the  almost  savage  ferocity  of  purpose, 
followed  by  a  child-like  docility  and  a  womanly  softness — the 
grave,  the  gay,  the  resolute,  the  fickle — the  firm,  the  yielding, 
the  unsparing,  and  the  tender-hearted,  blending  their  contra- 
rieties into  one  nature,  of  whose  capabilities  one  cannot  predi- 
cate the  bounds,  but  to  whom,  by  some  luckless  fatality  of 
fortune,  the  great  rewards  of  life  have  been  generally  withheld, 
until  one  begins  to  feel  that  the  curse  of  Swift  was  less  the 
sarcasm  wrung  from  indignant  failures  than  the  cold  and  stern 
prophecy  of  the  moralist. 

But  how  have  I  fallen  into  this  strain  !  Let  me  rather  turn 
my  eyes  forward  towards  my  home.  How  shall  I  find  all  there  1 
Have  his  altered  fortunes  damped  the  warm  ardor  of  my  poor 
uncle's  heart.''  Is  his  smile  sicklied  over  by  sorrow.''  Or 
shall  I  hear  his  merry  laugh,  and  his  cheerful  voice,  as  in  days 
of  yore  ?  How  I  longed  to  take  my  place  beside  that  hearth, 
and,  in  the  same  oak-chair  where  I  have  sat  telling  the  bold 
adventures  of  a  fox-chase  or  some  long  day  upon  the  moors, 
speak  of  the  scenes  of  my  campaigning  life,  and  make  known  to 
him  those  gallant  fellows  by  whose  side  I  have  charged  in 
battle,  or  sat  in  the  bivouac  !  How  will  he  glory  in  the  soldier- 
like spirit  and  daring  energy  of  Fred  Power  !     How  will  he 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  847 

chuckle  over  the  blundering  earnestness  and  Irish  warmth  of 
O'Shaughnessy !  How  will  he  laugh  at  the  quaint  stories  and 
quainter  jests  of  Maurice  Quill !  And  how  often  will  he  wish 
once  more  to  be  young  in  hand  as  in  heart  to  mingle  with  such 
gay  fellows,  with  no  other  care,  no  other  sorrow,  to  depress 
:dm,  save  the  passing  fortune  of  a  soldier's  life  ! 


CHAPTER  CIX. 


THE    RETURN. 


A  RUDE  shock  awoke  me,  as  I  lay  asleep  in  the  corner  of  the 
chaise  ;  a  shout  followed,  and  the  next  moment  the  door  was 
torn  open,  and  I  heard  the  postilion's  voice  crying  to  me  : — 

"  Spring  out !  jump  out  quickly,  sir  !  " 

A  whole  battery  of  kicks  upon  the  front  panel  drowned  the 
rest  of  his  speech  ;  but  before  I  could  obey  his  injunction,  he 
was  pitched  upon  the  road,  the  chaise  rolled  over,  and  the  pole 
snapped  short  in  the  middle,  while  the  two  horses  belabored 
the  carriage  and  each  other  with  all  their  might.  Managing, 
as  well  as  I  was  able,  to  extricate  myself,  I  leaped  out  upon  the 
road,  and  by  tlie  aid  of  a  knife,  and  at  the  cost  of  some  bruises, 
succeeded  in  freeing  the  horses  from  their  tackle.  The  post- 
boy, who  had  escaped  without  any  serious  injury,  labored 
manfully  to  aid  me,  bkiljbcring  the  whole  time  upon  the  con- 
sequences his  misfortune  would  bring  down  upon  his  head. 

"  Had  luck  to  ye  !  "  cried  he,  apostrophizing  the  ofT-horse,  a 
tall,  rawboned  beast,  with  a  Roman  nose,  a  dipped  back,  and 
a  tail  ragged  and  jagged  like  a  hand-saw.  ''  IJad  luck  to  ye  ! 
there  never  was  a  good  one  of  your  color  !  " 

This,  for  the  informntifin  of  the  "  unjockeyed,"  I  may  add, 
was  a  species  of  brindled  gray. 


848  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

*'  How  did  it  happen,  Patsey — how  did  it  happenmy,  lad  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  heap  o'  stones  they  left  in  the  road  since  last  au- 
tumn ;  and  though  I  rix  him  at  it  fairly,  he  dragged  the  ould  mare 
over  it  and  broke  the  pole.  Oh,  wirra,  wirra  !  "  cried  he,  wring- 
ing his  hands  in  an  agony  of  grief,  "  sure  there's  neither  luck 
nor  grace  to  be  had  with  ye  since  the  day  ye  drew  the  judge 
down  to  the  last  assizes  !  " 

"  Well !  what's  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  Sorra  a  bit  o'  me  knows ;  the  shay's  ruined  intirely,  and 
the  ould  divil  there  knows  he's  conquered  us.  Look  at  him 
there,  listening  to  every  word  we're  saying  !  You  eternal  thief ! 
maybe  it's  ploughing  you'd  like  better." 

"Come,  come,"  said  I,  "this  will  never  get  us  forward. 
What  part  of  the  country  are  we  in  ?  " 

"  We  left  Banagher  about  four  miles  behind  us  :  that's  Kil- 
limur  you  see  with  the  smoke  there  in  the  hollow." 

Now,  although  I  did  not  see  Killimur  (for  the  gray  mist  of 
the  morning  prevented  me  recognizing  any  object  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  distant),  yet,  from  the  direction  in  which  he  pointed, 
and  from  the  course  of  the  Shannon,  which  I  could  trace 
indistinctly,  I  obtained  a  pretty  accurate  notion  of  where  we 
were. 

"  Then  we  are  not  very  far  from  Portumna  .''  " 

"  Just  a  pleasant  walk  before  your  breakfast." 

"  And  is  there  not  a  short  cut  to  O'Malley  Castle  over  that 
mountain  ?  " 

"  Faix,  and  so  there  is ;  and  ye  can  be  no  stranger  to  these 
parts  if  ye  know  that." 

"  I  have  travelled  it  before  now.  Just  tell  me,  is  the  wooden 
bridge  standing  over  the  little  stream  1  It  used  to  be  carried 
away  every  winter,  in  my  time." 

"  It's  just  the  same  now.  You'll  have  to  pass  by  the  upper 
ford  ;  but  it  comes  to  the  same,  for  that  will  bring  you  to  the 
back  gate  of  the  demesne,  and  one  way  is  just  as  short  as  the 
other." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  849 

"  1  know  it,  1  know  it ;  so  now,  do  you  follow  me  with  my 
luggage  to  the  castle,  and  I'll  set  out  on  foot." 

So  saying,  I  threw  off  my  cloak,  and  prepared  myself  for  a 
sharp  walk  of  some  eight  miles  over  the  mouatain.  As  I 
reached  the  little  knoll  of  land  which,  overlooking  the  Shannon, 
affords  a  view  of  several  miles  in  every  direction,  I  stopped  to 
gaze  upon  the  scene  where  every  object  around  was  familiar  to 
me  from  infancy.  The  broad,  majestic  river,  sweeping  in  bold 
curves  between  the  wild  mountains  of  Con  naught  and  the 
wooded  hills  and  cultivated  slopes  of  the  more  fertile  Munster 
— the  tall  chimneys  of  many  a  house  rose  above  the  dense 
woods,  where  in  my  boyhood  I  had  spent  hours  and  days  of 
happiness.  One  last  look  I  turned  towards  the  scene  of  my 
late  catastrophe,  ere  I  began  to  descend  the  mountain.  The 
postboy,  with  the  happy  fatalism  of  his  country,  and  a  firm 
trust  in  the  future,  had  established  himself  in  the  interior  of 
the  chaise,  from  which  a  blue  curl  of  smoke  wreathed  upwards 
from  his  pipe  ;  the  horses  grazed  contentedly  by  the  roadside, 
and,  were  I  to  judge  from  the  evidence  before  me,  I  should  say 
that  I  was  the  only  member  of  the  party  inconvenienced  by  the 
accident.  A  thin  sleeting  of  rain  began  to  fall,  the  wind  blew 
sharply  in  my  face,  and  the  dark  clouds  collecting  in  masses 
above,  seemed  to  threaten  a  storm.  Without  stopping  for  even 
a  passing  l(;ok  at  the  many  well-known  spots  about,  I  pressed 
rapidly  on.  My  old  experience  upon  the  moors  had  taught  me 
that  sling  trot  in  which,  jumping  from  hillock  to  hillock,  over  the 
boggy  surface,  you  succeed  in  accomplishing  your  journey  not 
only  with  considerable  speed,  but  perfectly  dryshod. 

By  the  lonely  path  which  I  travelled,  it  was  unlikely  I  should 
meet  any  one  ;  it  was  rarely  traversed  except  by  the  foot  of  the 
sportsman,  or  some  stray  messenger  from  the  castle  to  the  town 
of  Banagher.  Its  solitude,  however,  was  in  no  wise  distasteful 
to  mc  ;  my  heart  was  full  to  l)ui.siing.  Each  moment  as  I 
walked,  some  new  feature  of  my  home  presented  itself  before 
me.  Now,  it  was  all  happiness  and  comfort ;  the  scene  of  its 
54 


850  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

ancient  hospitable  board,  its  warm  hearth,  its  happy  faces,  and 
its  ready  welcome,  were  all  before  me,  and  I  increased  my  speed 
to  the  utmost,  when  suddenly  a  sense  of  sad  and  sorrowing 
foreboding  would  draw  around  me,  and  the  image  of  my  uncle's 
sick-bed,  his  worn  features,  his  pallid  look,  his  brolcen  voice, 
would  strike  upon  my  heart ;  and  all  the  changes  that  poverty, 
desertion,  and  decay  can  bring  to  pass  would  fall  upon  my  heart, 
and,  weak  and  trembling,  I  would  stand  for  some  moments  un- 
able to  proceed. 

Oh  !  how  many  a  reproachful  thought  came  home  to  me  at . 
what  I  scrupled  not  to  call  to  myself  the  desertion  of  my  home. 
Oh  !  how  many  a  prayer  I  uttered  in  all  the  fervor  of  devotion, 
that  my  selfish  waywardness,  and  my  yearning  for  ambition, 
might  not  bring  upon  me,  in  after-life,  years  of  unavailing 
regret!  As  I  thought  thus,  I  reached  the  brow  of  a  little 
mountain  ridge,  beneath  which,  at  a  distance  of  scarcely  more 
than  a  mile,  the  dark  woods  of  O'Malley  Castle  stretched 
before  me.  The  house  itself  was  not  visible,  for  it  was  situated 
in  a  valley  beside  the  river :  but  there  lay  the  whole  scene  of 
my  boyhood,  there  the  little  creek  where  my  boat  was  kept,  and 
where  I  landed  on  the  morning  after  my  duel  with  Bodkin  ; 
there  stretched,  for  many  a  mile,  the  large,  callow  meadows, 
where  I  trained  my  horses,  and  schooled  them  for  the  coming 
season  ;  and  far  in  the  distance,  the  brown  and  rugged  peak  of 
old  Scariff  was  lost  in  the  clouds.  The  rain  by  this  time  had 
ceased,  the  wind  had  fallen,  and  an  almost  unnatural  stillness 
prevailed  around.  But  yet  the  heavy  masses  of  vapor  frowned 
ominously,  and  the  leaden  hue  of  land  and  water  wore  a 
gloomy  and  depressing  aspect.  My  impatience  to  get  on  in- 
creased every  moment,  and,  descending  the  mountain  at  the 
top  of  my  speed,  I  at  length  reached  the  little  oak  paling  that 
skirted  the  wood,  opened  the  little  wicket,  and  entered  the 
path.  It  was  the  self-same  one  I  had  trod  in  reverie  and 
meditation  the  night  before  I  left  my  home.  I  remember,  too, 
sitting  down  beside  the  little  well  which,  enclosed  in  a  frame 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOl^.  85 1 

of  rock,  ran  trickling  across  the  path,  to  be  lost  among  the 
gnarled  roots  and  fallen  leaves  around.  Yes,  this  was  the 
very  spot. 

Overcome  for  the  instant  by  my  exertion  and  by  my  emotion, 
I  sat  down  upon  the  stone,  and,  taking  off  my  cap,  bathed  my 
heated  and  throbbing  temples  in  the  cold  spring.  Refreshed  at 
once,  I  was  about  to  rise  and  press  onward,  when  suddenly  my 
attention  was  caught  by  a  sound  which,  faint  from  distance, 
scarce  struck  upon  my  ear.  I  listened  again,  but  all  was  still 
and  silent,  the  dull  plash  of  the  river,  as  it  broke  upon  the  reedy 
shore,  was  the  only  sound  I  heard.  Thinking  it  probably  some 
mere  delusion  of  my  heated  imagination,  I  rose  to  push  forward ; 
but  at  the  moment  a  slight  breeze  stirred  in  the  leaves  around 
me,  the  light  branches  rustled  and  bent  beneath  it,  and  a  low, 
moaning  sound  swelled  upwards,  increasing  each  instant  as  it 
came  ;  like  the  distant  roar  of  some  mighty  torrent  it  grew 
louder  as  the  wind  bore  it  towards  me,  and  now  falling,  now 
swelling,  it  burst  forth  into  one  loud,  prolonged  cry  of  agony 
and  grief.  Oh  God  !  it  was  the  deatli-wail  !  I  fell  upon  my 
knees,  my  hands  clasped  in  agony,  the  sweat  of  misery  dropped 
off  my  brow,  and  with  a  heart  bleeding  and  breaking,  I  prayed 
— I  know  not  what.  Again  the  terrible  cry  smote  upon  my 
ear,  and  I  could  mark  the  horrible  cadences  of  the  death-song, 
as  the  voices  of  the  mourners  joined  in  chorus. 

My  suspense  became  too  great  to  bear  ;  I  dashed  madly  for- 
ward, one  sound  still  ringing  in  my  ears,  one  horrid  image 
before  my  eyes.  I  reached  the  garden  wall,  I  cleared  the  little 
rivulet  beside  the  flower-garden,  I  traversed  its  beds  (neglected 
and  decayed),  I  gained  the  avenue,  taking  no  heed  of  the 
crowds  before  me — some  on  foot,  some  on  horseback,  others 
mounted  upon  the  low  country  car,  many  sealed  in  groups 
upon  the  grass,  their  heads  Ijowed  upon  their  bosoms,  silent 
and  speechless.  As  I  neared  tin;  house,  \.\u'.  wliole  approach 
was  crowded  with  carriages  and  horsemen  ;  at  the  foot  of  tiie 
large  llight  of  steps  stood  the  black  and  mournful  iiearse,  its 


852  CHARLES  O^MALLEy, 

plumes  nodding  in  the  breeze.  With  the  speed  of  madness 
and  the  recklessness  of  despair  I  tore  my  way  through  the 
thickly-standing  groups  upon  the  steps  ;  I  could  not  speak,  I 
could  not  utter.  Once  more  the  frightful  cry  swelled  upwards, 
and  in  its  wild  notes  seemed  to  paralyze  me  ;  for,  with  my 
hands  upon  my  temples,  I  stood  motionless  and  still.  A  heavy 
footfall,  as  of  persons  marching  in  procession,  came  nearer  and 
nearer,  and,  as  the  sounds  without  sank  into  sobs  of  bitterness 
and  woe,  the  black  pall  of  a  coffin,  borne  on  men's  shoulders, 
appeared  at  the  door,  and  an  old  man,  whose  gray  hair  floated 
in  the  breeze,  and  across  whose  stern  features  a  struggle  for 
self-mastery — a  kind  of  spasmodic  effort — was  playing,  held  out 
his  hand  to  enforce  silence.  His  eye,  lacklustre  and  dimmed 
with  age,  roved  over  the  assembled  multitude,  but  there  was  no 
recognition  in  his  look  until  at  last  he  turned  it  on  me.  A 
slight  hectic  flush  colored  his  pale  cheek,  his  lip  trembled, 
he  essayed  to  speak,  but  could  not.  I  sprang  towards  him, 
but,  choked  by  agony,  I  could  not  utter ;  my  look,  however, 
spoke  what  my  tongue  could  not :  he  threw  his  arms  around 
me,  and,  muttering  the  words  ''  Poor  Godfrey  !  "  pointed  to  the 
coffin. 


CHAPTER  ex. 


Many,  many  years  have  passed  away  since  the  time  I  am 
now  about  to  speak  of,  and  yet  I  cannot  revert,  even  for  a 
moment,  to  the  period,  without  a  sad  and  depressing  feeling  at 
my  heart.  The  wreck  of  fortune,  the  thwarting  of  ambition, 
the  failure  in  enterprise,  great  though  they  be,  are  endurable 
evils.  The  never-dying  hope  that  youth  is  blessed  with  will 
find  its  resting-place  still  within  the  breast,  and  the  baffled  and 
beaten  will   struggle  on  un conquered  ;  but  for  the  death  of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  553 

friends,  for  the  loss  of  those  in  whom  our  dearest  affections 
were  centred,  there  is  no  solace  ;  the  terrible  "never  "  of  the 
grave  knows  no  remorse,  and  even  memory,  that  in  our  saddest 
hours  can  bring  bright  images  and  smiling  faces  before  us, 
calls  up  here  only  the  departed  shade  of  happiness,  a  passing 
look  at  that  Eden  of  our  joys  from  which  we  are  separated  for- 
ever. And  the  desolation  of  the  heart  is  never  perfect  till  it 
has  felt  the  echoes  of  a  last  farewell  on  earth  reverberating 
within  it. 

Oh,  with  what  tortures  of  self-reproach  we  think  of  all  for- 
mer intercourse  with  him  that  is  gone  !  How  would  we  wish 
to  live  our  lives  once  more,  correcting  each  passage  of  unkind- 
ness  or  neglect !  How  deeply  do  we  blame  ourselves  for  oc- 
casions of  benefit  lost,  and  opportunities  unprofited  by  ;  and 
how  unceasingly,  through  after-life,  the  memory  of  the  departed 
recurs  to  us!  In  all  the  ties  which  affection  and  kindred 
weave  around  us,  one  vacant  spot  is  there,  unseen  and  un- 
known by  others,  which  no  blandishments  of  love,  no  caresses 
of  friendship  can  fill  up;  although  the  rank  grass  and  the  tall 
weeds  of  the  churchyard  may  close  around  the  humble  tomb, 
the  cemetery  of  the  heart  is  holy  and  sacred,  pure  from  all  the 
troubled  thoughts  and  daily  cares  of  the  busy  world.  To  that 
hallowed  spot  do  we  retire  as  into  our  chamber,  and  when  un- 
rewarded efforts  bring  discomfiture  and  misery  to  our  minds, 
when  friends  are  false,  and  cherished  hopes  are  blasted,  we 
think  on  those  who  never  ceased  to  love  till  they  had  ceased  to 
live ;  and  in  the  lonely  solitude  of  our  affliction  we  call  upon 
those  who  hear  not,  and  may  never  return. 

*  *  *  *  *  *■ 

****** 

Mine  was  a  desolate  hearth.  I  sat  moodily  down  in  the  old 
oak  parlor,  my  heart  bowed  down  with  grief.  The  noiseless 
steps,  the  mourning  garments  of  the  old  servants,  the  unnatural 
silence  of  those  walls  within  which  from  my  infancy  the  sounds 
of    merriment   and    mirth   had   been    familiar,  the    large   old- 


854  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

fashioned  chair  where  he  was  wont  to  sit,  now  placed  against 
the  wall — all  spoke  of  the  sad  past.  Yet,  when  some  footsteps 
would  draw  near,  and  the  door  would  open,  I  could  not  repress 
a  thrill  of  hope  that  he  was  coming;  more  than  once  I  rushed 
to  the  window  and  looked  out ;  I  could  have  sworn  I  heard 
his  voice. 

The  old  cob  pony  he  used  to  ride  was  grazing  peacefully 
before  the  door ;  poor  Carlo,  his  favorite  spaniel,  lay  stretched 
upon  the  terrace,  turning  ever  and  anon  a  look  towards  the 
window,  and  then,  as  if  wearied  of  watching  for  him  who  came 
not,  he  would  utter  a  long,  low,  wailing  cry,  and  lie  down  again 
to  sleep.  The  rich  lawn,  decked  with  field  flowers  of  many  a 
hue,  stretched  away  towards  the  river,  upon  whose  calm  sur- 
face the  white-sailed  lugger  scarce  seemed  to  move ;  the 
sounds  of  a  well-known  Irish  air  came,  softened  by  distance, 
as  some  poor  fisherman  sat  mending  his  net  upon  the  bank, 
and  the  laugh  of  children  floated  on  the  breeze.  Yes,  they 
were  happy. 

Two  months  had  elapsed  since  my  return  home  ;  how  passed 
by  me  I  know  not :  a  lethargic  stupor  had  settled  upon  me. 
Whole  days  long  I  sat  at  the  window,  looking  listlessly  at  the 
tranquil  river,  and  watching  the  white  foam  as,  borne  down  from 
the  rapids,  it  floated  lazily  along.  The  Count  had  left  me  soon, 
being  called  up  to  Dublin  by  some  business,  and  I  was  utterly 
alone.  The  different  families  about  called  frequently  to  ask 
after  me,  and  would,  doubtless,  have  done  all  in  their  power 
to  alleviate  my  sorrow,  and  lighten  the  load  of  my  affliction  ; 
but,  with  a  morbid  fear,  I  avoided  every  one,  and  rarely  left  the 
house  except  at  night-fall,  and  then  only  to  stroll  by  some 
lonely  and  deserted  path. 

Life  had  lost  its  charm  for  me ;  my  gratified  ambition  had 
ended  in  the  blackest  disappointment,  and  all  for  which  I  had 
labored  and  longed  was  only  attained  that  I  might  feel  it  value- 
less. 

Of  my  circumstances  as  to  fortune   I  knew    nothing,    and 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  855 

cared  not  more;  poverty  and  riches  could  matter  little  now; 
all  my  day-dreams  were  dissipated  now,  and  I  only  waited  for 
Considine's  return  to  leave  Ireland  forever.  I  had  made  up 
my  mind,  if,  by  any  unexpected  turn  of  fate,  the  war  should 
cease  in  the  Peninsula,  to  exchange  into  an  Indian  regiment. 
The  daily  association  with  objects  which  recalled  but  one 
image  to  my  brain,  and  that  ever  accompanied  by  remorse  of 
conscience,  gave  me  not  a  moment's  peace.  My  every  thought 
of  happiness  was  mixed  up  with  scenes  which  now  presented 
nothing  but  the  evidences  of  blighted  hope  ;  to  remain,  then, 
where  I  was,  would  be  to  sink  into  the  heartless  misanthropist, 
and  I  resolved  that,  with  my  sword,  I  would  carve  out  a 
soldier's  fortune  and  a  soldier's  grave. 

Considine  came  at  last.  I  was  sitting  alone,  at  my  usual 
post  beside  the  window,  when  the  chaise  rattled  up  to  the 
door  ;  for  an  instant  I  started  to  my  legs  ;  a  vague  sense  of 
something  like   hope  shot  through  me  ;  the  whole  might  be  a 

dream,  and  he The  next  moment  I  became  cold  and  sick, 

a  faintish  giddiness  obscured  my  sight,  and,  though  I  felt  his 
grasp  as  he  took  my  hand,  I  saw  him  not. 

An  indistinct  impression  still  dwells  upon  my  mind  of  his 
chiding  me  for  my  weakness  in  thus  giving  way  ;  of  his  calling 
upon  me  to  assert  my  position,  and  discharge  the  duties  of  him 
whose  successor  I  now  was.  I  heard  hin;  in  silence  ;  and,  when 
lie  concluded,  faintly  pledging  myself  to  obey  him,  I  hurried  to 
my  room,  and  throwing  myself  upon  my  bed,  burst  into  an 
agony  of  tears.  Ililherlo  my  pent-up  sorrow  had  wasted  me 
day  by  day  ;  but  the  rock  was  now  smote,  and  in  that  gush  of 
misery  my  heart  found  relief. 

When  I  appeared  the  following  morning,  the  Count  was 
struck  with  my  altered  looks;  a  settled  sorrow  could  not  con- 
ceal the  changes  which  time  and  manhood  had  made  upon 
me  ;  and  as  from  a  kind  of  fear  of  showing  how  deeply  I 
grieved,  I  endeavored  to  to  conceal  it,  by  degrees  I  was  enabled 
to  converse  calmly  and  dispassionately  upon  my  fortunes, 


856  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"Poor  Godfrey,"  said  he,  "appointed  me  his  sole  executor 
a  few  days  before  it  happened  ;  he  knew  the  time  was  drawing 
near,  and,  strange  enough,  Charley,  though  he  heard  of  your 
return  to  England,  he  would  not  let  us  write.  The  papers 
spoke  of  you  as  being  at  Carlton  House  almost  daily ;  your 
name  appeared  at  every  great  festival ;  and,  while  his  heart 
warmed  at  your  brilliant  success,  he  absolutely  dreaded  your 
coming  home.  '  Poor  fellow,'  he  would  say,  '  what  a  change 
for  him,  to  leave  the  splendor  and  magnificence  of  his  Prince's 
board  for  our  meagre  fare  and  altered  fortunes  !  And  then,'  he 
added,  'as  for  me^God  forgive  me  !  I  can  go  now — but  how 
should  I  bear  to  part  with  him  if  he  comes  back  to  me.'  And 
now,"  said  the  Count,  when  he  had  concluded  a  detailed  his- 
tory of  my  dear  uncle's  last  illness — "  and  now,  Charley,  what 
are  your  plans  .''  " 

Briefly,  and  in  a  few  words,  I  stated  to  him  my  intentions. 
Without  placing  much  stress  upon  the  strongest  of  my  reasons 
— my  distaste  to  what  had  once  been  home — I  avowed  my 
wish  to  join  my  regiment  at  once. 

He  heard  me  with  evident  impatience,  and,  as  I  finished, 
seized  my  arm  in  his  strong  grasp.  "  No,  no,  boy,  none  of 
this ;  your  tone  of  assumed  composure  cannot  impose  on  Bill 
Considine.  You  must  not  return  to  the  Peninsula — at  least 
not  yet  awhile  ;  the  disgust  of  life  may  be  strong  at  twenty,  but 
it's  not  lasting ;  besides,  Charley " — here  his  voice  faltered 
slightly — '■'■his  wishes  you'll  not  treat  lightly.     Read  this." 

As  he  spoke,  he  took  a  blotted  and  ill-written  letter  from  his 
breast-pocket,  and  handed  it  to  me.  It  was  in  my  poor 
uncle's  hand,  and  dated  the  very  morning  of  his  death.  It  ran 
thus : — 

"  Dear  Bill, 

"  Charley  must  never  part  with  the  old  house,  come  what  will ; 
I  leave  too  many  ties  behind  for  a  stranger's  heritage  ;  he  must  iive  among 
my  old  friends,  and  watch,  protect,  and  comfort  them.  He  has  done 
enough  for  famej  Let  him   now  do  something  for  affection.     We  have 


JHE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  857 

none  of  us  been  over  good  to  these  poor  people  ;  one  of  the  name  must 
try  and  save  our  credit.  God  bless  you  both  !  It  is,  perhaps,  the  last 
time  I  shall  utter  it. 

"  G.  O'M." 

I  read  these  few  and,  to  me,  affecting  lines  over  and  over, 
forgetful  of  ail  save  of  him  who  penned  them  ;  when  Con- 
sidine,  who  supposed  that  my  silence  was  attributable  to  doubt 
and  hesitation,  called  out : — 

"Well,  what  now  ?" 

"I  remain,"  said  I,  briefly. 

He  seized  me  in  his  arms  with  transport,  as  he  said  : — 
"  I  knew  it,  boy — I  knew  it.  They  told  me  you  were  spoiled  by 
flattery,  and  your  head  turned  by  fortune;  they  said  that  home 
and  country  would  weigh  lightly  in  the  balance  against  fame 
and  glory ;  but  I  said  no,  I  knew  you  better.  I  told  them  in- 
dignantly that  I  had  nursed  you  on  my  knee  ;  that  I  watched 
you  from  infancy  to  boyhood,  from  boy  to  man  ;  that  he  of 
whose  stock  you  came  had  one  feeling  paramount  to  all,  his 
love  of  his  own  fatherland,  and  that  you  would  not  disgrace 
him.  Besides,  Charley,  there's  not  an  humble  hearth  for 
many  a  long  mile  around  us,  where,  amid  the  winter's  blast — 
tempered,  not  excluded,  by  frail  walls  and  poverty — there's  not 
one  such  but  where  poor  Godfrey's  name  rises  each  night  in 
prayer,  and  blessings  are  invoked  on  him  by  those  who  never 
felt  them  themselves." 

"  I'll  not  desert  them." 

"  I  know  you'll  not,  boy — I  know  ycju'll  not.  Now  for  the 
means." 

Here  he  entered  into  a  long  and  complicated  exposure  of 
my  dear  uncle's  many  difficulties ;  by  which  it  appeared  that, 
in  order  to  leave  the  estate  free  of  debt  to  me,  he  had,  for  years 
past,  undergone  severe  privations.  These,  however — sucii  is 
the  misfortune  of  ui\o;uidcd  effort — had  but  ill  succeeded  ;  and 
there  was  scarcely  a  farm  on  the  property  without  its  mort- 
gage.    Upon  the  house  and  demesne  a  bond  for  three  thou- 


8s8  CHARLES  O'MALLE^i 

sand  pounds  still  remained ;  and  to  pay  off  this,  Considine 
advised  my  selling  a  portion  of  the  property. 

"  It's  old  Blake  lent  the  money ;  and,  only  a  week  before 
your  uncle  died,  he  served  a  notice  for  repayment.  I  never 
told  Godfrey  ;  it  was  no  use ;  it  could  only  embitter  his  last 
few  hours ;  and,  besides,  we  had  six  months  to  think  of  it. 
The  half  of  that  time  has  now  elapsed,  however ;  we  must  see 
to  this." 

"  And  did  Blake  really  make  this  demand,  knowing  my  poor 
uncle's  difficulties  ? " 

"  Why,  I  half  think  he  did  not,  for  Godfrey  was  too  fine  a 
fellow  ever  to  acknowledge  anything  of  the  sort.  He  had 
twelve  sheep  killed  for  the  poor  in  Scariff,  at  a  time  when  not 
a  servant  of  the  house  tasted  meat  for  months  ;  ay,  and  our 
own  table,  too,  none  of  the  most  abundant,  I  assure  you." 

What  a  picture  was  this  !  and  how  forcibly  did  it  remind  me 
of  what  I  had  witnessed  in  times  past.  Thus  meditating,  we 
returned  to  the  house ;  and  Considine,  whose  activity  never 
slumbered,  sat  down  to  con  over  the  rent-roll  with  old  Maguire 
the  steward. 

When  I  joined  the  Count  in  the  evening,  I  found  him  sur- 
rounded by  maps,  rent-rolls,  surveys,  and  leases.  He  had  been 
poring  over  these  various  documents,  to  ascertain  from  which 
portion  of  the  property  we  could  best  recruit  our  falling  finan- 
ces ;  to  judge  from  the  embarrassed  look  and  manner  with 
which  he  met  me,  the  matter  was  one  of  no  small  difficulty. 
The  encumbrances  upon  the  estate  had  been  incurred  with  an 
unsparing  hand  :  and  except  where  some  irreclaimable  tract 
of  bog  or  mountain  rendered  a  loan  impracticable,  each  por- 
tion of  the  property  had  its  share  of  debt. 

"  You  can't  sell  Killantry,  for  Basset  has  above  six  thousand 
pounds  on  it  already ;  to  be  sure,  there's  the  Priest's  Meadows 
— fine  land  and  in  good  heart ;  but  Malony  was  an  old  ten- 
ant of  the  family,  and  I  cannot  recommend  your  turning  him 
over  to  a  stranger  ;  the  widow  M'Bride's  farm  is  perhaps  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  859 

best,  after  all,  and  it  would  certainly  bring  the  sum  we  want ; 
still,  poor  Mary  was  your  nurse,  Charley,  and  it  would  break 
her  heart  to  do  it." 

Thus,  wherever  we  turned,  some  obstacle  presented  itself,  if 
not  from  moneyed  causes,  at  least  from  those  ties  and  associa- 
tions which,  in  an  attached  and  faithful  tenantry,  are  sure  to 
grow  up  between  them  and  the  owner  of  the  soil. 

Feeling  how  all-important  these  things  were — endeavoring 
as  I  was  to  fulfil  the  will  and  work  out  the  intentions  of  my 
uncle — I  saw  at  once  that  to  sell  any  portion  of  the  property 
must  separate  me,  to  a  certain  extent,  from  those  who  long 
looked  up  to  our  house,  and  who,  in  the  feudalism  of  the  west, 
could  ill  withdraw  their  allegiance  from  their  own  chief  to 
swear  fealty  to  a  stranger.  The  richer  tenants  were  those 
whose  industry  and  habits  rendered  them  objects  of  worth  and 
attachment ;  to  the  poorer  ones,  to  whose  improvidence  and 
whose  follies  (if  you  will)  their  poverty  was  owing,  I  was  bound 
by  those  ties  which  the  ancient  habit  of  my  house  had  con- 
tracted for  centuries  ;  the  bond  of  benefit  conferred  can  be 
stronger  than  the  debt  of  gratitude  itself.  What  was  I  then  to 
do  ?  My  income  would  certainly  permit  of  my  paying  the  in- 
terest upon  my  several  mortgages,  and  still  retaining  where- 
withal to  live  ;  the  payment  of  Blake's  bond  was  my  only  diffi- 
culty, and,  small  as  it  was,  it  was  still  a  difficulty. 

"  I  have  it,  Charley  !  "  said  Considine  ;  "  I've  found  out  the 
way  of  doing  it.  Blake  will  have  no  objection,  I'm  sure,  to 
take  the  widow's  farm  in  paymc:nt  of  his  debt,  giving  you  a 
power  of  redemption  within  five  years.  In  that  time,  what 
with  economy — some  management — perhaps,"  added  he,  smil- 
ing slightly — "  perhaps  a  wife  with  money,  may  relieve  all  your 
embarrassments  at  once.  Well,  well,  I  know  you  are  not 
thinking  of  that  just  now;  but  come,  what  say  you  to  my 
plan  ?  " 

"  I  know  not  well  what  to  say.  It  seems  to  be  the  best  ; 
but  still  I  have  my  misgivings." 


86o  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

"  Of  course  you  have,  my  boy ;  nor  could  I  love  you  if  you'd 
part  with  an  old  and  faithful  follower  without  them.  But,  after 
all,  she  is  only  a  hostage  to  the  enemy;  we'll  win  her  back, 
Charley." 

"  If  you  think  so " 

"  I  do.     I  know  it." 

"  Well,  then,  be  it  so  ;  only  one  thing  I  bargain — she  must 
herself  consent  to  this  change  of  masters.  It  will  seem  to  her 
a  harsh  measure  that  the  child  she  had  nursed  and  fondled  in 
her  arms,  should  live  to  disunite  her  from  those  her  oldest 
attachments  upon  earth.  We  must  take  care,  sir,  that  Blake 
cannot  dispossess  her  ;  this  would  be  too  hard." 

'*  No,  no ;  that  we'll  guard  against  :  and  now,  Charley,  with 
prudence  and  caution,  we'll  clear  off  every  encumbrance,  and 
O'Malley  Castle  shall  yet  be  what  it  was  in  days  of  yore.  Ay, 
boy !  with  the  descendant  of  the  old  house  for  its  master,  and 
not  that  general — how  do  you  call  him  1 — that  came  down  here 
to  contest  the  county,  who,  with  his  offer  of  thirty  thousand 
pounds,  thought  to  uproot  the  oldest  family  of  the  west.  Did 
I  ever  show  you  the  letter  we  wro*^e  him  ? " 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  I,  trembling  with  agitation  as  I  spoke  ; 
"  you  merely  alluded  to  it  in  one  of  yours." 

"  Look  here,  lad  !  "  said  he,  drawing  it  from  the  recesses 
of  a  black  leather  pocket-book.  "  I  took  a  copy  of  it ;  read 
that." 

The  document  was  dated  "  O'Malley  Castle,  Dec.  9th."  It 
ran  thus  : — • 

"  Sir, 

"  I  have  this  moment  learned  from  my  agent,  that  you,  or  some  one 
empowered  by  you  for  the  purpose,  made  an  offer  of  several  thousand 
pounds  to  buy  up  the  different  mortgages  upon  my  property,  with  a  sub- 
sequent intention  of  becoming  its  possessor.  Now,  sir,  I  beg  to  tell  you, 
that  if  your  ungentlemanlike  and  underhand  plot  had  succeeded,  you  dared 
not  darken  with  your  shadow  the  door-sill  of  the  house  you  purchased. 
Neither  your  gold  nor  your  flattery — and  I  hear  you  are  rich  in  both — could 
wipe  out  from  the  minds  and  hearts  of  my  poor  tenantry  the  kindness   of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOiV.  86 1 

centuries.  Be  advised,  then,  sir  ;  withdraw  your  offer ;  let  a  Galway 
gentleman  settle  his  own  difficulties  his  own  way;  his  troubles  and  cares 
are  quite  sufficient,  without  your  adding  to  them.  There  can  be  but  one 
mode  in  which  your  interference  with  him  could  be  deemed  acceptable  : 
need  I  tell  you,  sir,  who  are  a  soldier,  how  that  is.''  As  I  know  your 
official  duties  are  important,  and  as  my  nephew — who  feels  with  me  perfectly 
in  this  business — is  abroad,  I  can  only  say  that  failing  health  and  a  broken 
frame  shall  not  prevent  my  undertaking  a  journey  to  England,  should  my 
doing  so  meet  your  wishes  on  this  occasion. 

"  I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 
"  Godfrey  O'Malley." 

"This  letter,"  continued  Considine,  "I  enclosed  in  an  en- 
velope, with  the  following  few  lines  of  my  own  : — 

"  '  Count  Considine  presents  his  compliments  to  Lientenant-General 
Dashwood  ;  and  feeling  that,  as  the  friend  of  Mr.  Godfrey  O'Malley,  the 
mild  course  pursued  by  that  gentleman  may  possibly  be  attributed  to  his 
suggestion,  he  begs  to  assure  General  Dashwood  that  the  reverse  was  the 
case,  and  that  he  strenuously  counselled  the  propriety  of  laying  a  horsewhip 
upon  the  General's  shoulders,  as  a  preliminary  step  in  the  transaction. 

'"Count  Considine's  address  is  No.  i6,  Kildare  Street." 

"  Great  God  !  "  said  I,  "  is  this  possible  ? " 

"  Well  may  you  say  so,  my  boy  ;  for — would  you  believe  it? 
— after  all  that,  he  writes  a  long  blundering  apology,  protest- 
ing I  know  not  what  about  motives  of  former  friendship,  and 
terminating  with  a  civil  hint  that  we  have  done  with  him  for- 
ever. And  of  my  paragraph  he  takes  no  notice  ;  and  thus  ends 
the  whole  affair." 

'"And  with  it  my  last  hope  also  !  "  muttered  I  to  myself. 

That  Sir  George  Dashwood's  intentions  had  been  miscon- 
strued and  mistaken  I  knew  perfectly  well  ;  that  nothing  but 
the  accumulated  evils  of  poverty  and  sickness  could  have  in- 
duced my  poor  uncle  to  write  such  a  letter  I  was  well  aware  ; 
but  now,  the  mischief  was  accomplished,  the  evil  was  done,  and 
nothing  remained  but  to  bear  with  patience  and  submission, 
and  to  endeavor  to  forget  what  thus  became  irremediable. 


862  CHARLES   O'M ALLEY. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood  made  no  allusion  to  me,  sir,  in  his 
reply  ? "  inquired  I,  catching  at  anything  like  a  hope. 

"  Your  name  never  occurs  in  his  letter.  But  you  look  pale, 
boy:  all  these  discussions  come  too  early  upon  you;  besides, 
you  stay  too  much  at  home,  and  take  no  exercise." 

So  saying,  Considine  bustled  off  towards  the  stables  to  look 
after  some  young  horses  that  had  just  been  taken  up;  and  I 
walked  out  alone  to  ponder  over  what  I  had  heard,  and 
meditate  on  my  plans  for  the  future. 


CHAPTER  CXI. 

AN    OLD    ACQUAINTANCE. 

As  I  wandered  on,  the  irritation  of  my  spirit  gradually  sub- 
sided. It  was,  to  be  sure,  distressing  to  think  over  the  light  in 
which  my  uncle's  letter  had  placed  me  before  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood,  had  even  my  reputation  only  with  him  been  at  stake; 
but  with  my  attachment  to  his  daughter,  it  was  almost  madden- 
ing. And  yet  there  was  nothing  to  be  done;  to  disavow  my 
participation  would  be  to  throw  discredit  upon  my  uncle. 
Thus  were  my  hopes  blighted;  and  thus,  at  that  season  when 
life  was  opening  upon  me,  did  I  feel  careless  and  indifferent  to 
everything.  Had  my  military  career  still  remained  to  me, 
that,  at  least,  would  have  suggested  scenes  sufficient  to  distract 
me  from  the  past;  but  now  my  days  must  be  spent  where  every 
spot  teemed  with  memories  of  bygone  happiness  and  joys  never 
to  come  back  again. 

My  mind  was,  however,  made  up;  and,  without  speaking  a 
word  to  Considine,  I  turned  homeward,  and  sat  down  at  my 
writing-table.  In  a  few  brief  lines  I  informed  my  army  agent 
of  my  intention  of  leaving  the  service,  and  desired  that  he  would 
sell  out  for  me  at  once.     Fearing  lest  my  resolution  might  not 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  863 

be  proof  against  the  advice  and  solicitation  of  my  friends,  I 
cautioned  him  against  giving  my  address,  or  any  clue  by  which 
letters  might  reach  me. 

This  done,  I  addressed  a  short  note  to  Mr.  Blake,  request- 
ing to  know  the  name  of  his  solicitor,  in  whose  hands  the  bond 
was  placed,  and  announcing  my  intention  of  immediate  repay- 
ment. 

Trifling  as  these  details  were  in  themselves,  I  cannot  help 
recording  how  completely  they  changed  the  whole  current  of 
my  thoughts.  A  new  train  of  interests  began  to  spring  up 
within  me  ;  and  where  so  lately  the  clang  of  the  battle — the 
ardor  of  the  march — the  careless  ease  of  the  bivouac — had 
engrossed  every  feeling,  now  more  humble  and  homely  thoughts 
succeeded;  and,  as  my  personal  ambition  had  lost  its  stimulant, 
I  turned  with  pleasure  to  those  of  whose  fate  and  fortunes  I 
was  in  some  sort  the  guardian.  There  may  be  many  a  land 
where  the  verdure  blooms  more  in  fragrance  and  in  richness, — 
where  the  clime  breathes  softer,  and  a  brighter  sky  lights  up 
the  landscape  ;  but  there  is  none — I  have  travelled  through 
many  a  one — where  more  touching  and  heart-bound  associa- 
tions are  blended  with  the  features  of  the  soil  than  in  Ireland, 
and  cold  must  be  the  spirit,  and  barren  the  affections  of  him 
who  can  dwell  amid  its  mountains  and  its  valleys,  its  tranquil 
lakes, its  wooded  fens,  without  feeling  their  humanizing  influence 
upon  him.  Thus  gradually  new  impressions  and  new  duties 
succeeded  ;  and,  ere  four  montlis  elapsed,  the  quiet  monotony 
of  my  daily  life  healed  uj)  the  wounds  cf  my  suffering,  and,  in 
tlie  calm  current  of  my  present  existence,  a  sense  of  content, 
if  not  of  happiness,  crept  gently  over  me,  and  I  ceased  to  long 
for  the  clash  of  arms  and  the  loud  blast  of  the  trumpet. 

Unlike  all  my  former  habits,  I  completely  abandoned  the 
sports  of  the  field.  He  who  had  participated  in  them  with  me 
was  no  longer  there  ;  and  the  very  sight  of  the  tackle  itself 
suggested  sad  and  depressing  thoughts. 

.My  horses  1  took  but  little  pleasure  in.     To  gratify  the  good 


864  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

and  kind  people  about,  I  would  walk  through  the  stables,  and 
make  some  passing  remark,  as  if  to  show  some  interest;  but 
I  felt  it  not.  No ;  it  was  only  by  the  total  change  of  all  the 
ordinary  channels  of  my  ideas  that  I  could  bear  up  ;  and  now 
my  days  were  passed  in  the  fields,  either  listlessly  strolling 
along,  or  in  watching  the  laborers  as  they  worked.  Of  my 
neighbors  I  saw  nothing  ;  returning  their  cards,  when  they 
called  upon  me,  was  the  extent  of  our  intercourse  ;  and  I  had 
no  desire  for  any  further.  As  Considine  had  left  me  to  visit 
some  friends  in  the  south,  I  was  quite  alone  ;  and,  for  the  first 
time  in  my  life,  felt  how  soothing  can  be  such  solitude.  In 
each  happy  face — in  every  grateful  look  around  me — I  felt 
that  I  was  fulfilling  my  uncle's  last  behest ;  and  the  sense  of 
duty,  so  strong  when  it  falls  upon  the  heart  accompanied  by 
the  sense  of  power,  made  my  days  pass  rapidly  away. 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  autumn,  when  I  one  morning 
received  a  letter  from  London,  informing  me  that  my  troop  had 
been  sold,  and  the  purchase-money — above  four  thousand 
■pounds — lodged  to    my  credit  at  my  banker's. 

As  Mr.  Blake  had  merely  answered  my  former  note  by  a  civil 
message  that  the  matter  in  question  was  by  no  means  pressing, 
I  lost  not  a  moment,  when  this  news  reached  me,  to  despatch 
Mike  to  Gurt-na-Morra  with  a  few  lines,  expressing  my  anxious 
desire  to  finish  the  transaction,  and  begging  of  Mr.  Blake  to  ap- 
point a  day  for  the  purpose. 

To  this  application  Mr.  Blake's  reply  was,  that  he  would  do 
himself  the  honor  of  waiting  upon  me  the  following  day,  when 
the  arrangements  I  desired  could  be  agreed  upon.  Now  this 
was  exactly  what  I  wished,  if  possible,  to  avoid.  Of  all  my 
neighbors,  he  was  the  one  I  predetermined  to  have  no  inter- 
course with  :  I  had  not  forgotten  my  last  evening  at  his  house, 
nor  had  I  forgiven  his  conduct  to  my  uncle.  However,  there 
was  nothing  for  it  but  submission  ;  the  interview  need  not  be 
a  long,  and  it  should  be  a  last  one.  Thus  resolving,  I  waited 
in  patience  for  the  mprrow. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOjV.  865 

I  was  seated  at  my  breakfast  the  next  morning,  conning  be- 
tween whiles  the  columns  of  the  last  paper,  and  feeding  my 
spaniel,  who  sat  upon  a  large  chair  beside  me,  when  the  door 
opened,  and  the  servant  announced  "  Mr.  Blake  ;  "  and  the  in- 
stant after  that  gentleman  bustled  in,  holding  out  both  his  hands 
with  all  evidences  of  most  friendly  warmth,  and  calling  out, — 

"  Charley  O'Malley,  my  lad  !  I'm  delighted  to  see  you  at 
last !  " 

Now,  although  the  distance  from  the  door  to  the  table  at 
Vvhich  I  sat  was  not  many  paces,  yet  it  was  quite  sufBcient  to 
chill  down  all  my  respectable  relative's  ardor  before  he  ap- 
proached ;  his  rapid  pace  became  gradually  a  shuffle,  a  slide, 
and  finally  a  dead  stop  ;  his  extended  arms  were  reduced  to 
one  hand,  barely  advanced  beyond  his  waistcoat ;  his  voice, 
losing  the  easy  confidence  of  its  former  tone,  got  husky  and 
dry,  and  broke  into  a  cough  ;  and  all  these  changes  were  in- 
debted to  the  mere  fact  of  my  reception  of  him  consisting  in 
a  cold  and  distant  bow,  as  I  told  the  servant  to  place  a  chair 
and  leave  the  room. 

Without  any  preliminary  whatever,  I  opened  the  subject  of 
our  negotiation,  expressed  my  regret  that  it  should  have  waited 
so  long,  and  my  desire  to  complete  it. 

Whether  it  was  that  the  firm  and  resolute  tone  I  assumed  had 
its  effect  at  once,  or  that,  disappointed  at  the  mode  in  which 
I  received  his  advances  he  wished  to  conclude  our  interview  as 
soon  as  need  be,  I  know  not ;  but  he  speedily  withdrew  from  a 
capacious  pocket  a  document  in  j-jarchment,  which,  having 
spread  at  large  upon  the  table,  and  having  leisurely  put  on  his 
spectacles,  he  began  to  hum  over  its  contents  to  himself  in  an 
undertone. 

"  Ves,  sir,  here  it  is,"  said  he.  "  Deed  of  conveyance  be- 
tween Godfrey  O'Malley,  of  O'Malley  Castle,  Esq.,  on  the  one 
part  ' — perhaps  you'd  like  your  solicitor  to  examine  it, — '  and 
Hlake,  of  Gurt  ' — because  there  is  no  hurry.  Captain  O'Malley, 
— •  f)n  the  other."  In  fact,  after  all,  it  is  a  mere  matter  of  form 
55 


866  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

between  relatives,"  said  he,  as  I  declined  the  intervention  of  a 
lawyer.  "  I'm  not  in  want  of  the  money — '  all  the  lands,  and 
tenements  adjoining,  in  trust,  for  the  payment  of  the  said 
three  thousand  ' — thank  God,  Captain,  the  sum  is  a  trifle  that 
does  not  inconvenience  me  :  the  boys  are  provided  for  ;  and 
the  girls — the  pickpockets,  as  I  call  them,  ha,  ha,  ha ! — not  ill 
off  neither  ; — 'with  rights  of  turbary  on  the  said  premises' — 
who  are  most  anxious  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you.  In- 
deed, I  could  scarcely  keep  Jane  from  coming  over  to-day. 
'  Sure  he's  my  cousin,'  says  she  ;  '  and  what  harm  would  it  be  if 
I  went  to  see  him  ? '  Wild,  good-natured  girls,  Captain  !  And 
your  old  friend  Matthew — you  haven't  forgot  Matthew? — has 
been  keeping  three  coveys  of  partridge  for  you  this  fortnight. 
'  Charley,'  says  he — they  call  you  Charley  still,  Captain — 
shall  have  them,  and  no  one  else.'  And  poor  Mary — she  was 
a  child  when  you  were  here — Mary  is  working  a  sash  for  you. 
But  I'm  forgetting — I  know  you  have  so  much  business  on  your 
hands " 

"  Pray,  Mr.  Blake,  be  seated.  I  know  nothing  of  any  more 
importance  than  the  matter  before  us.  If  you  will  permit  me 
to  give  you  a  cheque  for  this  money.  The  papers,  I'm  sure, 
are  perfectly  correct." 

"  If  I  only  thought  it  did  not  inconvenience  you " 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind,  I  assure  you.  Shall  I  say  at  sight,  or 
in  ten  days  hence  ?  " 

"Whenever  you  please,  Captain.  But  it's  sorry  I  am  to 
come  troubling  you  about  such  things,  when  I  know  you  are 
thinking  of  other  matters.  And,  as  I  said  before,  the  money 
does  not  signify  to  me  ;  the  times,  thank  God,  are  good,  and 
I've  never  been  very  improvident." 

"  I  think  you'll  find  that  correct." 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure  it  is  !  Well,  well  ;  I'm  going  away  without 
saying  half  what  I  intended." 

"  Pray  do  not  hurry  yourself.  I  have  not  asked  have  you 
breakfasted,  for  I  remember  Galway  halaits  too  \yell  for  that, 


THE  IRISH  DKAGOOA".  867 

But  if  I  might  offer  you  a  glass  of  sherry  and  water  after  your 
ride  ?  " 

"  Will  you  think  me  a  beast  if  I  say  yes,  Captain  ?  Time 
was  when  I  didn't  care  for  a  canter  of  ten  or  fifteen  miles  in  the 
morning  no  more  than  yourself  ;  and  that's  no  small  boast : 
God  forgive  me,  but  I  never  see  that  clover  field  where  you 
pounded  the  Englishman,  without  swearing  there  never  was  a 
leap  made  before  or  since.  Is  this  Mickey,  Captain  ?  Faith, 
and  it's  a  fine,  brown,  hearty-looking  chap  you're  grown,  Mickey. 
That's  mighty  pleasant  sherry,  but  where  would  there  be  good 
wine  if  it  wasn't  here  ?  Oh  !  I  remember  now  what  it  was  I 
wanted.  Peter — my  son  Peter,  a  slip  of  boy — he's  only  six- 
teen— well,  d'you  see,  he's  downright  deranged  about  the  army  : 
he  used  to  see  your  name  in  the  papers  every  day,  and  that 
terrible  business  at — what's  the  name  of  the  place  ? — where 
you  rode  on  the  chap's  back  up  the  breach." 

"  Ciudad  Rodrigo,  perhaps,"  said  I,  scarcely  able  to  repress 
a  laugh. 

"Well,  sir,  since  that,  he'll  hear  of  nothing  but  going  into 
the  army;  ay,  and  into  the  dragoons,  too.  Now,  Captain,  isn't 
it  mighty  expensive  in  the  dragoons .''  " 

"  Why,  no,  not  particularly  so — at  least  in  the  regiment  I 
served  with." 

"  I  promised  him  I'd  ask  you  ;  the  boy's  mad,  that's  the  fact. 
I  wish.  Captain,  you'd  just  reason  with  him  a  little;  he'll  mind 
whatjY^w  say,  there's  no  fear  of  that;  and  you  see,  though  l\\ 
like  to  do  what's  fair,  I'm  not  going  to  cut  off  the  girls  for  the 
sake  of  the  boys  ;  with  the  blessing  of  Providence,  they'll  never 
be  able  to  reproach  me  for  that.  What  I  say  is  this  :  treat  vie 
well,  and  I'll  treat  you  the  same.  Marry  the  man  my  choice 
would  pick  out  for  you,  and  it's  not  a  matter  of  a  thousand  or 
two  I'll  care  for.  There  was  Bodkin — you  remember  him  ?  " 
said  he,  with  a  grin  ;  "  he  proposed  for  Mary,  but  since  the 
quarrel  with  you,  she  could  never  bear  the  sight  of  liim,  and 
Alley  wouldn't  Come  down  to  dinner  if  he  was  in  il;e  ligu^e, 


868  CHARLES  O'Af ALLEY, 

Mary's  greatly  altered.  I  wish  you  heard  her  sing  '  I'd  mourn 
the  hopes  that  leave  me  ; '  queer  girl  she  is;  she  was  little  more 
than  a  child  when  you  were  here,  and  she  remembers  you  just 
as  if  it  was  yesterday." 

While  Mr.  Blake  ran  on  at  this  rate,  now  dilating  upon  my 
own  manifold  virtues  and  accomplishments,  now  expatiating 
upon  the  more  congenial  theme — the  fascinations  of  his  fair 
daughters,  and  the  various  merits  of  his  sons — I  could  not  help 
feeling  how  changed  our  relative  position  was  since  our  last 
meeting  ;  the  tone  of  cool  and  vulgar  patronage  he  then  as- 
sumed towards  the  unformed  country  lad  was  now  converted 
into  an  air  of  fawning  and  deferential  submission,  still  more 
distasteful. 

Young  as  I  was,  however,  I  had  already  seen  a  good  deal  of 
the  world;  my  soldiering  had  at  least  taught  me  something  of 
men,  and  I  had  far  less  difficulty  in  deciphering  the  intentions 
and  objects  of  my  worthy  relative,  than  I  should  have  had  in 
the  enigmatical  mazes  of  the  parchment  bond  of  which  he  was 
the  bearer.  After  all,  to  how  very  narrow  an  extent  in  life  are 
we  fashioned  by  our  own  estimate  of  ourselves  !  My  changed 
condition  affected  me  but  little  until  I  saw  how  it  affected 
others  ;  that  the  position  I  occupied  should  seem  better,  now 
that  life  had  lost  the  great  stimulus  of  ambition,  was  somewhat 
strange  ;  and  that  flattery  should  pay  its  homage  to  the  mourn- 
ing coat  which  it  would  have  refused  to  my  soldier's  garb, 
somewhat  surprised  me ;  still  my  bettered  fortunes  shone  only 
brightly  by  reflected  light ;  for  in  my  own  heart  I  was  sad, 
spiritless,  and  oppressed. 

Feeling  somewhat  ashamed  at  the  coldness  with  which  I 
treated  a  man  so  much  my  elder,  I  gradually  assumed  towards 
Mr.  Blake  a  manner  less  reserved.  He  quickly  availed  him- 
self of  the  change,  and  launched  out  into  an  eloquent  exposk  of 
my  advantages  and  capabilities  ;  the  only  immediate  effect  of 
which  was  to  convince  me  that  my  property  and  my  prospects 
must  have  been  very  accurately  conned  over  and  considered 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  869 

by  that  worth}'  gentleman  before  he  could  speak  of  the  one  or 
the  other  with  such  perfect  knowledge. 

"  When  you  get  rid  of  these  little  encumbrances,  your  rent- 
roll  will  be  close  on  four  thousand  a  year.  There  s  Basset, 
sure,  by  only  reducing  his  interest  from  ten  to  five  per  cent., 
will  give  you  a  clear  eight  hundred  per  annum  ;  let  him  refuse, 
and  I'll  advance  the  money.  And,  besides,  look  at  Freney's 
farm  ;  there's  two  hundred  acres  let  for  one-third  of  the  value, 
and  you  must  look  to  these  things ;  for,  you  see.  Captain,  we'll 
want  you  to  go  into  Parliament ;  you  can't  help  coming  forward 
at  the  next  election,  and,  by  the  great  gun  of  Athlone,  we'll 
return  you." 

Here  Mr.  Blake  swallowed  a  full  bumper  of  sherry,  and,  get- 
ting up  a  little  false  enthusiasm  for  the  moment,  grasped  me 
by  both  hands  and  shook  me  violently  ;  this  done,  like  a  skil- 
fid  general,  who,  having  fired  the  last  shot  of  his  artillery, 
takes  care  to  secure  his  retreat,  he  retired  towards  the  door, 
where  his  hat  and  coat  were  lying. 

"  I've  a  hundred  apologies  to  make  for  encroaching  upon 
your  time  ;  but,  upon  my  soul.  Captain,  you  are  so  agreeable, 

and  the  hours  have  passed  away  so  pleasantly May  I  never, 

if  it  is  not  one  o'clock  ! — but  you  must  forgive  me." 

My  sense  of  justice,  which  showed  me  that  the  agreeability 
had  been  all  on  Mr.  Blake's  side,  prevented  me  from  acknowl- 
edging this  compliment  as  it  deserved  ;  so  I  merely  bowed 
stiffly,  without  speaking.  By  this  time  he  had  succeeded  in  put- 
ting on  his  great-coat,  but  still,  by  some  mischance  orotlier,  the 
moment  of  his  leave-taking  was  deferred  ;  onetime  he  buttoned 
it  awry,  and  had  to  undo  it  all  again  ;  then,  when  it  was  properly 
adjusted,  he  discovered  that  his  pocket-handkerchief  was  not 
available,  being  left  in  the  inner  coat  pocket ;  to  this  succeeded 
a  doubt  as  to  the  safety  of  the  cheque,  which  instituted  another 
search,  and  it  was  full  ten  minutes  before  he  was  completely 
caparisoned  and  ready  for  the  road. 

"  Good-bye,  Captain  ;  good-bye  !  "  said  he,  warmly,  yet  warily, 


870  CHARLES   O'AI ALLEY. 

not  knowing  at  what  precise  temperature  the  metal  of  my  heart 
was  fusible.  At  a  mild  heat  I  had  been  evidently  unsinged, 
and  the  white  glow  of  his  flattery  seemed  only  to  harden  me. 
The  interview  was  now  over,  and,  as  I  thought  sufficient  had 
been  done  to  convince  my  friend  that  the  terms  of  distant  ac- 
quaintance were  to  be  the  limits  of  our  future  intercourse,  I 
assumed  a  little  show  of  friendliness,  and  shook  his  hand 
warmly. 

"  Good-bye,  Mr.  Blake  ;  pray  present  my  respectful  compli- 
ments to  your  friends.  Allow  me  to  ring  for  your  horse  ;  you 
are  not  going  to  have  a  shower,  I  hope." 

"  No,  no.  Captain,  only  a  passing  cloud,"  said  he,  warming  up 
perceptibly  under  the  influence  of  my  advances,  "  notliing  more. 
Why,  what  is  it  I'm  forgetting  now  !  Oh,  I  have  it  !  Maybe  I'm 
too  bold  ;  but  sure  an  old  friend  and  relation  may  take  a  liberty 
sometimes.  It  was  just  a  little  request  of  Mrs.  Blake,  as  I 
was  leaving  the  house."  He  stopped  here  as  if  to  take  sound- 
ings, and  perceiving  no  change  in  my  countenance,  continued, 
"It  was  just  to  beg,  that,  in  a  kind  and  friendly  way,  you'd 
come  over  and  eat  your  dinner  with  us  on  Sunday — nobody 
but  the  family,  not  a  soul — Mrs.  Blake  and  the  girls — a  boiled 
leg  of  mutton — Matthew — a  fresh  trout,  if  we  can  catch  one — 
plain  and  homely — but  a  hearty  welcome,  and  a  bottle  of  old 
claret,  maybe,  too — ah  !  ah  !  ah  !  " 

Before  the  cadence  of  Mr.  Blake's  laugh  had  died  away,  I 
politely  but  resolutely  declined  the  proffered  invitation,  and,  by 
way  of  setting  the  question  at  rest  forever,  gave  him  to  un- 
derstand that,  from  impaired  health  and  other  causes,  I  had 
resolved  upon  strictly  confining  myself  to  the  limits  of  my  own 
house  and  grounds,  at  least  for  the  present- 
Mr.  Blake  then  saluted  me  for  the  last  time,  and  left  the 
room.  As  he  mounted  his  hackney,  I  could  not  help  over- 
hearing an  abortive  effort  he  made  to  draw  Mike  into  some- 
thing like  conversation  ;  but  it  proved  an  utter  failure,  and  it 
was  evident  he  deemed  the  man  as  incorrigible  as  the  master. 


THE   IHISII  DRAGOON.  87 1 

"  A  very  fine  young  man  the  Captain  is — remarkable  ! — and 
it's  proud  I  am  to  have  him  for  a  nephew  !  " 

So  saying,  he  cantered  down  the  avenue,  while  Mickey,  as  he 
looked  after  him,  muttered  between  his  teeth,  "  And  faix,  it's 
prouder  you'd  be  av  he  was  your  son-in-law  !  " 

Mike's  soliloquy  seemed  to  show  me,  in  a  new  light,  the 
meaning  of  my  relative's  manner.  It  was  for  the  first  time  in 
my  life  tnat  such  a  thought  had  occurred  to  me,  and  it  was'not 
without  a  sense  of  shame  that  I  now  admitted  it. 

If  there  be  something  which  elevates  and  exalts  us  in  our 
esteem,  tinging  our  hearts  with  heroism  and  our  souls  with 
pride,  in  the  love  and  attachment  of  some  fair  and  beautiful 
girl,  there  is  something  equally  humiliating  in  being  the  object 
of  cold  and  speculative  calculation  to  a  match-making  family. 
Your  character  studied,  your  pursuits  watched,  your  tastes 
conned  over,  your  very  temperament  inquired  into— surrounded 
by  snares,  environed  by  practised  attentions — one  eye  fixed 
upon  the  registered  testament  of  your  relative,  the  other  riv- 
eted upon  your  own  ca|)rices  ;  and  then  those  thousand  little 
cares  and  kindnesses  which  come  so  pleasurably  upon  the 
heart  when  the  offspring  of  true  affection,  perverted  as  they  are 
by  base  views  and  sordid  interest,  are  so  many  shocks  to  the 
feeling  and  understanding.  Like  the  Eastern  sirocco,  which 
seems  to  breathe  of  freshness  and  of  health,  and  yet  bears  but 
pestilence  and  death  upon  its  breezes — so  these  calculated  and 
well-considered  traits  of  affection  only  render  callous  and 
liarden  the  heart  which  had  responded  warmly,  openly,  and 
abundantly  to  the  true  outpourings  of  affection.  At  how  many 
a  previously  happy  hearth  has  the  seed  of  this  fatal  passion 
planted  its  discord  !  How  many  a  fair  and  lovely  girl,  with 
beauty  and  attractions  sufficient  to  win  all  that  her  lieart 
could  wish  of  fondness  and  devotion,  has,  by  this  pernic  ious 
])assion,  become  a  cold,  heartless,  worldly  coquette,  weighing 
men's  rliaracters  by  the  adventitious  circumstances  of  their 
birth  and  fortune,  and  scrutinizing  tlie  eligibility  of  a  match 


872  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

with  the  practised  acumen  with  which  a  notary  investigates  the 
the  solvency  of  a  creditor.  How  do  the  traits  of  beauty,  gest- 
ure, voice,  and  manner  become  converted  into  the  common 
place  and  distasteful  trickery  of  the  world  !  The  very  hos- 
pitality of  the  house  becomes  suspect,  their  friendship  is  but 
fictitious  ;  those  rare  and  goodly  gifts  of  fondness  and  sisterly 
affection  which  grow  up  in  happier  circumstances,  are  here 
but  rivalry,  envy,  and  ill-conceived  hatred.  The  very  accom- 
plishments which  cultivate  and  adorn  life,  that  hght  but  grace- 
ful frieze  which  girds  the  temple  of  homely  happiness,  are 
here  but  the  meditated  and  well-considered  occasions  of  dis- 
play. All  the  bright  features  of  womanhood,  all  the  freshness 
of  youth,  and  all  its  fascinations,  are  but  like  those  richly- 
colored  and  beautiful  fruits,  seductive  to  the  eye  and  fair  to 
look  upon,  but  which  within  contain  nothing  but  a  core  of 
rottenness  and  decay. 

No,  no ;  unblessed  by  all  which  makes  a  hearth  a  home,  I 
may  travel  on  my  weary  way  through  life — but  such  a  one  as 
this  I  will  not  make  the  partner  of  my  sorrows  and  my  joys,  come 
what  will  of  it ! 


CHAPTER  CXII. 

A    SURPRISE. 

From  the  hour  of  Mr.  Blake's  departure,  my  life  was  no 
longer  molested.  My  declaration,  which  had  evidently,  under 
his  auspices,  been  made  the  subject  of  conversation  through 
the  country,  was  at  least  so  far  successful,  as  it  permitted  me 
to  spend  my  time  in  the  way  I  liked  best,  and  without  the 
necessity  of  maintaining  the  show  of  intercourse,  when  in  reality 
I  kept  up  none,  with  the  neighborliood.  While  thus,  there- 
fore, my  life  passed  on  equably  and  tranquilly,  many  months 
glided  over,  and  I  found  myself  already  a  year  at  home,  with- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  873 

out  it  appearing  more  than  a  few  weeks.  Nothing  seems  so 
short  in  retrospect  as  monotony;  the  number,  the  variety,  the 
interest  of  the  events  which  occupy  us,  making  our  hours  pass 
glibly  and  flowingly,  will  still  suggest  to  the  mind  the  impres- 
sions of  a  longer  period  than  when  the  daily  routine  of  our  oc- 
cupations assumes  a  character  of  continued  uniformity.  It 
seems  to  be  the  atnende  vwside  by  hours  of  weariness  and  tedium, 
that,  in  looking  back  upon  them,  they  appear  to  have  passed 
rapidly  over.  Not  that  my  life,  at  the  period  I  speak  of,  was 
devoid  of  interest ;  on  the  contrary,  devoting  myself  with  zeal 
and  earnestness  to  the  new  duties  of  my  station,  I  made  my- 
self thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  condition  of  my  property, 
the  interests  of  my  tenantry,  their  prospects,  their  hopes,  their 
objects.  Investigating  them  as  only  he  can  who  is  the  owner 
of  the  soil,  I  endeavored  to  remedy  the  ancient  vices  of  the 
land — the  habits  of  careless,  reckless  waste,  of  indifference  for 
the  morrow;  and,  by  instilling  a  feature  of  prudent  foresight 
into  that  boundless  confidence  in  the  future  upon  which  every 
Irishman  of  every  rank  lives  and  trusts,  I  succeeded  at  last  in 
so  far  ameliorating  their  situation,  that  a  walk  through  my  prop- 
erty, instead  of  presenting — as  it  at  first  did — a  crowd  of  eager 
and  anxious  supplicants,  entreating  for  abatements  in  rent, 
succor  for  their  sick,  and  sometimes  even  food  itself,  showed 
me  now  a  happy  and  industrious  people,  confident  in  them- 
selves, and  firmly  relying  on  their  own  resources. 

Another  spring  was  now  opening,  and  a  feeling  of  calm  and 
tranquil  happiness,  the  result  of  my  successful  management  of 
my  estate,  made  my  days  pass  pleasantly  along.  1  was  sitting 
at  a  late  breakfast  in  my  little  library ;  the  open  window  af- 
forded a  far  and  wide  prospect  of  the  country,  blooming  in  all  the 
promise  of  the  season,  while  the  drops  of  the  passing  shower 
still  lingered  upon  the  grass,  and  were  sparkling  like  jewels 
under  the  bright  sunshine.  Masses  of  white  and  billowy 
cloud  moved  swiftly  through  the  air,  coloring  the  broad  river 
with  many  a  shadow  as  they  passed.     Tiie  birds  sang  merrily. 


874  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  trees  shook  their  leaves  in  concert,  and  there  was  that 
sense  of  movement  in  everything  on  earth  and  sky  which  gives 
to  spring  its  character  of  lightness  and  exhilaration.  The 
youth  of  the  year,  like  the  youth  of  our  own  existence,  is  beau- 
tiful in  the  restless  activity  which  marks  it.  The  tender  flower, 
that  seems  to  open  as  we  look ;  the  grass,  that  springs  before 
our  eyes  ;  all  speak  of  promise.  The  changing  phases  of  the 
sky,  like  the  smiles  and  tears  of  infancy,  excite  without  weari- 
ness, and,  while  they  engage  our  sympathies,  they  fatigue  not 
our  compassion. 

Partly  lost  in  thought  as  I  looked  upon  the  fair  and  varied 
scene  before  me,  now  turning  to  the  pages  of  the  book  upon 
the  breakfast-table,  the  hours  of  the  morning  passed  quickly 
over,  and  it  was  already  beyond  noon.  I  was  startled  from  my 
reverie  by  sounds  which  I  could  scarcely  trust  my  ears  to  be- 
lieve real.  I  listened  again,  and  thought  I  could  detect  them, 
distinctly.  It  seemed  as  though  some  one  were  rapidly  running 
over  the  keys  of  a  pianoforte,  essaying  with  the  voice  to  follow 
the  notes,  and  sometimes  striking  two  or  three  bold  and 
successive  chords — then  a  merry  laugh  would  follow,  and 
drown  all  other  sounds.  "  What  can  it  be .-' "  thought  I. 
"  There  is,  to  be  sure,  a  pianoforte  in  the  large  drawing-room  ; 
but  then,  who  would  venture  upon  such  a  liberty  as  this  ?  Be- 
sides, who  is  capable  of  it  ?  There  !  it  can  be  no  inexperienced 
performer  gave  that  shake ;  my  worthy  housekeeper  never 
accomplished  that."  So  saying,  I  jumped  from  the  breakfast- 
table,  and  set  off  in  the  direction  of  the  sound.  A  small  draw- 
ing-room and  the  billiard-room  lay  between  me  and  the  large 
drawing-room  ;  and,  as  I  traversed  them,  the  music  grew 
gradually  louder.  Conjecturing  that,  whoever  it  might  be,  the 
performance  would  cease  on  my  entrance,  I  listened  for  a  few 
moments  before  opening  the  door.  Nothing  could  be  more 
singular — nothing  more  strange — than  the  effect  of  those  un- 
accustomed sounds  in  that  silent  and  deserted  place.  The 
character  of  the  music,  too,  contributed   not  a  little  to  this : 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


875 


rapidly  passing  from  grave  to  gay — from  the  melting  softness 
of  some  plaintive  air  to  the  reckless  hurry  and  confusion  of  an 
Irish  jig — the  player  seemed,  as  it  were,  to  run  wild  through 
all  the  floating  fancies  of  his  memory  ;  now  breaking  suddenly 
off  in  the  saddest  cadence  of  a  song,  the  notes  would  change 
into  some  quaint,  old-fashioned  crone,  in  which  the  singer 
seemed  so  much  at  home,  and  gave  the  queer  drollery  of  the 
words  that  expression  of  archness  so  eminently  the  character 
of  certain  Irish  airs.  "  But  what  the  deuce  is  this  ?  "  said  L 
as,  rattling  over  the  keys  with  a  flowing  but  brilliant  finger, 
she — for  it  was  unquestionably  a  woman — with  a  clear  and 
sweet  voice,  broken  by  laughter,  began  to  sing  the  words  of 
Mr.  Bodkin's  song,  "  The  Man  for  Galway."  When  she  had 
finished  the  last  verse,  her  hand  strayed,  as  it  were,  carelessly 
across  the  instrument,  while  she  herself  gave  way  to  a  free 
burst  of  merriment ;  and  then,  suddenly  resuming  the  air,  she 
chanted  forth  the  following  words,  with  a  spirit  and  effect  I  can 
convey  no  idea  of  : — ■ 

"  To  live  at  home, 

And  never  roam; 
To  pass  his  days  in  sighing; 

To  wear  sad  looks, 

Read  stupid  books, 
And  look  half  dead  or  dying ; 

Not  show  his  face, 

Nor  join  the  chase. 
But  dwell  a  hermit  alway  : 

Oh  !  Charley  dear  I 

To  me  'tis  clear. 
You're  not  the  man  for  f lalway !  " 

"  You're  not  the  man  for  Galway  !  "  repeated  she  once  more, 
while  she  closed  the  piano  with  a  loud  bang. 

"  And  why  not,  my  dear — why  not  the  man  for  Galway  ? " 
said  I,  as,  bursting  open  the  door,  I  sprang  into  the  room. 

"Oh!  it's  you,  is  it? — at  last!  So  I've  unearthed  you, 
Iiave  I  ?  " 

With  these  words  siie  burst  into  an  immoderate  fit  of 
laughter  ;   leaving  me,  who  intended  to  be  the  party  giving  tiie 


876  CHARLES  ffMALLEY, 

surprise,  amazed,  confused,  and  speechless,  in  the  middle  of 
the  floor. 

That  my  reader  may  sympathize  a  little  in  my  distresses,  let 
me  present  him  with  the  tableau  before  me.  Seated  upon  the 
piano-stool  was  a  young  lady  of  at  most  eighteen  years  :  her 
face,  had  it  not  been  for  its  expression  of  exuberant  drollery 
and  malicious  fun,  would  have  been  downright  beautiful ;  her 
eyes,  of  the  deepest  blue,  and  shaded  by  long  lashes,  instead 
of  indulging  the  character  of  pensive  and  thoughtful  beauty  for 
which  Nature  destined  them,  sparkled  with  a  most  animated 
brightness ;  her  nose,  which,  rather  short,  was  still  beautifully 
proportioned,  gave,  with  her  well-curled  upper  lip,  a  look  of 
sauciness  to  the  features  quite  bewitching;  her  hair — that 
brilliant  auburn  we  see  in  a  Carlo  Dolci — fell  in  wild  and  mas- 
sive curls  upon  her  shoulders.  Her  costume  was  a  dark-green 
riding-habit,  not  of  the  newest  in  its  fashion,  and  displaying 
more  than  one  rent  in  its  careless  folds  ;  her  hat,  whip,  and 
gloves  lay  on  the  floor  beside  her,  and  her  whole  attitude  and 
bearing  indicated  the  most  perfect  ease  and  carelessness. 

"  So  you  are  caught — taken  alive  !  "  said  she,  as  she  pressed 
her  hands  upon  her  sides  in  a  fresh  burst  of  laughter. 

"  By  Jove  !  this  is  a  surprise  indeed  !  "  said  I,  "  And,  pray, 
into  whose  fair  hands  have  I  fallen  a  captive  ? "  recovering  my- 
self a  little,  and  assuming  a  half  air  of  gallantry. 

"  So  you  don't  know  me,  don't  you  ? " 

"Upon  my  life  I  do  not." 

"  How  good  !     Why,  I'm  Baby  Blake." 

"  Baby  Blake  ?  "  said  1  ;  thinking  that  a  rather  strange  appel- 
lation for  one  whose  well-developed  proportions  betokened 
nothing  of  infancy.     "  Baby  Blake  .-'  " 

"To  be  sure;  your  cousin  Baby." 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  I,  springing  forward.  "  Let  me  embrace 
my  relative." 

Accepting  my  proffered  salutation  with  the  most  exemplary 
coolness,  she  said  : — 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  SjJ 

"  Get  a  chair,  now,  and  let's  have  a  talk  together." 

"  Why  the  devil  do  they  call  you  Baby  ?  "  said  I,  still  puzzled 
by  this  palpable  misnomer. 

"  Because  I  am  the  youngest,  and  I  was  always  the  baby," 
replied  she,  adjusting  her  ringlets  with  a  most  rural  coquetry, 
"  Now,  tell  me  something.  Why  do  you  live  shut  up  here  like 
a  madman,  and  not  come  near  us  at  Gurt-na-Morra  ? " 

"  Oh  !  that's  a  long  story,  Baby,  But,  since  we  are  asking 
questions,  how  did  you  get  in  here  ?  " 

"  Just  through  the  window,  my  dear  ;  and  I've  torn  my  habit, 
as  you  see." 

So  saying,  she  exhibited  a  rent  of  about  two  feet  long,  thrust- 
ing through  it  a  very  pretty  foot  and  ankle  at  the  same  time. 

"  As  my  inhospitable  customs  have  cost  you  a  habit,  you 
must  let  me  make  you  a  present  of  one." 

"  No  !  will  you  though  ?  That's  a  good  fellow.  Lord  !  I 
told  them  I  knew  you  weren't  a  miser  ;  that  you  were  only  odd, 
that's  all." 

"  And  how  did  you  come  over,  Baby  ? " 

"  Just  cantered  over  with  little  Paddy  Byrne.  I  made  him 
take  all  the  walls  and  ditches  we  met,  and  they're  scraping  the 
mud  off  him  ever  since.  I'm  glad  I  made  you  laugh,  Charley; 
they  say  you  are  so  sad.  Dear  me,  how  thirsty  I  am !  Have 
you  any  beer  ?  " 

"To  be  sure,  Baby.     But  wouldn't  you  like  some  luncheon?" 

"Of  all  things.  Well,  this  is  fun  !  "  said  she,  as,  taking  my 
arm,  I  led  her  from  the  drawing-room.  "They  don't  know 
where  I'm  gone — not  one  of  them  ;  and  I've  a  great  mind  not 
to  tell  them,  if  you  wouldn't  blab." 

"  Would  it  be  quite  proper  ?  " 

"  Proper  !  "  cried  she,  imitating  my  voice  ;  "  I  like  that!  as 
if  I  was  going  to  run  away  willi  you.  Dear  me  !  what  a  pretty 
house !  and  what  nice  pictures  !  Wiio  is  liic  old  fellow  up 
there  in  the  armor  ?  " 


878  CHARLES  O' A/ALLEY. 

"  That's  Sir  Hildebrand  O'Malley,"  said  I,  with  some  pride, 
in  recognizing  an  ancestor  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

"  And  the  other  old  fright  with  the  wig,  and  his  hands  stuck 
in  his  pockets  ?" 

"  My  grandfather.  Baby." 

"Lord  !  how  ugly  he  is  !  Why,  Charley,  he  hasn't  the  look 
of  you;  one  would  think,  too,  he  was  angry  at  us.  Ay,  old 
gentleman  !  you  don't  like  to  see  me  leaning  on  Cousin  Charley's 
arm.  That  must  be  the  luncheon;  I'm  sure  I  hear  knives  and 
forks  rattling  there." 

The  old  butler's  astonishment  was  not  inferior  to  my  own  a 
few  minutes  before,  when  I  entered  the  dining-room  with  my 
fair  cousin  upon  my  arm.  As  I  drew  a  chair  towards  the  table, 
a  thought  struck  me  that  possibly  it  might  only  be  a  due  atten- 
tion to  my  fair  guest  if  I  invited  the  housekeeper,  Mrs.  Magra, 
to  favor  us  with  her  presence;  and  accordingly,  in  an  under 
tone,  so  as  not  to  be  overheard  by  old  Simon,  I  said — 

"Perhaps,  Baby,  you'd  like  to  have  Mrs.  Magra  to  keep  us 
company  ?  " 

"  Who's  she  ?  "  was  the  brief  answer. 

"  The  housekeeper;  a  very  respectable  old  matron." 

"  Is  she  funny  ?" 

"  Funny  !  not  a  bit." 

"Oh,  then,  nevermind  her.    What  made  you  think  of  her?" 

"  Why,  I  thought — perhaps  you'd  think — that  is,  people  miglit 
say — in  fact,  I  was  doing  a  little  bit  proper  on  your  account." 

"  Oh!  that  was  it,  was  it  ?  Thank  you  for  nothing,  my  dear; 
Baby  Blake  can  take  care  of  herself  And  now  just  help  me 
to  that  wing  there.  Do  you  know,  Cousin  Charley,  I  think 
you're  an  old  quiz,  and  not  half  as  good  a  fellow  as  you  used 
to  be." 

"  Come,  come.  Baby,  don't  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  pronounce 
upon  me.  Let  us  take  a  glass  of  wine.  Fill  Miss  Blake's 
glass,  Simon." 

"  Well,  you  may  be  better  when  one  comes  to  know  you.     I 


THE   IRISH  DRAGOON.  879 

detest  sherry;  no,  never  mind,  I'll  take  it,  as  it's  here.  Charley, 
I'll  not  compliment  you  upon  your  ham;  they  don't  know  how 
to  save  them  here.  I'll  give  you  such  a  receipt  when  you  come 
over  to  see  us.     But  will  you  come  ?  that's  the  question." 

"  How  can  you  ask  me!  Don't  you  think  I'll  return  your 
visit  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  hang  your  ceremony.  Come  and  see  us,  like  a  good- 
natured  fellow,  that  knew  us  since  we  played  together,  and 
quarrelled  over  our  toys  on  the  grass.  Is  that  your  sword  up 
there?  Did  you  hear  that  noise?  that  was  thunder:  there  it 
comes.     Look  at  that !  " 

As  she  spoke,  a  darkness  like  night  overspread  the  landscape; 
the  waves  of  the  river  became  greatly  agitated,  and  the  rain, 
descending  in  torrents,  beat  with  tremendous  force  against  the 
windows;  clap  after  clap  of  thunder  followed;  the  lightning 
flashed  fearfully  through  the  gloom,  and  the  wind,  growing 
every  moment  stronger,  drove  the  rain  with  redoubled  violence 
against  the  glass.  For  a  while  we  amused  ourselves  with 
watching  the  effects  of  the  storm  without;  the  poor  laborers 
flying  from  their  work;  the  dripjjing  figures  seeking  shelter 
beneath  the  trees;  the  barques;  the  very  loaded  carts  them- 
selves, all  interested  Miss  Baby,  whose  eye  roved  from  the 
shore  to  the  Shannon,  recognizing,  with  a  practised  eye,  every 
house  upon  its  banks,  and  every  barque  that  rocked  and 
pitched  beneath  the  gale. 

"  Well,  this  is  pleasant  to  look  out  at,"  said  she,  at  length, 
and  after  the  storm  had  lasted  for  above  an  liour,  without 
evincing  any  show  of  abatement;  "  but  what's  to  become  of 
7ne  ?  " 

Now,  that  was  the  very  question  I  had  been  asking  myself 
for  the  last  twenty  minutes,  without  ever  being  able  to  find  the 
answer. 

"  Eh,  Charley,  what's  to  become  of  me?" 

"  Oh,  never  fear:  one  thing's  quite  certain,  you  cannot  leave 
this  in  sucli  weather;   the  river  is  certainly  inq)assablc  by  tliis 


SSo  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

time  at  the  ford,  and  to  go  by  the  road  is  out  of  the  question ; 
it  is  fully  twelve  miles.  I  have  it,  Baby  ;  you,  as  I've  said  be- 
fore, can't  leave  this,  but  I  can.  Now,  I'll  go  over  to  Gurt-na- 
Morra,  and  return  in  the  morning  to  bring  you  back  ;  it  will  be 
fine  by  that  time." 

"  Well,  I  like  your  notion ;  you'll  leave  me  all  alone  here  to 
drink  tea,  I  suppose,  with  your  friend  Mrs  Magra ;  a  pleasant 
evening  I'd  have  of  it :  not  a  bit " 

"  Well,  Baby,  don't  be  cross  ;  I  only  meant  this  arrangement 
really  for  your  sake.  I  needn't  tell  you  how  very  much  I'd 
prefer  doing  the  honors  of  my  poor  house  in  person." 

"  Oh,  I  see  what  you  mean — more  propers.  Well,  well, 
I've  a  great  deal  to  learn  ;  but,  look,  I  think  it's  growing 
lighter." 

"  No,  far  from  it ;  it's  only  that  gray  mass  along  the  horizon 
that  always  bodes  continual  rain." 

As  the  prospect  without  had  little  cheering  to  look  upon,  we 
sat  down  beside  the  fire,  and  chatted  away,  forgetting  very 
soon,  in  a  hundred  mutual  recollections  and  inquiries,  the  rain 
and  the  wind,  the  thunder  and  the  hurricane.  Now  and  then, 
as  some  louder  crash  would  resound  above  our  heads,  for  a 
moment  we  would  turn  to  the  window,  and  comment  upon  the 
dreadful  weather  ;  but  the  next,  we  had  forgotten  all  about 
it,  and  were  deep  in  our  confabulations. 

As  for  my  fair  cousin,  who  at  first  was  full  of  contrivances 
to  pass  the  time — such  as  the  piano  ;  a  game  at  backgammon  ; 
chicken  hazard  ;  battledore — she  at  last  became  mightily  in- 
terested in  some  of  my  soldiering  adventures,  and  it  was  six 
o'clock  ere  we  again  thought  that  some  final  measure  must  be 
adopted  for  restoring  Baby  to  her  friends,  or,  at  least,  guarding 
against  the  consequences  her  simple  and  guileless  nature  might 
have  involved  her  in. 

Mike  was  called  into  the  conference,  and,  at  his  suggestion, 
it  was  decided  that  we  should  have  out  the  phaeton,  and  that 
I  should  myself  drive  Miss  Blake  home ;  a  plan  which  offered 


THE  IRI^JI  DRAGOON.  881 

no  other  difficulties  than  this  one,  namely,  that  of  above  thirty 
horses  in  my  stables,  I  had  not  a  single  pair  which  had  ever 
been  harnessed. 

This,  so  far  from  proving  the  obstacle  I  deemed  it,  seemed, 
on  the  contrary,  to  overwhelm  Baby  with  delight. 

"  Let's  have  them.  Come,  Charley  ;  this  will  be  rare  fun  ; 
we  couldn't  have  a  team  of  four,  could  we  ?  " 

"  Six,  if  you  like  it,  my  dear  coz — only,  who's  to  hold 
them  ? — they're  young  thorough-breds  ;  most  of  them  never 
backed  ;  some  not  bitted.  In  fact,  I  know  nothing  of  my 
stable.     I  say,  Mike,  is  there  anything  fit  to  take  out  .''  " 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  there's  Miss  Wildespin  :  she's  in  training,  to  be 
sure  ;  but  we  can't  help  that  ;  and  the  brown  colt  they  call 
'  Billy  the  Bolter  :  '  they're  the  likeliest  we  have  ;  without 
your  honor  would  take  the  two  chestnuts  we  took  up  last  week  ; 
they're  raal  devils  to  go  ;  and,  if  the  tackle  will  hold  them, 
they'll  bring  you  to  Mr.  Blake's  door  in  forty  minutes." 

"  I  vote  for  the  chestnuts,"  said  Baby,  slapping  her  boot  with 
her  horsewhip. 

"  I  move  an  amendment  in  favor  of  Miss  Wildespin,"  said  I, 
doubtfully. 

"  He'll  never  do  for  Galway,"sang  Baby,  laying  her  whip  on 
my  shoulder  with  no  tender  hand  ;  "  yet  you  used  to  cross  the 
country  in  good  style  when  you  were  here  before." 

"  And  might  do  so  again.  Baby." 

"  Ah,  no  ;  that  vile  dragoon  seat,  with  your  long  stirrup,  and 
your  heel  dropped,  and  your  elbow  this  way,  and  your  head 
that  !  How  could  you  ever  screw  your  horse  up  to  his  fence, 
lifting  him  along  as  you  came  up  through  the  heavy  ground, 
and  with  a  stroke  of  your  hand  sending  him  pop  over,  witli 
his  hind  legs  well  under  him  }  "  Here  she  burst  into  a  fit  of 
laughter  at  my  look  of  amazement,  as  with  voice,  gesture,  and 
look,  she  actually  dramatized  the  scene  she  described. 

I'y  the  time  that  I  had  costumed  my  fair  friend  in  my  dragoon 
cloak  and  a  foraging  cap,  with  a  gold  band  around  it,  which 
56 


882  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

was  the  extent  of  muffling  my  establishment  could  muster, 
a  distant  noise  without  apprised  us  that  the  phaeton  was 
approaching.  Certainly,  the  mode  in  which  that  equipage 
came  up  to  the  door,  might  have  inspired  sentiments  of  fear 
in  any  heart  less  steeled  against  danger  than  my  fair  cousin's. 
The  two  blood  chestnuts  (for  it  was  those  Mike  harnessed, 
having  a  groom's  dislike  to  take  a  racer  out  of  training)  were 
surrounded  by  about  twenty  people  :  some  at  their  heads  ; 
some  patting  them  on  the  flanks  ;  some  spoking  the  wheels  ; 
and  a  few,  the  more  cautious  of  the  party,  standing  at  a 
respectable  distance,  and  offering  advice.  The  mode  of  pro- 
gression was  simply  a  spring,  a  plunge,  a  rear,  a  lounge,  and  a 
kick  ;  and,  considering  it  was  the  first  time  they  ever  performed 
together,  nothing  could  be  more  uniform  than  their  display  : 
sometimes  the  pole  would  be  seen  to  point  straight  upwards, 
like  a  lightning  conductor,  while  the  infuriated  animals  appeared 
sparring  with  their  fore  legs  at  an  imaginary  enemy.  Sometimes, 
like  the  pictures  in  a  school-book  on  mythology,  they  would 
seem  in  the  act  of  diving,  while  with  their  hind  legs  they  dashed 
the  splash-board  into  fragments  behind  them  ;  their  eyes  flash- 
ing fire,  their  nostrils  distended,  their  flanks  heaving,  and  every 
limb  trembling  with  passion  and  excitement. 

"  That's  what  I  call  a  rare  turn-out,"  said  Baby,  who  enjoyed 
the  proceeding  amazingly. 

"  Yes  ;  but  remember,"  said  I,  "  we're  not  to  have  all  these 
running  footmen  the  whole  way." 

"  I  like  that  near  sider  with  the  white  fetlock." 

"  You're  right.  Miss,"  said  Mike,  who  entered  at  the  mo- 
ment, and  felt  quite  gratified  at  the  criticism.  "  You're  right, 
Miss  ;  it's  himself  can  do  it." 

"  Come,  Baby,  are  you  ready  ?  " 

"  All  right,  sir,"  said  she,  touching  her  cap  knowingly  with 
her  forefinger. 

"  Will  the  tackle  hold,  Mike  ?  "  said  I. 

"  We'll  take  this  with  us,  at  any  rate,"  pointing,  as  he  spoke, 


THE  IRISH  DRA G DON.  883 

to  a  considerable  coil  of  rope,  a  hammer,  and  a  basket  of  nails, 
he  carried  on  his  arm.  "  It's  the  break  harness  we  have,  and 
it  ought  to  be  strong  enough  ;  but  sure,  if  the  thunder  comes 
on  again,  they'd  smash  a  chain  cable." 

"  Now,  Charley,"  cried  Baby,  "  keep  their  heads  straight  ; 
for  when  they  go  that  way,  they  mean  going." 

"  Well,  Baby,  let's  start  ;  but  pray  remember  one  thing.  If 
I'm  not  as  agreeable  on  the  journey  as  I  ought  to  be  ;  if  I 
don't  say  as  many  pretty  things  to  my  pretty  coz,  it's  because 
these  confounded  beasts  will  give  me  as  much  as  I  can 
do." 

"  Oh,  yes,  look  after  the  cattle,  and  take  another  time  for 
squeezing  my  hand.  I  say,  Charley,  you'd  like  to  smoke,  now, 
wouldn't  you  }  if  so,  don't  mind  me." 

"  A  thousand  thanks  for  thinking  of  it  ;  but  I'll  not  commit 
such  a  trespass  on  good  breeding." 

When  we  reached  the  door,  the  prospect  looked  dark  and 
dismal  enough  ;  the  rain  had  almost  ceased,  but  masses  of 
black  cloud  were  hurrying  across  the  sky,  and  the  low  rumbling 
noise  of  a  gathering  storm  crept  along  the  ground.  Our  pant- 
ing equipage,  with  its  two  mounted  grooms  behind, — for,  to 
provide  against  all  accident,  Mike  ordered  two  such  to  follow 
us,— stood  in  waiting  ;  Miss  Blake's  horse,  held  by  the  small- 
est imaginable  bit  of  boyhood,  bringing    up  the  rear. 

"  Look  at  Paddy  Byrne's  face,"  said  Baby,  directing  my  atten- 
tion to  the  little  individual  in  question. 

Now,  small  as  the  aforesaid  face  was,  it  contrived,  within  its 
limits,  to  exhibit  an  expression  of  unqualified  fear.  I  had  no 
time,  however,  to  give  a  second  look,  when  I  jumped  into  the 
phaeton  and  seized  the  reins.  Mike  si)raiig  up  bclund  at  a 
look  from  me,  and,  without  speaking  a  word,  the  stablemen 
and  helpers  flew  right  and  left.  The  chestnuts,  seeing  all  free 
before  them,  made  one  tremendous  plunge,  carrying  the  fore- 
carriage  clear  off  the  ground,  and  straining  every  nut,  bolt, 
screw,  and  strap  about  us  with  the  effort. 


884  CHARLES  O'MALLEYt 

"  They're  off  now,"  cried  Mickey. 

"  Yes,  they  are  off  now,"  said  Baby.  "  Keep  then! 
going." 

Nothing  could  be  easier  to  follow  than  this  advice  ;  and,  in 
fact,  so  little  merit  had  I  in  obeying  it,  that  I  never  spoke  a 
word.  Down  the  avenue  we  went,  at  the  speed  of  lightning, 
the  stones,  and  the  water  from  the  late  rain,  flying  and  splash- 
ing about  us.  In  one  series  of  plunges,  agreeably  diversified 
by  a  strong  bang  upon  the  splash-board,  we  reached  the  gate. 
Before  I  had  time  to  utter  a  prayer  for  our  safety,  we  were 
through,  and  fairly  upon  the  high  road. 

"  Musha,  but  the  master's  mad  !  "  cried  the  old  dame  of  the 
gate-lodge  ;  "  he  wasn't  out  of  this  gate  for  a  year  and  a  half, 
and  look  now " 

The  rest  was  lost  in  the  clear  ringing  laugh  of  Baby,  who 
clapped  her  hands  in  ecstasy  and  delight. 

"  What  a  spanking  pair  they  are  !  I  suppose  you  wouldn't 
let  me  get  my  hand  on  them  } "  said  she,  making  a  gesture  as 
if  to  take  the  reins. 

"  Heaven  forbid,  my  dear,"  said  I ;  "  they've  nearly  pulled 
my  wrists  off  already." 

Our  road,  like  many  in  the  west  of  Ireland,  lay  through  a 
level  tract  of  bog  ;  deep  ditches,  half  filled  with  water,  on  either 
side  of  us,  but,  fortunately,  neither  hill  nor  valley  for  several 
miles. 

"There's  the  mail,"  said  Baby,  pointing  to  a  dark  speck  at 
a  long  distance  off. 

Ere  many  minutes  elapsed,  our  stretching  gallop,  for  such  had 
our  pace  sobered  into,  brought  us  up  with  it,  and   as  we  flew 
by,  at  top  speed.  Baby  jumped  to  her  feet,  and  turning  a  wag- 
gish look  at  our  beaten  rivals,  burst  out  into  a  fit  of  triumph 
ant  laughter. 

Mike  was  correct  as  to  time  ;  in  some  few  seconds  less  than 
forty  minutes,  we  turned  into  the  avenue  of  Gurt-na-Morra. 
Tearing  along  like   the  very  moment  of  their  starting,  the  hot 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  885 

and  fiery  animals  galloped  up  the  approach,  and  at  length  came 
to  a  stop  in  a  deep  ploughed  field,  into  which,  fortunately  for 
us,  Mr.  Blake,  animated  less  by  the  picturesque  than  the  prof- 
itable, had  converted  his  green  lawn.  This  check,  however, 
was  less  owing  to  my  agency  than  to  that  of  my  servants ;  for, 
dismounting  in  haste,  they  flew  to  the  horses'  heads,  and  with 
ready  tact,  and  before  I  had  helped  my  cousin  to  the  ground, 
succeeded  in  unharnessing  them  from  the  carriage,  and  led 
them,  blown  and  panting,  covered  with  foam,  and  splashed  with 
mud,  into  the  space  before  the  door. 

By  this  time  we  were  joined  by  the  whole  Blake  family,  who 
poured  forth  in  astonishment  at  our  strange  and  sudden 
appearance.  Explanation  on  my  part  was  unnecessary,  for 
Baby,  with  a  volubility  quite  her  own,  gave  the  whole  recital 
in  less  than  three  minutes.  From  the  moment  of  her  advent 
to  her  departure,  they  had  it  all ;  and  while  she  mingled  her 
ridicule  at  my  surprise,  her  praise  of  my  luncheon,  her  jests  at 
my  prudence,  the  whole  family  joined  heartily  in  her  mirth, 
while  they  welcomed,  with  most  unequivocal  warmth,  my  first 
visit  to  Gurt-na-Morra. 

I  confess  it  was  with  no  slight  gratification  I  remarked  that 
Baby's  visit  was  as  much  a  matter  of  surprise  to  them  as  to  me. 
Believing  her  to  have  gone  to  visit  at  Portumna  Castle,  they 
felt  no  uneasiness  at  her  absence  ;  so  that,  in  her  descent  upon 
me,  she  was  really  only  guided  by  her  own  wilful  fancy,  and 
that  total  absence  of  all  consciousness  of  wrong  which  makes 
a  truly  innocent  girl  the  hardiest  of  all  God's  creatures.  I  was 
reassured  by  this  feeling,  and  satisfied  that,  whatever  the  inten- 
tions of  the  elder  members  of  the  Blake  family.  Baby  was,  at 
least,  no  participator  in  their  plots,  or  sharer  in  their  intrigues. 


886  CHARLES  a M ALLEY. 


CHAPTER    CXIII. 

NEW    VIEWS. 

When  I  found  myself  the  next  morning  at  home,  I  could 
not  help  ruminating  over  the  strange  adventures  of  the  preced- 
ing day,  and  felt  a  kind  of  self-reproach  at  the  frigid  manner  in 
which  I  had  hitherto  treated  all  the  Blake  advances,  contrast- 
ing so  ill  for  me  with  the  unaffected  warmth  and  kind  good- 
nature of  their  reception.  Never  alluding,  even  by  accident, 
to  my  late  estrangement ;  never,  by  a  chance  speech,  indicating 
that  they  felt  any  soreness  for  the  past, — they  talked  away 
about  the  gossip  of  the  country, — its  feuds,  its  dinners,  its 
assizes,  its  balls,  its  garrisons, — all  the  varied  subjects  of 
country  life  were  gaily  and  laughingly  discussed  ;  and  when,  as 
I  entered  my  own  silent  and  deserted  home,  and  contrasted  its 
look  of  melancholy  and  gloom  with  the  gay  and  merry  scene  I 
so  lately  parted  from  ;  when  my  echoing  steps  reverberated 
along  the  flagged  hall,  I  thought  of  the  happy  family  picture  I 
left  behind  me,  and  could  not  help  avowing  to  myself  that  the 
goods  of  fortune  I  possessed  were  but  ill  dispensed,  when,  in 
the  midst  of  every  means  and  appliance  for  comfort  and  hap- 
piness, I  lived  a  solitary  man,  companionless  and  alone. 

I  arose  from  breakfast  a  hundred  times  ;  now  walking  im- 
patiently towards  the  window,  now  strolling  into  the  drawing- 
room.  Around,  on  every  side,  lay  scattered  the  prints  and 
drawings,  as  Baby  had  thrown  them  carelessly  upon  the  floor  : 
her  handkerchief  was  also  there.  I  took  it  up  ;  I  know  not  why : 
some  lurking  leaven  of  old  romance  perhaps  suggested  it ;  but 
I  hoped  it  might  prove  of  delicate  texture,  and  bespeaking 
that  lady-like  coquetry  which  so  pleasantly  associates  with  the 
sex  in  our  minds     Alas  !  no.     Nothing  could  be  more  palpably 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  887 

the  opposite  :  torn,  and  with  a  knot — some  hint  to  memory — 
upon  one  corner,  it  was  no  aid  to  my  careering  fancy.  And 
yet — and  yet,  what  a  handsome  girl  she  is  !  how  finely,  how 
delicately  formed  that  Greek  outline  of  forehead  and  brow  ! 
how  transparently  soft  that  downy  pink  upon  her  cheek !  with 
what  varied  expression  those  eyes  can  beam  ! — ay,  that  they 
can  :  but,  confound  it  !  there's  this  fault, — their  very  archness 
— their  sly  malice— will  be  interpreted  by  the  ill-judging  world 
to  any  but  the  real  motive.  "  How  like  a  flirt !  "  will  one  say ; 
"how  impertinent !  how  ill-bred  !  "  The  conventional  stare  of 
cold,  patched,  and  painted  beauty,  upon  whose  unblushing 
cheek  no  stray  tinge  of  modesty  has  wandered,  will  be  tolerated 
— even  admired  ;  while  the  artless  beamings  of  the  soul  upon 
the  face  of  rural  loveliness  will  be  condemned  without  appeal. 

Such  a  girl  may  a  man  marry  who  destines  his  days  to  the 
wild  west ;  but  woe  unto  him  ! — woe  unto  him  !  should  he  migrate 
among  the  more  civilized  and  less  charitable  coteries  of  our 
neighbors. 

"  Ah  !  here  are  the  papers,  and  I  was  forgetting.  Let  me  see 
— '  Bayonne  ' — ay,  '  march  of  the  troops — sixth  corps.'  What 
can  that  be  without  ?  I  say,  Mike,  who  is  cantering  along  the 
avenue  ?" 

"  It's  me,  sir.  I'm  training  the  brown  filly  for  Miss  Mary, 
as  your  honor  bid  me  last  night." 

"  Ah,  very  true.      Does  she  go  quietly  ?  " 

"Like  a  lamb,  sir;  barrin'  she  does  give  a  kick  now  and 
then  at  the  sheet,  when  it  bangs  against  her  legs." 

"Am  I  to  go  over  with  the  books  now,  sir?"  said  a  wild- 
looking  shock-head  appearing  within  the  door. 

"  Yes,  take  them  over,  with  my  compliments  ;  and  say  I 
hope  Miss  Mary  Hlake  has  caught  no  cold." 

"  You  were  .speaking  about  a  habit  and  hat,  sir?  "  said  Mrs. 
Magra,  curtseying  as  she  entered. 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Magra  ;  I  want  your  advice.  Oh,  tell  Barnes  I 
really  cannot  be  bored  about  those  eternal   turnips   every  day 


888  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

of  my  life.  And,  Mike,  I  wish  you'd  make  them  look  over  the 
four-horse  harness.  I  want  to  try  those  grays ;  they  tell  me 
they'll  run  well  together.  Well,  Freney,  more  complaints,  I 
hope  ?  nothing  but  trespasses  ;  I  don't  care,  so  you'd  not  worry 
me,  if  they  eat  up  every  blade  of  clover  in  the  grounds  :  I'm 
sick  of  being  bored  this  way.  Did  you  say  that  we'd  eight 
couple  of  good  dogs  ? — quite  enough  to  begin  with.  Tell  Jones 
to  ride  into  Banagher  and  look  after  that  box  :  Buckmaster 
sent  it  from  London  two  months  ago,  and  it  has  been  lying 
there  ever  since.  And,  Mrs.  Magra,  pray  let  the  windows  be 
opened,  and  the  house  well  aired  :  that  drawing-room  would  be 
all  the  better  for  new  papering." 

These  few  and  broken  directions  may  serve  to  show  my 
readers — what  certainly  they  failed  to  convince  myself  of — that 
a  new  chapter  of  my  life  had  opened  before  me ;  and  that,  in 
proportion  to  the  length  of  time  my  feelings  had  found  neither 
vent  nor  outlet,  they  now  rushed  madly,  tempestuously  into 
their  new  channels,  suffering  no  impediment  to  arrest,  no 
obstacle  to  oppose  their  current. 

Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  opposite  to  my  late,  than  my 
present  habits  now  became ;  the  house,  the  grounds,  the  gar- 
dens, all  seemed  to  participate  in  the  new  influence  which 
beamed  upon  myself  ;  the  stir  and  bustle  of  active  life  was 
everywhere  perceptible ;  and  amid  numerous  preparations  for 
the  moors  and  the  hunting-field,  for  pleasure  parties  upon  the 
river,  and  fishing  excursions  up  the  mountains,  my  days  were 
spent.  The  Blakes,  without  even  for  a  moment  pressing  their 
attentions  upon  me,  permitted  me  to  go  and  come  amongst 
them  unquestioned  and  unasked.  When,  nearly  every  morning, 
I  appeared  in  the  breakfast-room,  I  felt  exactly  like  a  member 
of  the  family  :  the  hundred  little  discrepancies  of  thought  and 
habit  which  struck  me  forcibly  at  first  looked  daily  less  ap- 
parent ;  the  careless  inattentions  of  my  fair  cousins  as  to  dress, 
their  free-and-easy  boisterous  manner,  their  very  accents,  which 
fell  so  harshly  on  my  ear,  gradually  made  less  and  less  impres- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  889 

sion,  until  at  last,  when  a  raw  English  Ensign,  just  arrived  in 
the  neighborhood,  remarked  to  me  in  confidence,  "  What 
devilish  fine  girls  they  were,  if  they  were  not  so  confoundedly 
Irish  !  "  I  could  not  help  wondering  what  the  fellow  meant, 
and  attributed  the  observation  more  to  his  ignorance  than  to 
its  truth. 

Papa  and  Mamma  Blake,  like  prudent  generals,  so  long  as 
they  saw  the  forces  of  the  enemy  daily  wasting  before  them — 
so  long  as  they  could  with  impunity  carry  on  the  war  at  his  ex- 
pense— resolved  to  risk  nothing  by  a  pitched  battle.  Unlike 
the  Dalrymples,  they  could  leave  all  to  time. 

Oh  !  tell  me  not  of  dark  eyes  swimming  in  their  own  ethereal 
essence  ;  tell  me  not  of  pouting  lips,  of  glossy  ringlets,  of  taper 
fingers,  and  well-rounded  insteps  ;  speak  not  to  me  of  soft 
voices,  whose  seductive  sounds  ring  sweetly  in  our  hearts ; 
preach  not  of  those  thousand  womanly  graces  so  dear  to  every 
man,  and  doubly  to  him  who  lives  apart  from  all  their  influ- 
ences and  their  fascinations  ;  neither  dwell  upon  congenial  tem- 
perament, similarity  of  taste,  of  disposition,  and  of  thought ; 
these  are  not  the  great  risks  a  man  runs  in  life.  Of  all  the 
temptations,  strong  as  these  may  be,  there  is  one  greater  than 
them  all,  and  that  is — propinquity ! 

Show  me  the  man  who  has  ever  stood  this  test  ;  show  me 
the  man,  deserving  the  name  of  such,  who  has  become  daily 
and  hourly  exposed  to  the  breaching  artillery  of  flashing  eyes, 
of  soft  voices,  of  winning  smiles,  and  kind  speeches,  and  who 
hasn't  felt,  and  that  too  soon  too,  a  breach  within  the  rampart 
of  his  heart.  He  may,  it  is  true — nay,  he  will,  in  many  cases — 
make  a  bold  and  vigorous  defence;  sometimes  will  he  re- 
intrench  himself  within  the  stockades  of  his  prudence,  but,  alas  ! 
it  is  only  to  defer  the  moment  when  he  must  lay  down  his 
arms.  He  may,  like  a  wise  man,  who  sees  his  fate  inevitable, 
make  a  virtue  of  necessity,  ami  surrrndcr  at  discretion  ;  or, 
like  a  crafty  foe,  seeing  his  doom  before  liim,  under  the  cover 
of  the  night  he  may  make  a  sortie  from  the  garrison,  and  run 


890  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY, 

for  his  life.  Ignominious  as  such  a  course  must  be,  it  is  often 
the  only  one  left. 

But  to  come  back.  Love,  like  the  small-pox,  is  most  danger 
ous  when  you  take  it  in  the  natural  way.  Those  made  matches, 
which  Heaven  is  supposed  to  have  a  hand  in,  when  placing  an 
unmarried  gentleman's  property  in  the  neighborhood  of  an 
unmarried  lady's,  which  destine  two  people  for  each  other  in 
life,  because  their  well-judging  friends  have  agreed  "  they'll  do 
very  well ;  they  were  made  for  each  other," — these  are  the 
mild  cases  of  the  malady  ;  this  process  of  friendly  vaccination 
takes  out  the  poison  of  the  disease,  substituting  a  more  harm- 
less and  less  exciting  affection ;  but  the  really  dangerous  in- 
stances are  those  from  contact,  that  same  propinquity,  that 
confounded  tendency  every  man  yields  to,  to  fall  into  a  rail- 
road of  habit;  that  is  the  risk,  that  is  the  danger.  What  a 
bore  it  is  to  find  that  the  absence  of  one  person,  with  whom 
you're  in  no  wise  in  love,  will  spoil  your  morning's  canter,  or 
your  rowing  party  upon  the  river  !  How  much  put  out  are  you, 
when  she,  to  whom  you  always  gave  your  arm  in  to  dinner, 
does  not  make  her  appearance  in  the  drawing-room ;  and  your 
tea,  too,  some  careless  one,  indifferent  to  your  taste,  puts  a 

lump  of  sugar  too  little,  or  cream  too  much,  while  she But 

no  matter  ;  habit  has  done  for  you  what  no  direct  influence  of 
beauty  could  do,  and,  a  slave  to  your  own  selfish  indulgences, 
and  the  cultivation  of  that  ease  you  prize  so  highly,  you  fall 
over  head  and  ears  in  love. 

Now,  you  are  not,  my  good  reader,  by  any  means  to  suppose 
that  this  was  my  case.  No,  no ;  I  was  too  much  what  the 
world  terms  the  "  old  soldier  "  for  that.  To  continue  my  illus- 
tration :  like  the  fortress  that  has  been  often  besieged,  the 
sentry  upon  the  walls  keeps  more  vigilant  watch ;  his  ear 
detects  the  far-off  clank  of  the  dread  artillery  ;  he  marks  each 
parallel;  he  notes  down  every  breaching  battery  ;  and,  if  he  be 
captured,  at  least  it  is  in  fair  fight. 

Such  were  some  of  my  reflections  as  I  rode  slowly  home  one 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  891 

evening  from  Gurt-na-Morra.  Many  a  time,  latterly,  hod  I 
contrasted  my  own  lonely  and  deserted  hearth  with  the  smiling 
looks,  the  happy  faces,  and  the  merry  voices  I  had  left  behind 
me ;  and  many  a  time  did  I  ask  myself,  "  Am  I  never  to  par- 
take of  a  happiness  like  this  ?  "  How  many  a  man  is  seduced 
into  matrimony  from  this  very  feeling  !  How  many  a  man 
whose  hours  have  passed  fleetingly  at  the  pleasant  tea-table,  or 
by  the  warm  hearth  of  some  old  country-house,  going  forth 
into  the  cold  and  cheerless  night,  reaches  his  far-off  home  only 
to  find  it  dark  and  gloomy,  joyless  and  companionless  ?  How 
often  has  the  hard-visaged  look  of  his  old  butler,  as,  with  sleepy 
eyes  and  yawning  face,  he  hands  a  bed-room  candle,  suggested 
thoughts  of  married  happiness?  Of  the  perils  of  propinquity 
I  have  already  spoken  :  the  risks  of  contrast  are  also  great. 
Have  you  never,  in  strolling  through  some  fragrant  and  rich 
conservatory,  fixed  your  eye  upon  a  fair  and  lovely  flower, 
whose  blossoming  beauty  seems  to  give  all  the  lustre  and  all  the 
incense  of  the  scene  around  ?  and  how  have  you  thought  it 
would  adorn  and  grace  the  precincts  of  your  home,  diffusing 
fragrance  on  every  side.  Alas !  the  experiment  is  not  always 
successful.  Much  of  the  charm  and  many  of  the  fascinations 
which  delight  you  are  the  result  of  association  of  time  and  of 
place.  The  lovely  voice,  whose  tones  have  spoken  to  your 
heart,  may,  like  some  instrument,  be  delightful  in  the  harmony 
of  the  orchestra,  but,  after  all,  prove  a  very  middling  performer 
in  a  duet. 

I  say  not  this  to  deter  men  from  matrimony,  but  to  warn 
them  from  a  miscalculation  which  may  mar  their  happiness. 
Flirtation  is  a  very  fine  thing,  but  it's  only  a  state  of  transition, 
after  all.  The  tadpole  existence  of  the  lover  w'ould  be  great 
fun,  if  one  was  never  to  become  a  frog  under  the  hands  of  the 
parson.  I  say  all  tliis  dispassionately  and  advisedly.  Like  the 
poet  of  my  country,  for  many  years  of  my  life, 

"  My  only  books  wore  woman's  looks," 

and  certainly  I  subscribe  to  a  circulating  lil)rary. 


892  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

All  this  long  digression  may  perhaps  bring  the  reader  to 
where  it  brought  me — the  very  palpable  conviction,  that,  though 
not  in  love  with  my  cousin  Baby,  I  could  not  tell  when  I  might 
eventually  become  so. 


CHAPTER  CXIV. 

A    RECOGNITION. 

The  most  pleasing  part  about  retrospect  is  the  memory  of  our 
bygone  hopes.  The  past,  however  happy,  however  blissful,  few 
would  wish  to  live  over  again  ;  but  who  is  there  that  does  not  long 
for,  does  not  pine  after  the  day-dream  which  gilded  the  future 
— which  looked  ever  forward  to  the  time  to  come  as  to  a  realiza- 
tion of  all  that  was  dear  to  us ;  lightening  our  present  cares, 
soothing  our  passing  sorrows  by  that  one  thought? 

Life  is  marked  out  in  periods  in  which,  like  stages  in  a 
journey,  we  rest  and  repose  ourselves,  casting  a  look,  now  back 
upon  the  road  we  have  been  travelling,  now  throwing  a  keener 
glance  towards  the  path  left  us.  It  is  at  such  spots  as  these 
remembrance  comes  full  upon  us,  and  that  we  feel  how  little 
our  intentions  have  swayed  our  career  or  influenced  our 
actions  ;  the  aspirations,  the  resolves  of  youth,  are  either  looked 
upon  as  puerile  follies,  or  a  most  distant  day  settled  on  for 
their  realization.  The  principles  we  fondly  looked  to,  like  our 
guide-stars,  are  dimly  visible,  not  seen  ;  the  friends  we  cherished 
are  changed  and  gone ;  the  scenes  themselves  seem  no  longer 
the  sunshine  and  the  shade  we  loved  ;  and,  in  fact,  we  are  liv- 
ing in  a  new  world,  where  our  own  altered  condition  gives  the 
type  to  all  around  us;  the  only  link  that  binds  us  to  the  past 
being  that  same  memory,  that,  like  a  sad  curfew,  tolls  the 
twilight  of  our  fairest  dreams  and  most  cherished  wishes. 

That  these  glimpses  of  the  bygone  season  of  our  youth 
should  be  but   fitful  and  passing — tinging,   not  coloring  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  893 

landscape  of  our  life— we  should  be  engaged  in  all  the  active 
bustle  and  turmoil  of  the  world,  surrounded  by  objects  of  hope, 
love,  and  ambition,  stemming  the  strong  tide  in  whose  fountain 
is  fortune. 

He,  however,  who  lives  apart,  a  dreary  and  a  passionless  ex- 
istence, will  find  that  in  the  past,  more  than  in  the  future,  his 
thoughts  have  found  their  resting-place ;  memory  usurps  the 
place  of  hope,  and  he  travels  through  life  like  one  walking  on- 
ward ;  his  eyes  still  turning  towards  some  loved  forsaken  spot, 
teeming  with  all  the  associations  of  his  happiest  hours,  and 
preserving,  even  in  distance,  the  outline  that  he  loved. 

Distance  in  time,  as  in  space,  smooths  down  all  the  inequal- 
ities of  surface ;  and,  as  the  cragged  and  rugged  mountain, 
darkened  by  cliff  and  precipice,  shows  to  the  far-off  traveller 
but  some  blue  and  misty  mass,  so  the  long-lost-sight-of  hours 
lose  all  the  cares  and  griefs  that  tinged  them  ;  and,  to  our 
mental  eye,  are  but  objects  of  uniform  loveliness  and  beauty  : 
and  if  we  do  not  think  of 

"  The  smiles — the  tears 
Of  boyhood's  years," 

it  is  because,  like  April  showers,  they  but  chequer  the  spring 
of  our  existence. 

For  myself,  battled  in  hope  at  a  period  when  most  men  but 
begin  to  feel  it,  I  thought  myself  much  older  than  I  really  was; 
the  disappointments  of  the  w^orld,  like  the  storms  of  the  ocean, 
impart  a  false  sense  of  experience  to  the  young  heart,  as  he 
sails  forth  upon  his  voyage  ;  and  it  is  an  easy  error  to  mis- 
take trials  for  time. 

The  goods  of  fortune  by  which  1  was  surrounded  took  noth- 
ing from  the  bitterness  of  my  retrospect :  on  the  contrary,  1 
could  not  help  feeling  that  every  luxury  of  my  life  was  bought 
1)\-  my  surrender  of  that  career  which  iiad  elated  me  in  my  own 
fsteem,  and  which,  setting  a  high  and  noble  ambition  before 
UK  ,  taught  me  to  be  a  man. 


894  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

To  be  happy,  one  must  not  only  fulfil  the  duties  and 
exactions  of  his  station,  but  the  station  itself  must  answer 
to  his  views  and  aspirations  in  life.  Now,  mine  did  not  sustain 
this  condition  :  all  that  my  life  had  of  promise  was  connected 
with  the  memory  of  her  who  never  could  share  my  fortunes  ; 
of  her  for  whom  I  had  earned  praise  and  honor ;  becoming 
ambitious  as  the  road  to  her  affection,  only  to  learn  after, 
that  my  hopes  were  but  a  dream,  and  my  paradise  a  wilder- 
ness. 

While  thus  the  inglorious  current  of  my  life  ran  on,  I  was  not 
indifferent  to  the  mighty  events  the  great  continent  of  Europe 
was  witnessing :  the  successes  of  the  Peninsular  campaign ; 
the  triumphant  entry  of  the  British  into  France  ;  the  downfall 
of  Napoleon ;  the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons,  followed  each 
other  with  the  rapidity  of  the  most  common-place  occur- 
rences ;  and  in  the  few  short  years  in  which  I  had  sprung 
from  boyhood  to  man's  estate,  the  whole  condition  of  the 
world  was  altered.  Kings  deposed  ;  great  armies  disbanded  ; 
rightful  sovereigns  restored  to  their  dominions ;  banished  and 
exiled  men  returned  to  their  country,  invested  with  rank  and 
riches  ;  and  peace,  in  the  fullest  tide  of  its  blessings,  poured 
down  upon  the  earth  devastated  and  blood-stained. 

Years  passed  on  ;  and  between  the  careless  abandonment 
to  the  mere  amusement  of  the  hour,  and  the  darker  meditation 
upon  the  past,  time  slipped  away.  From  my  old  friends  and 
brother  officers  I  heard  but  rarely.  Power,  who  at  first  wrote 
frequently,  grew  gradually  less  and  less  communicative. 
Webber,  who  had  gone  to  Paris  at  the  peace,  had  written  but 
one  letter  ;  while,  from  the  rest,  a  few  straggling  lines  was  all  I 
received.  In  truth  be  it  told,  my  own  negligence  and  inability 
to  reply  cost  me  this  apparent  neglect. 

It  was  a  fine  evening  in  May,  when,  rigging  up  a  spritsail, 
I  jumped  into  my  yawl,  and  dropped  easily  down  the  river. 
The  light  wind  gently  curled  the  crested  water,  the  trees  waved 
gently  ^nd  shook  their  branches  in   the  breezej  ^nc}  \u^  little 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  895 

barque,  bending  slightly  beneath,  rustled  on  her  foamy  track 
with  that  joyous  bounding  motion  so  inspiriting  to  one's 
heart.  The  clouds  were  flying  swiftly  past,  tinging  with  their 
shadows  the  mountains  beneath  ;  the  Munster  shore,  glowing 
with  a  rich  sunlight,  showed  every  sheep-cot  and  every  hedge- 
row clearly  out,  while  the  deep  shadow  of  tall  Scaritf  darkened 
the  silent  river  where  Holy  Island,  with  its  ruined  churches 
and  melancholy  tower,  were  reflected  in  the  still  water. 

It  was  a  thoroughly  Irish  landscape:  the  changeful  sky; 
the  fast-flitting  shadows  ;  the  brilliant  sunlight ;  the  plenteous 
fields,  the  broad  and  swelling  stream  ;  the  dark  mountain,  from 
whose  brown  crest  a  wreath  of  thin  blue  smoke  was  rising, — 
were  all  there  smiling  yet  sadly,  like  her  own  sons,  across 
whose  louring  brow  some  fitful  flash  of  fancy  ever  playing, 
dallies  like  sunbeams  on  a  darkening  stream,  nor  marks  the 
depth  that  lies  below^ 

I  sat  musing  over  the  strange  harmony  of  nature  with  the 
temperament  of  man,  every  phase  of  his  passionate  existence 
seeming  to  have  its  type  in  things  inanimate,  when  a  loud  cheer 
from  the  land  aroused  me,  and  the  words  "  Charley !  cousin 
Charley !  "  came  wafted  over  the  water  to  where  I  lay. 

For  some  time  I  could  but  distinguish  the  faint  outline  of 
some  figures  on  the  shore,  but,  as  I  came  nearer,  I  recognized 
my  fair  cousin  Baby,  who,  with  a  younger  brother  of  some  eight 
or  nine  years  old,  was  taking  an  evening  walk. 

"  Do  you  know,  Charley,"  said  she,  "  the  boys  have  gone 
over  to  the  castle  to  look  for  you  ;  we  want  you  particularly 
this  evening." 

"  Indeed,  Baby  !     Well,  I  fear  you  must  make  my  excuses." 

"  Then,  once  for  all,  I  will  not.  I  know  this  is  one  of  your 
sulky  moods,  and  I  tell  you  frankly  I'll  not  put  up  with  them 
any  more." 

'■  No,  no,  Baby,  not  so  :  out  of  spirits  if  you  will,  but  not 
put  of  temper." 

♦'  The  distinction  is  much  too  fine  for  me,  if  there  be  any ', 


896  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

but  there  now,  do  be  a  good  fellow  ;  come  up  with  us — come 
up  with  ;«6'/" 

As  she  said  this  she  placed  her  arm  within  mine.  I 
thought,  too — perhaps  it  was  but  a  thought — she  pressed  me 
gently.  I  know  she  blushed  and  turned  away  her  head  to 
hide  it. 

"  I  don't  pretend  to  be  proof  to  your  entreaty,  cousin 
Baby,"  said  I,  with  half-affected  gallantry,  putting  her  fingers  to 
my  lips. 

"  There,  how  can  you  be  so  foolish  ;  look  at  William  yonder ; 
I  am  sure  he  must  have  seen  you."  But  William,  God  bless 
him  !  was  bird's-nesting,  or  butterfly-hunting,  or  daisy-picking, 
or  something  of  that  kind. 

Oh  ye  young  brothers,  who,  sufficiently  old  to  be  deemed 
companions  and  c/iapcrons,  but  yet  young  enough  to  be  regarded 
as  having  neither  eyes  nor  ears,  what  mischief  have  ye  to 
answer  for  !  what  a  long  reckoning  of  tender  speeches — of  soft 
looks — of  pressed  hands,  lies  at  your  door !  What  an 
incentive  to  flirtation  is  the  wily  imp  who  turns  ever  and  anon 
from  his  careless  gambols  to  throw  his  laughter-loving  eyes 
upon  you,  calling  up  the  mantling  blush  to  both  your  cheeks  I 
He  seems  to  chronicle  the  hours  of  your  dalliance,  making 
your  secrets  known  unto  each  other.  We  have  gone  through 
our  share  of  flirtation  in  this  life :  match-making  mothers, 
prying  aunts,  choleric  uncles,  benevolent  and  open-hearted 
fathers,  we  understand  to  the  life,  and  care  no  more  for  such 
man  traps  than  a  Melton  man,  well  mounted  on  his  strong- 
boned  thorough-bred,  does  for  a  four-barred  ox-fence  that  lies 
before  him.  Like  him,  we  take  them  flying  :  never  relaxing 
the  slapping  stride  of  our  loose  gallop,  we  go  straight  ahead, 
never  turning  aside,  except  for  a  laugh  at  those  who  flounder 
in  the  swamps  we  sneer  at.  But  we  confess  honestly,  we 
fear  the  little  brother,  the  small  urchin  who,  with  nankeen 
trousers  and  three  rows  of  buttons,  performs  the  part  of  Cupid. 
He  strikes   real  terror    into    our  heart ;  he    it   is  who,  with  a 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  Zc)l 

cunning  wink  or  sly  smile,  seems  to  confirm  the  soft  nonsense 
we  are  weaving  ;  by  some  slight  gesture  he  seems  to  check  ofif 
the  long  reckoning  of  our  attentions,  bringing  us  every  mo- 
ment nearer  to  the  time  when  the  score  must  be  settled  and 
the  debt  paid.  He  it  is,  who,  by  a  memory  delightfully 
oblivious  of  his  task  and  his  table-book,  is  tenacious  to  the 
life  of  what  you  said  to  Fanny  ;  how  you  put  your  head  under 
Lucy's  bonnet ;  he  can  imitate  to  perfection  the  way  you 
kneeled  upon  the  grass  ;  and  the  wretch  has  learnt  to  smack 
his  lips  like  2i  gourmand,  that  he  may  convey  another  stage  of 
your  proceeding. 

"  Oh,  for  infant  schools  for  everything  under  the  age  of  ten  ! 
Oh,  for  factories  for  the  children  of  the  rich  !  The  age  of 
prying  curiosity  is  from  four-and-a-half  to  nine,  and  Fouche 
himself  might  get  a  lesson  in  police  from  an  urchin  in  his 
alphabet, 

I  contrived  soon,  however,  to  forget  the  presence  of  even 
the  little  brother.  The  night  was  falling  ;  Baby  appeared 
getting  fatigued  with  her  walk,  for  she  leaned  somewhat  more 
heavily  upon  my  arm,  and  I — I  cannot  tell  wherefore — fell 
into  that  train  of  thinking  aloud,  which  somehow,  upon  a 
summer's  eve,  with  a  fair  girl  beside  one,  is  the  very  nearest 
thing  to  love-making. 

"There,  Charley — don't  now — ah,  don't! — do  let  go  my 
hand — they  are  coming  down  the  avenue." 

I  had  scarcely  time  to  obey  the  injunction,  when  Mr.  JJlake 
called  out : — 

"Well,  indeed!  Charley,  this  is  really  fortunate;  we  have 
got  a  friend  to  take  tea  with  us,  and  wanted  you  to  meet  him." 

Muttering  an  internal  prayer  for  something  not  exactly  the 
welfare  of  the  aforesaid  friend,  whom  I  judged  to  be  some 
Galway  squire,  I  professed  aloud  the  pleasure  I  felt  in  having 
come  in  so  opportunely. 

"He  wishes  particularly  to  make  your  acquaintance." 


898  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  So  much  the  worse,"  thought  I  to  myself ;  "  it  rarely 
happens  that  this  feeling  is  mutual." 

Evidently  provoked  at  the  little  curiosity  I  exhibited,  Blake 
added, — 

"  He's  on  his  way  to  Fermoy  with  a  detachment." 

"  Indeed !  what  regiment,  pray  ? " 

"  The  28th  Foot." 

"  Ah  !     I  don't  know  them." 

By  this  time  we  reached  the  steps  of  the  hall-door,  and,  just 
as  we  did  so,  the  door  opened  suddenly,  and  a  tall  figure  in 
uniform  presented  himself.  With  one  spring  he  seized  my 
hand  and  nearly  wrung  it  off. 

"  Why  what,"  said  I,  "  can  this  be  ?     Is  it  really " 

"Sparks,"  said  he — "your  old  friend  Sparks,  my  boy;  I've 
changed  into  the  infantry,  and  here  I  am.  Heard  by  chance 
you  were  in  the  neighborhood — met  Mr.  Blake,  your  friend 
here,  at  the  inn,  and  accepted  his  invitation  to  meet  you." 

Poor  Sparks,  albeit  the  difference  of  his  costume,  was  the 
same  as  ever.  Having  left  the  Fourteenth  soon  after  I  quitted 
them,  he  knew  but  little  of  their  fortunes  ;  and  he  himself  had 
been  on  recruiting  stations  nearly  the  whole  time  since  we  had 
met  before. 

While  we  each  continued  to  extol  the  good  fortune  of  the 
other — he  mine  as  being  no  longer  in  the  service,  and  I  his  for 
still  being  so — we  learned  the  various  changes  which  had 
happened  to  each  of  us  during  our  separation.  Although  his 
destination  was  ultimately  Fermoy,  Portumna  was  ordered  to 
be  his  present  quarter ;  and  I  felt  delighted  to  have  once  more 
an  old  companion  within  reach,  to  chat  over  former  days  of 
campaigning  and  nights  of  merriment  in  the  Peninsula. 

Sparks  soon  became  a  constant  visitor  and  guest  at  Gurt- 
na-Morra ;  his  good  temper,  his  easy  habits,  his  simplicity  of 
character,  rapidly  enabled  him  to  fall  into  all  their  ways  ;  and, 
although  evidently  not  what   Baby  would  call  "  the  man  for 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  899 

Galway,"  he  endeavored  with  all  his  might  to  please  every 
one,  and  certainly  succeeded  to  a  considerable  extent. 

Baby  alone  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in  tormenting  the  poor 
sub.  Long  before  she  met  with  him,  having  heard  much  from 
me  of  his  exploits  abroad,  she  was  continually  bringing  up 
some  anecdote  of  his  unhappy  loves  or  misplaced  passions ; 
which  he  evidently  smarted  under  the  more,  from  the  circum- 
stance that  he  appeared  rather  inclined  to  like  my  fair  cousin. 

As  she  continued  this  for  some  time,  I  remarked  that  Sparks 
who  at  first  was  all  gaiety  and  high  spirits,  grew  gradually  more 
depressed  and  dispirited.  I  became  convinced  that  the  poor 
fellow  was  in  love  ;  very  little  management  on  my  part  was 
necessary  to  obtain  his  confession ;  and,  accordingly,  the 
same  evening  the  thought  first  struck  me,  as  we  were  riding 
slowly  home  towards  O'Malley  Castle,  I  touched  at  first  gener- 
ally upon  the  merits  of  the  Blakes,  their  hospitality,  etc.:  then 
diverged  to  the  accomplishments  and  perfections  of  the  girls- 
and,  lastly,  Baby  herself,  in  all  form,  came  up  for  sentence. 

"  Ah,  yes  !  "  said  Sparks,  with  a  deep  sigh,  "  it  is  quite  as 
you  say ;  she  is  a  lovely  girl ;  and  that  liveliness  in  her  char- 
acter, that  elasticity  in  her  temperament,  chastened  down  as  it 
might  be  by  the  feeling  of  respect  for  the  man  she  loved  !  I 
say,  Charley,  is  it  a  very  long  attachment  of  yours  t  " 

"  A  long  attachment  of  mine!  ^^'hy,  my  dear  Sparks,  you 
can't  suppose  tliat  there  is  anything  between  us  !  I  pledge  you 
my  word  most  faithfully." 

"  Oh  no,  don't  tell  me  that ;  what  good  can  there  be  in  mys- 
tifying me .'' " 

"  I  have  no  such  intention,  believe  me.  My  cousin  Baby, 
however  I  like  and  admire  her,  has  no  other  place  in  my  affec- 
tion than  a  very  charming  girl,  who  has  lightened  a  great  many 
dreary  and  tiresome  hours,  and  made  my  banishment  from  the 
world  less  irksome  than  I  should  have  found  it  without  licr," 

"  And  you  are  really  not  in  love  ?" 

*'  Not  a  bit  of  it  I  " 


900  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

"  Nor  going  to  marry  her  either?  " 

"  Not  the  least  notion  of  it ! — a  fact.  Baby  and  I  are  ex- 
cellent friends,  for  the  very  reason  that  we  were  never  lovers ; 
•we  have  had  no  petits  jeux  of  fallings  out  and  makings  up  ;  no 
hide-and-seek  trials  of  affected  indifference  and  real  disappoint- 
ments ;  no  secrets,  no  griefs  nor  grudges  ;  neither  quarrels  nor 
keepsakes.  In  fact,  we  are  capital  cousins  ;  quizzing  every 
one  for  our  own  amusement ;  riding,  walking,  boating  together  ; 
in  fact,  doing  and  thinking  of  everything  save  sighs  and  dec- 
larations ;  always  happy  to  meet,  and  never  broken-hearted 
when  we  parted.  And  I  can  only  add,  as  a  proof  of  my  sin- 
cerity, that,  if  you  feel  as  I  suspect  you  do  from  your  questions, 
I'll  be  your  ambassador  to  the  court  of  Gurt-na-Morra  with 
sincere  pleasure." 

"Will  you  really? — Will  you,  indeed,  Charley,  do  this  for 
me? — Will  you  strengthen  my  wishes  by  your  aid,  and  give 
me  all  your  influence  with  the  family  ?  " 

I  could  scarcely  help  smiling  at  poor  Sparks's  eagerness, 
or  the  unwarrantable  value  he  put  upon  my  alliance,  in  a  case 
where  his  own  unassisted  efforts  did  not  threaten  much 
failure. 

"  I  repeat  it.  Sparks,  I'll  make  a  proposal  for  you  in  all 
form,  aided  and  abetted  by  everything  recommendatory  and 
laudatory  I  can  think  of  ;  I'll  talk  of  you  as  a  Peninsular  of 
no  small  note  and  promise  ;  and  observe  rigid  silence  about 
your  Welsh  flirtation  and  your  Spanish  elopement." 

"You'll  not  blab  about  the  Dalrymples,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Trust  me  ;  I  only  hope  you  will  be  always  equally  discreet : 
but  now — when  shall  it  be  ? — Should  you  like  to  consider  the 
matter  more  ? " 

"  Oh  no  !  nothing  of  the  kind  ;  let  it  be  to-morrow  ;  at  once, 
if  I  am  to  fail ;  even  that,  anything's  better  than  suspense." 

"  Well  then,  to-morrow  be  it,"  said  I. 

So  I  wished  him  a  good-night,  and  a  stout  heart  to  bear  his 
fortune  withal. 


THE  IKli^H  DRAGOON.  90] 


CHAPTER  CXV. 


A     MISTAKE. 


I  ORDERED  my  horses  at  an  early  hour ;  and  long  before 
Sparks — lover  that  he  was — had  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light, 
was  already  on  my  way  towards  Gurt-na-Morra.  Several  miles 
slipped  away  before  I  well  determined  how  I  should  open  my 
negotiations  ;  whether  to  papa  Blake,  in  the  first  instance,  or 
to  madame,  to  whose  peculiar  province  these  secrets  of  the 
home  department  belonged ;  or  why  not  at  once  to  Baby  ? 
because,  after  all,  with  her  it  rested  finally  to  accept  or  refuse. 
To  address  myself  to  the  heads  of  the  department  seemed  the 
more  formal  course  ;  and,  as  I  was  acting  entirely  as  an  "  envoy 
extraordinary,"  I  deemed  this  the  fitting  mode  of  proceed- 
ing. 

It  was  exactly  eight  o'clock  as  I  drove  up  to  the  door.  Mr. 
Blake  was  standing  at  the  open  window  of  the  breakfast-room, 
sniffing  the  fresh  air  of  the  morning.  The  Blake  mother  was 
busily  engaged  with  the  economy  of  the  tea-table ;  a  very 
simple  style  of  morning  costume,  and  a  nightcap  with  a  flounce 
like  a  petticoat,  marking  her  unaffected  toilette.  Above  stairs, 
more  than  one  head  eti  papillate  took  a  furtive  peep  between 
the  curtains  ;  and  the  butler  of  tliC  family,  in  corduroys  and  a 
fur  cap,  was  weeding  turnips  in  the  lawn  before  the  door. 

Mrs  Blake  had  barely  time  to  take  a  hurried  departure, 
when  her  husband  came  out  upon  the  steps  to  bid  me  welcome. 
There  is  no  physiognomist  like  your  father  of  a  family,  or 
your  motlier  with  marriageable  daughters.  Lavater  was  noth- 
ing to  them,  in  reading  the  secret  springs  of  action — the  liid- 
den  sources  of  all  character.  Had  there  been  a  good  respect- 
able   bump  allotted  by  Spurzheini  to  "  honorable   intentions," 


902  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

the  matter  had  been  all  fair  and  easy, — the  very  first  salute  of 
the  gentleman  would  have  pronounced  upon  his  views  :  but, 
alas  !  no  such  guide  is  forthcoming  ;  and  the  science,  as  it  now 
exists,  is  enveloped  in  doubt  and  difficulty.  The  gay,  laugh- 
ing temperament  of  some,  the  dark  and  serious  composure  of 
others  ;  the  cautious  and  reserved,  the  open  and  the  candid, 
the  witty,  the  sententious,  the  clever,  the  dull,  the  prudent, 
the  reckless — in  a  word,  every  variety  which  the  innumerable 
hues  of  character  imprint  upon  the  human  face  divine  are  their 
study.  Their  convictions  are  the  slow  and  patient  fruits  of 
intense  observation  and  great  logical  accuracy.  Carefully 
noting  down  every  lineament  and  feature, — their  change,  their 
action,  and  their  development, — they  track  a  lurking  motive 
with  the  scent  of  a  bloodhound,  and  run  down  a  growing  pas- 
sion with  an  unrelenting  speed.  I  have  been  in  the  witness- 
box  exposed  to  the  licensed  badgering  and  privileged  imper- 
tinence of  a  lawyer,  winked,  leered,  frowned,  and  sneered  at 
with  all  the  long-practised  tact  of  a  nisi prius  torturer  ;  I  have 
stood  before  the  cold,  fish-like,  but  searching  eye  of  a  prefect 
of  police,  as  he  compared  my  passport  with  my  person,  and 
thought  he  could  detect  a  discrepancy  in  both  :  but  I  never 
felt  the  same  sense  of  total  exposure  as  when  glanced  at  by 
the  half-cautious,  half-prying  look  of  a  worthy  father  or  mother, 
in  a  family  where  there  are  daughters  to  marry,  and  "  nobody 
coming  to  woo." 

"  You're  early,  Charley,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  with  an  affected 
mixture  of  carelessness  and  warmth.  "  You  have  not  had 
breakfast  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.  I  have  come  to  claim  a  part  of  yours  ;  and,  if  I 
mistake  not,  you  seem  a  little  later  than  usual." 

"  Not  more  than  a  few  minutes.  The  girls  will  be  down 
presently;  they're  early  risers,  Charley ;  good  habits  are  just 
as  easy  as  bad  ones  ;  and,  the  Lord  be  praised  !  my  girls  were 
never  brought  up  with  any  other." 

"  I  am  well  aware  of  it,  sir ;   and,  indeed,  if  I  may  be  per- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  903 

mitted  to  take  advantage  of  the  apropos,  it  was  on  the  subject 
of  one  of  your  daughters  that  I  wished  to  speak  to  you  this 
morning,  and  which  brought  me  over  at  this  uncivilized  hour, 
hoping  to  find  you  alone." 

Mr.  Blake's  look  for  a  moment  was  one  of  triumphant  satis- 
faction ;  it  was  but  a  glance,  however,  and  repressed  the  very 
instant  after,  as  he  said,  with  a  well  got-up  indifference, — 

"Just  step  with  me  into  the  study,  and  we're  sure  not  to  be 
interrupted." 

Now,  although  I  have  little  time  or  space  for  such  dallying, 
I  cannot  help  dwelling  for  a  mom'ent  upon  the  aspect  of  what 
Mr.  Blake  dignified  with  the  name  of  his  study.  It  was  a 
small  apartment  with  one  window,  the  panes  of  which,  in- 
dependent of  all  aid  from  a  curtain,  tempered  the  daylight 
through  the  medium  of  cobwebs,  dust,  and  the  ill-trained 
branches  of  some  wall-tree  without. 

Three  oak  chairs  and  a  small  table  were  the  only  articles 
of  furniture,  while  around,  on  all  sides,  lay  the  disjecta  membra 
of  Mr.  Blake's  hunting,  fishing,  shooting,  and  coursing  equip- 
ments— old  top  boots,  driving  whips,  odd  spurs,  a  racing  sad- 
dle, a  blunderbuss,  the  helmet  of  the  Galway  Light  Horse,  a 
salmon  net,  a  large  map  of  the  county  with  a  marginal  index 
to  several  mortgages  marked  with  a  cross,  a  stable  lantern, 
the  rudder  of  a  boat,  and  several  other  articles  representative 
of  his  daily  associations  ;  but  not  one  book,  save  an  odd  volume 
of  Watty  Cox's  Magazine,  whose  pages  seemed  as  much  the 
receptacle  of  brown  hackles  for  trout-fishing  as  the  resource 
of  literary  leisure. 

"  Here  we'll  be  quite  cosy,  and  to  ourselves,"  said  Mr. 
Blake,  as,  placing  a  chair  for  me,  he  sat  down  himself,  with 
the  air  of  a  man  resolved  to  assist,  by  advice  and  counsel,  the 
dilemma  of  some  dear  friend. 

After  a  few  preliminary  observations,  which,  like  a  breathing 
canter  before  a  race,  serves  to  get  your  courage  up,  and  settle 
you  well  in  your  seat,  I    opened  my  negotiation  by  some  very 


904  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

broad  and  sweeping  truism  about  the  misfortunes  cf  a  bachelor 
existence,  the  discomforts  of  his  position,  his  want  of  home 
and  happiness,  the  necessity  for  his  one  day  thinking  seriously 
about  marriage ;  it  being  in  a  measure  almost  as  inevitable  a 
termination  of  the  free-and-easy  career  of  his  single  life  as 
transportation  for  seven  years  is  to  that  of  a  poacher.  "  You 
cannot  go  on,  sir,"  said  I,  "  trespassing  forever  upon  your 
neighbors'  preserves  ;  you  must  be  apprehended  sooner  or 
later  ;  therefore,  I  think,  the  better  way  is  to  take  out  a  license." 

Never  was  a  small  sally  of  wit  more  thoroughly  successful. 
Mr.  Blake  laughed  till  he  cried,  and,  when  he  had  done,  wiped 
his  eyes  with  a  snuffy  handkerchief,  and  cried  till  he  laughed 
again.  As,  somehow,  I  could  not  conceal  from  myself  a 
suspicion  as  to  the  sincerity  of  my  friend's  mirth,  I  merely  con- 
soled myself  with  the  French  adage,  that  "  he  laughs  best  who 
laughs  last ;  "  and  went  on  : — 

"  It  will  not  be  deemed  surprising,  sir,  that  a  man  should 
come  to  the  discovery  I  have  just  mentioned  much  more  rapidly 
by  having  enjoyed  the  pleasure  of  intimacy  with  your  family  ; 
not  only  by  the  example  of  perfect  domestic  happiness  presented 
to  him,  but  by  the  prospect  held  out  that  a  heritage  of  the  fair 
gifts  which  adorn  and  grace  a  married  life,  may  reasonably  be 
looked  for  among  the  daughters  of  those  themselves  the  reali- 
zation of  conjugal  felicity." 

Here  was  a  canter,  with  a  vengeance ;  and,  as  I  felt  blown, 
I  slackened  my  pace,  coughed,  and  resumed  : — 

"  Miss  Mary  Blake,  sir,  is,  then,  the  object  of  my  present 
communication  ;  she  it  is  who  has  made  an  existence  that 
seemed  fair  and  pleasurable  before,  appear  blank  and  unprofit- 
able without  her.  I  have,  therefore,  to  come  at  once  to  the 
point,  visited  you  this  morning,  formally  to  ask  her  hand  in 
marriage ;  her  fortune,  I  may  observe  at  once,  is  perfectly 
immaterial — a  matter  of  no  consequence  (so  Mr.  Blake  thought 
also) ;  a  competence  fully  equal  to  every  reasonable  notion  of 
expenditure " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  905 

"  There — there  ;  don't — don't,"  said  Mr.  Blake,  wiping  his 
eyes,  with  a  sob  like  a  hiccup  ;  '•  don't  speak  of  money.  I 
know  what  you  would  say,  a  handsome  settlement — a  well- 
secured  jointure,  and  all  that.     Yes,  yes,  I  feel  it  all." 

"  Why  yes,  sir,  I  believe  I  may  add,  that  everything  in  this 
respect  will  answer  your  expectations." 

"  Of  course  ;  to  be  sure.  My  poor  dear  Baby  !  How  to  do 
without  her,  that's  the  rub.  You  don't  know,  O'Malley,  what 
that  girl  is  to  me — you  can't  know  it ;  you'll  feel  it  one  day 
though — that  you  will." 

"  The  devil  I  shall !  "  said  I  to  myself.  "  The  great  point 
is  after  all,  to  learn  the  young  lady's  disposition  in  the  mat- 
ter  " 

"  Ah,  Charley  !  none  of  this  with  me,  you  sly  dog  !  You  think 
I  don't  know  you.  Why,  I've  been  watching — that  is,  I  have 
seen — no,  I  mean  I've  heard — they — they, — people  will  talk, 
you  know." 

"  Very  true,  sir.     But,  as  I  was  going  to  remark " 

Just  at  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  Miss  Baby  herself, 
looking  most  annoyingly  handsome,  put  in  her  head. 

"  Papa,  we're  waiting  breakfast.  Ah,  Charley,  how  d'ye 
do  >.  " 

"  Come  in,  Baby,"  said  ]\Ir.  Blake  ;  "  you  haven't  given  me 
my  kiss  this  morning." 

The  lovely  girl  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck,  while  her 
bright  and  flowing  locks  fell  richly  upon  his  shoulder.  I  turned 
rather  sulkily  away  ;  the  thing  always  provokes  me.  There  is 
as  much  cold,  selfish  cruelty  in  such  <7'/<i'w///'/'//(7^  endearments, 
as  in  the  luscious  display  of  rich  rounds  and  sirloins  in  a  chop- 
house  to  the  eyes  of  the  starved  and  penniless  wretch  without, 
who,  with  dripping  rags  and  watering  lip,  eats  imaginary  slices, 
while  the  pains  of  hunger  are  torturing  him  ! 

"  There's  Tim  !  "  said  Mr.  Blake,  suddenly.  "  Tim  Cronin  ! 
— Tim  !  "  shouted  he  to,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  an  imaginary  in- 
dividual outside  ;  while,  in  the  eagerness  of  pursuit,  he  rushed 


9o6  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

out  of  the  study,  banging  the  door  as  he  went,  and  leaving 
Baby  and  myself  to  our  mutual  edification. 

I  should  have  preferred  it  being  otherwise  ;  but,  as  the  Fates 
willed  it  thus,  I  took  Baby's  hand,  and  led  her  to  the  window. 
Now,  there  is  one  feature  of  my  countrymen  which,  having 
recognized  strongly  in  myself,  I  would  fain  proclaim ;  and, 
writing  as  I  do — however  little  people  may  suspect  me — solely 
for  the  sake  of  a  moral,  would  gladly  warn  the  unsuspecting 
against.  I  mean,  a  very  decided  tendency  to  become  the  con- 
soler, the  confidant  of  young  ladies  ;  seeking  out  opportunities 
of  assuaging  their  sorrow,  reconciling  their  afflictions,  breaking 
eventful  passages  to  their  ears  ;  not  from  any  inherent  pleasure 
in  the  tragic  phases  of  the  intercourse,  but  for  the  semi-tender- 
ness of  manner,  that  harmless  hand-squeezing,  that  innocent 
waist-pressing,  without  which  consolation  is  but  like  salmon 
without  lobster — a  thing  maimed,  wanting,  and  imperfect. 

Now,  whether  this  with  me  was  a  natural  gift,  or  merely  a 
"  way  we  have  in  the  army,"  as  the  song  says,  I  shall  not  pre- 
tend to  say ;  but  I  venture  to  affirm  that  few  men  could  excel 
me  in  the  practice  I  speak  of  some  five-and-twenty  years  ago. 
Fair  reader,  do  pray,  if  I  have  the  happiness  of  being  known  to 
you,  deduct  them  from  my  age  before  you  subtract  from  my 
merits. 

"  Well,  Baby  dear,  I  have  just  been  speaking  about  you  to 
papa.  Yes,  dear — don't  look  so  incredulous — even  of  your 
own  sweet  self.  Well,  do  you  know,  I  almost  prefer  your  hair 
worn  that  way  ;  those  same  silky  masses  look  better  falling 
thus  heavily " 

"  There,  now,  Charley  !  ah,  don't !  " 

"  Well,  Baby,  as  I  was  saying,  before  you  stopped  me,  I 
have  been  asking  your  papa  a  very  important  question,  and 
he  has  referred  me  to  you  for  the  answer.  And  now  will  you 
tell  me,  in  all  frankness  and  honesty,  your  mind  on  the  matter  ?  " 

She  grew  deadly  pale  as  I  spoke  these  words  ;  then  suddenly 
flushed  up  again,  but  said  not  a  word.     I  could  perceive,  how- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  907 

ever,  from  her  heaving  chest  and  restless  manner,  that  no 
common  agitation  was  stirring  her  bosom.  It  was  cruelty  to  be 
silent,  so  I  continued  : — 

"  One  who  loves  you  well,  Baby  dear,  has  asked  his  own 
heart  the  question,  and  learned  that  without  you  he  has  no 
chance  of  happiness  ;  that  your  bright  eyes  are  to  him  bluer 
than  the  deep  sky  above  him  ;  that  your  soft  voice,  your  win- 
ning smile — and  what  a  smile  it  is  ! — have  taught  him  that  he 
loves,  nay,  adores  you  !  Then,  dearest — what  pretty  fingers 
those  are  !  Ah  !  what  is  this  ?  Whence  came  that  emerald  ? 
I  never  saw  that  ring  before,  Baby  !  " 

"  Oh,  that,"  said  she,  blushing  deeply—"  that  is  a  ring  the 
foolish  creature  Sparks  gave  me  a  couple  of  days  ago  ;  but  I 
don't  like  it — I  don't  intend  to  keep  it." 

So  saying,  she  endeavored  to  draw  it  from  her  finger,  but  in 
vain. 

"  But  why.  Baby,  why  take  it  off  ?  Is  it  to  give  him  the 
pleasure  of  putting  it  on  again  ?  There,  don't  look  angry  ;  we 
must  not  fall  out,  surely." 

"  No,  Charley,  if  you  are  not  vexed  with  me — if  you  are 
not " 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  Baby  ;  nothing  of  the  kind.  Sparks  was 
quite  right  in  not  trusting  his  entire  fortune  to  my  diplomacy; 
but,  at  least,  he  ought  to  have  told  me  that  he  had  opened  the 
negotiation.  Now,  the  question  simply  is — Do  you  love  him  ? 
or,  rather,  because  that  shortens  matters, Will  you  accept  him  ?  " 

"  Love  who  ?  " 

"  Love  whom  ?     Why  Sparks,  to  be  sure  !  " 

A  flash  of  indignant  surprise  passed  across  her  features,  now 
pale  as  marble;  her  lips  were  slightly  parted,  her  large  full 
eyes  were  fixed  upon  me  steadfastly,  and  iier  hand,  which  I 
had  held  in  mine,  she  suddenly  withdrew  from  my  grasp. 

"And  so — and  so  it  is  of  Mr.  Sparks's  cause  you  are  so 
ardently  the  advocate  ? "  said  she,  at  length,  after  a  pause  of 
most  awkward  duration. 


9o8  CHARLES  a M ALLEY. 

"Why,  of  course,  my  dear  cousin.  It  was  at  his  suit  and 
sohcitation  I  called  on  your  father  ;  it  was  he  himself  who  en- 
treated me  to  take  this  step  ;  it  was  he " 

But  before  I  could  conclude,  she  burst  into  a  torrent  of  tears, 
and  rushed  from  the  room. 

Here  was  a  situation  !  What  the  deuce  was  the  matter  ? 
Did  she,  or  did  she  not,  care  for  him  ?  Was  her  pride  or  her 
delicacy  hurt  at  my  being  made  the  means  of  the  communica- 
tion to  her  father  ?  What  had  Sparks  done  or  said  to  put  him- 
self and  me  in  such  a  devil  of  a  predicament  ?  Could  she  care 
for  any  one  else  ? 

"  Well,  Charley  ! "  cried  Mr.  Blake,  as  he  entered,  rubbing 
his  hands  in  a  perfect  paroxysm  of  good  temper — "  well, 
Charley,  has  love-making  driven  breakfast  out  of  your  head  ?  " 

"  Why,  faith,  sir,  I  greatly  fear  I  have  blundered  my  mission 
sadly.  My  cousin  Mary  does  not  appear  so  perfectly  satisfied  ; 
her  manner " 

"  Don't  tell  me  such  nonsense.  The  girl's  manner !  Why, 
man,  I  thought  you  were  too  old  a  soldier  to  be  taken  in  that 
way." 

"  Well  then,  sir,  the  best  thing,  under  the  circumstances,  is 
to  send  over  Sparks  himself.  Your  consent,  I  may  tell  him, 
is  already  obtained." 

"  Yes,  my  boy ;  and  my  daughter's  is  equally  sure.  But  I 
don't  see  what  we  want  with  Sparks  at  all.  Among  old  friends 
and  relatives,  as  we  are,  there  is,  I  think,  no  need  of  a 
stranger." 

"  A  stranger !  Very  true,  sir,  he  is  a  stranger  ;  but  when 
that  stranger  is  about  to  become  your  son-in-law " 

"  About  to  become  what  ? "  said  Mr.  Blake,  rubbing  his 
spectacles,  and  placing  them  leisurely  on  his  nose  to  regard 
me — "  to  become  what  ?  " 

"  Your  son-in-law.  I  hope  I  have  been  sufficiently  explicit, 
sir,  in  making  known  Mr.  Sparks's  wishes  to  you." 

"  Mr.  Sparks  I     Why,  damn  me,  sir — that  is — I  beg  pardon 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOO.V,  909 

for  the  warmth — you — you  never  mentioned  his  name  to-day 
till  now.  You  led  me  to  suppose  that — in  fact,  you  told  me 
most  clearly " 

Here,  from  the  united  effects  of  rage  and  a  struggle  for  con- 
cealment, Mr.  Blake  was  unable  to  proceed,  and  walked  the 
room  with  a  melodramatic  stamp  perfectly  awful. 

"  Really,  sir,"  said  I  at  last,  *'  while  I  deeply  regtet  any  mis- 
conception or  mistake  I  have  been  the  cause  of,  I  must,  in 
justice  to  myself,  say,  that  I  am  perfectly  unconscious  of  hav- 
ing misled  you.  I  came  here  this  morning  with  a  proposition 
for  the  hand  of  your  daughter  in  behalf  of " 

"  Yourself,  sir.  Yes,  yourself.  I'll  be — no  !  I'll  not  swear; 
but — but  just  answer  me,  if  you  ever  mentioned  one  word  of 
Mr.  Sparks — if  you  ever  alluded  to  him  till  the  last  few 
minutes  ? " 

I  was  perfectly  astounded.  It  might  be  ;  alas  !  it  was  exactly 
as  he  stated.  In  my  unlucky  effort  at  extreme  delicacy,  I  be- 
came only  so  very  mysterious,  that  I  left  the  matter  open  for 
them  to  suppose  that  it  might  be  the  Khan  of  Tartary  was  in 
love  with  Baby. 

There  was  but  one  course  now  open.  I  most  humbly  apolo- 
gized for  my  blunder;  repeated,  by  every  expression  I  could 
summon  up,  my  sorrow  for  what  had  happened ;  and  was  be- 
ginning a  renewal  of  negotiation  "  ///  re  Sparks,"  when,  over- 
come by  his  passion,  Mr.  Blake  could  hear  no  more,  but 
snatched  up  his  hat  and  left  the  room. 

Had  it  not  been  for  Baby's  share  in  the  transaction  I  should 
have  lauglicd  outright.  As  it  was,  I  felt  anything  but  mirthful  ; 
and  the  only  clear  and  collected  idea  in  my  mind  was,  to  hurry 
home  with  all  speed,  and  fasten  a  quarrel  on  Sparks,  the  in- 
"aocent  cause  of  the  whole  mishap.  Why  this  thought  struck 
me  let  physiologists  decide. 

A  few  moments'  reflection  satisfied  me  that,  under  present 
circumstances,  it  would  be  particularly  awkward  to  meet  with 
any  others  of  the  family.     Ardently  desiring  to  secure  my  re- 


910  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

treat,  I  succ^^eded,  after  some  little  time,  in  opening  the  win- 
dow-sash ;  consoling  myself  for  any  injury  I  was  about  to  in- 
flict upon  Mr.  Blake's  young  plantation  in  my  descent,  by  the 
thought  of  the  service  I  was  rendering  him  while  admitting  a 
little  fresh  air  into  his  sanctum. 

For  my  patriotism's  sake  I  will  not  record  my  sensations  as 
I  took  my  way  through  the  shrubbery  towards  the  stable.  Men 
are  ever  so  prone  to  revenge  their  faults  and  their  follies  upon 
such  inoffensive  agencies  as  time  and  place,  wind  or  weather, 
that  I  was  quite  convinced  that  to  any  other  but  Galway  ears 
my  exposi  would  have  been  perfectly  clear  and  intelligible ; 
and  that  in  no  other  country  under  heaven  would  a  man  be  ex- 
pected to  marry  a  young  lady  from  a  blunder  in  his  grammar. 

"  Baby  may  be  quite  right,"  thought  I  ;  "  but  one  thing  is 
assuredly  true — if  I'll  never  do  for  Galway,  Galway  will  never 
do  for  me.  No,  hang  it !  I  have  endured  enough  for  above  two 
years.  I  have  lived  in  banishment,  away  from  society,  suppos- 
ing that,  at  least,  if  I  isolated  myself  from  the  pleasures  of  the 
world,  I  was  exempt  from  its  annoyances."  But  no ;  in  the 
seclusion  of  my  remote  abode  troubles  found  their  entrance  as 
easily  as  elsewhere,  so  that  I  determined  at  once  to  leave 
home  ;  where  for,  I  knew  not.  If  life  had  few  charms,  it  had 
still  fewer  ties  for  me.  If  I  was  not  bound  by  the  bonds  of 
kindred,  I  was  untrammelled  by  their  restraints. 

The  resolution  once  taken  I  burned  to  put  it  into  effect; 
and  so  impatiently  did  I  press  forward,  as  to  call  forth  more 
than  one  remonstrance  on  the  part  of  Mike  at  the  pace  we  were 
proceeding  at.  As  I  neared  home,  the  shrill  but  stirring  sounds 
of  drum  and  fife  met  me  ;  and,  shortly  after,  a  crowd  of 
country  people  filled  the  road.  Supposing  it  some  mere  re- 
cruiting party,  I  was  endeavoring  to  press  on,  when  the  sounds 
of  a  full  military  band,  in  the  exhilarating  measure  of  a  quick 
step,  convinced  me  of  my  error  ;  and,  as  I  drew  to  one  side  of 
the  road,  the  advanced  guard  of  an  infantry  regiment  came  for- 
ward.    The  men's  faces  were  flushed,  their  uniforms  dusty  and 


The  IRISH  DRAGOON.  9!! 

travel-Stained,  their  knapsacks  strapped  firmly  on,  and  their  gait 
the  steady  tramp  of  the  march.  Saluting  the  subaltern,  I 
asked  if  anything  of  consequence  had  occurred  in  the  south, 
that  the  troops  were  so  suddenly  under  orders.  The  officer 
stared  at  me  for  a  moment  or  two  without  speaking  ;  and,  while 
a  slight  smile  half-curled  his  lip,  answered  : — 

"  Apparently,  sir,  you  seem  very  indifferent  to  military  news, 
otherwise  you  can  scarcely  be  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  our  route." 

"On  the  contrary,"  said  1,  •'!  am,  though  a  young  man,  an 
old  soldier,  and  feel  most  anxious  about  everything  connected 
with  the  service." 

"  Then  it  is  very  strange,  sir,  you  should  not  have  heard 
the  news.  Bonaparte  has  returned  from  Elba,  has  arrived  at 
Paris,  been  received  with  the  most  overwhelming  enthusiasm, 
and  at  this  moment  the  preparations  for  war  are  resounding  from 
Venice  to  the  Vistula.  All  our  forces,  disposable,  are  on  the 
march  for  embarkation.  Lord  Wellington  has  taken  the  com- 
mand, and  already,  I  may  say,  the  campaign  has  begun." 

The  tone  of  enthusiasm  in  which  the  young  officer  spoke, 
the  astounding  intelligence  itself,  contrasting  with  the  apa- 
thetic indolence  of  my  own  life,  made  me  blush  deeply,  as  I 
muttered  some  miserable  apology  for  my  ignorance. 

"  And  you  are  now  en  route  /  " 

"  For  Fermoy ;  from  which  we  march  to  Cove  for  embarka- 
tion. The  first  battalion  of  our  regiment  sailed  for  the  West 
Indies  a  week  since,  but  a  frigate  has  been  sent  after  them  to 
bring  them  back  :  and  we  hope  all  to  meet  in  the  Netherlands 
before  the  month  is  over.  But  I  must  beg  your  pardon  for  say- 
ing adieu.     Good-bye,  sir." 

"  Good-bye,  sir ;  good-bye,"  said  I,  as,  still  standing  in  the 
road,  I  was  so  overwhelmed  with  surprise  that  1  could  scarcely 
credit  my  senses. 

A  little  farther  on,  I  came  up  with  the  main  body  of  the 
regiment,  from  whom  I  learned  the  corroburation  of  the  news, 
and  also  the  additional  intelligence  that   Sparks  had  been   or- 


912  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

dered  off  with  his  detachment  early  in  the  morning,  a  veteran 
battalion  being  sent  into  garrison  in  the  various  towns  of  the 
south  and  west. 

"Do  you  happen  to  know  a  Mr.  O'Malley,  sir  ?  "  said  the 
Major,  coming  up  with  a  note  in  his  hand. 

"I  beg  to  present  him  to  you,''  said  I,  bowing. 

"  Well,  sir,  Sparks  gave  me  this  note,  which  he  wrote  with  a 
pencil  as  we  crossed  each  other  on  the  road  this  morning.  He 
told  me  you  were  an  old  Fourteenth  man  :  but  your  regiment  is 
in  India,  I  believe ;  at  least  Power  said  they  were  under  orders 
when  we  met  him." 

"  Fred  Power  !  are  you  acquainted  with  him  ?  Where  is  he 
now,  pray  ? " 

**  Fred  is  on  the  staff  with  General  Vandeleur,  and  is  now  in 
Belgium." 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  I,  every  moment  increasing  my  surprise  at 
some  new  piece  of  intelligence.  "  And  the  Eighty-eighth  ?  " 
said  I,  recurring  to  my  old  friends  in  that  regiment. 

"Oh,  the  Eighty-eighth  are  at  Gibraltar,  or  somewhere  in 
the  Mediterranean  ;  at  least,  I  knov/  they  are  not  near  enough 
to  open  the  present  campaign  with  us.  But  if  you'd  like  to 
hear  any  more  news,  you  must  come  over  to  Borrisokane  ;  we 
stop  there  to-night." 

"  Then  I'll  certainly  do  so." 

"Come  at  six,  then,  and  dine  with  us." 

"  Agreed,"  said  I  ;  "  and  now,  good-morning." 

So  saying,  I  once  more  drove  on  ;  my  head  full  of  all  that  I 
had  been  hearing,  and  my  heart  bursting  with  eagerness  to  join 
the  gallant  fellows  now  bound  for  the  campaign. 


THE  JKiall  DRAGOON. 


9U 


CHAPTER  CXVI. 

BRUSSELS. 

I  MUST  not  protract  a  tale  already  far  too  long,  by  the  recital 
of  my  acquaintance  with  the  gallant  Twenty-sixth.  It  is  suffi- 
cient that  I  should  say  that,  having  given  Mike  orders  to  follow 
me  to  Cove,  I  joined  the  regiment  on  their  march,  and  accom- 
panied them  to  Cork.  Every  hour  of  each  day  brought  us  in 
news  of  moment  and  importance ;  and,  amid  all  the  stirring 
preparations  for  the  war,  the  account  of  the  splendid  spectacle 
of  the  Champ  de  Mai  burst  upon  astonished  Europe,  and  the 
intelligence  spread  far  and  near  that  the  enthusiasm  of  France 
never  rose  higher  in  favor  of  the  Emperor  ;  and,  while  the 
whole  world  prepared  for  the  deadly  combat,  Napoleoii 
surpassed  even  himself,  by  the  magnificent  conceptions  for 
the  coming  conflict,  and  the  stupendous  nature  of  those  plans 
by  which  he  resolved  on  resisting  combined  and  united  Europe. 

While  our  admiration  and  wonder  of  the  mighty  spirit  that 
ruled  the  destinies  of  the  Continent  rose  high,  so  did  our  own 
ardent  and  burning  desire  for  the  day  when  the  open  field  of 
fight  should  place  us  once  more  in  front  of  each  other. 

Every  hard-fought  engagement  of  the  Spanish  war  was 
thought  of  and  talked  over  ;  from  Talavera  to  Toulouse,  all  was 
remembered  ;  and  while  among  the  old  Peninsulars  the  mili- 
tary ardor  was  so  universally  displayed,  among  the  regiments 
who  had  not  shared  the  glories  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  an  equal, 
perhaps  a  greater,  impulse  was  created  for  the  approaching 
campaign. 

When  we  arrived  at  Cork,  the  scene  of  bustle  and  excite- 
ment exceeded  anything  I  ever  witnessed  ;  troops  were  muster- 
ing in  every  quarter;  regiments  arriving  and  embarking; 
58 


y  J  4  CHARLES  O'MALLE  K, 

fresh  bodies  of  men  pouring  in  ;  drills,  parades,  and  inspec- 
tions going  forward ;  arms,  ammunition,  and  military  stores 
distributing  ;  and,  amid  all,  a  spirit  of  burning  enthusiasm  ani- 
mated every  rank  for  the  approaching  glory  of  the  newly-arisen 
war. 

While  thus  each  was  full  of  his  own  hopes  and  expectations, 
I  alone  felt  depressed  and  downhearted.  My  military  caste 
was  lost  to  me  forever,  my  regiment  many,  many  a  mile  from 
the  scene  of  the  coming  strife  ;  though  young,  I  felt  like  one 
already  old  and  bygone.  The  last-joined  ensign  seemed,  in 
his  glowing  aspiration,  a  better  soldier  than  I,  as,  sad  and 
dispirited,  I  wandered  through  the  busy  crowds,  surveying 
with  curious  eye  each  gallant  horseman  as  he  rode  proudly 
past.  What  was  wealth  and  fortune  to  me  ?  What  had  they 
ever  been,  compared  with  all  they  cost  me? — the  abandon- 
ment of  the  career  I  loved — the  path  in  life  I  sought  and 
panted  for.  Day  after  day  I  lingered  on,  watching  with  beat- 
ing heart  each  detachment  as  they  left  the  shore  ;  and  when 
their  parting  cheer  rang  high  above  the  breeze,  turned  sadly 
back  to  mourn  over  a  life  that  had  failed  in  its  promise,  and  an 
existence    now  shorn  of  its  enjoyment. 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  the  3rd  of  June  that  I  was  slowly 
wending  my  way  back  towards  my  hotel  ;  latterly  I  had  refused 
all  invitations  to  dine  at  the  mess  ;  and,  by  a  strange  spirit  of  con- 
tradiction, while  I  avoided  society,  could  yet  not  tear  myself 
away  from  the  spot  where  every  remembrance  of  my  past  life 
was  daily  embittered  by  the  scenes  around  me.  But  so  it  was  ; 
the  movement  of  the  troops,  their  reviews,  their  arrivals  and 
departures,  possessed  the  most  thrilling  interest  for  me  ;  while 
I  could  not  endure  to  hear  the  mention  of  the  high  hopes  and 
glorious  vows  each  brave  fellow  muttered. 

It  was,  as  I  remember,  on  the  evening  of  the  3rd  of  June,  I 
entered  my  hotel,  lower  in  spirits  even  than  usual ;  the  bugles 
of  the  gallant  Seventy-first,  as  they  dropped  down  with  the 
tide,  played  a  well-known  march  I  had  heard  the  night  before 


THE  IRISH  DRAG 00 AT. 


915 


Talavera ;  all  my  bold  and  hardy  days  came  rushing  madly  to 
my  mind  ;  and  my  present  life  seemed  no  longer  endurable.  The 
last  army  list  and  the  newspaper  lay  on  my  table,  and  I  turned 
to  read  the  latest  promotions  with  that  feeling  of  bitterness 
by  which  an  unhappy  man  loves  to  tamper  with  his  misery. 
Almost  the  first  paragraph  I  threw  my  eyes  upon  ran  thus  : — 

"  OsTEND,  May  2 4th. — The  Vixen  sloop-of -war,  which  arrived 
at  our  port  this  morning,  brought,  among  several  other  ofBcers 
of  inferior  note.  Lieutenant  General,  Sir  George  Dashwood, 
appointed  as  Assistant-Adjutant-Gencral  on  the  staff  of  his 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  The  gallant  General  was 
accompanied  by  his  lovely  and  accomplished  daughter,  and 
his  military  secretary  and  aide-de-camp.  Major  Hammersley, 
of  the  2nd  Life  Guards.  They  partook  of  a  hurried  dejcuiik 
with  the  Burgomaster,  and  left  immediately  after  for  Brussels." 

Twice  I  read  this  over,  w^hile  a  burning,  hot  sensation 
settled  upon  my  throat  and  temples.  "So  Hammersley  stilJ 
persists — he  still  hopes.  And  what  then  ? — what  can  it  be  to 
me? — my  prospects  have  long  since  faded  and  vanished! 
doubtless,  ere  tliis,  I  am  as  much  forgotten  as  though  we  had 
never  met, — would  that  we  never  had  !  "  I  threw  up  the 
window-sash  ;  a  light  breeze  was  gently  stirring,  and,  as  it 
fanned  my  hot  and  bursting  head,  I  felt  cooled  and  relieved. 
Some  soldiers  were  talking  beneath  the  window,  and  among 
them  I  recognized  Mike's  voice. 

"  And  so  you  sail  at  daybreak,  sergeant  ?  " 

"Yes,  Mister  Free;  we  have  our  orders  to  be  on  board 
bef(jrc  the  flood-tide.  'I  lie  I'huiulrrcr  drops  down  the  harbor 
to-night,  and  we  are  merely  here  to  collect  our  stragglers." 

"  Faix,  it's  little  I  thought  I'd  ever  envy  a  sodger  any  more; 
but,  someway,  I  wish  I  was  going  with  you." 

"  Nothing  easier,  Mike,"  said  another,  laughing. 

"  Oh,  true  for  you,  but's  that's  not  the  way  I'd  like  to  doit.     If 


9x6  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

my  master,  now,  would  just  get  over  his  low  spirits,  and  spake 
a  word  to  the  Duke  of  York,  devil  a  doubt  but  he'd  give  him 
his  commission  back  again,  and  then  one  might  go  in  comfort." 

"  Your  master  likes  his  feather  pillow  better  than  a  mossy 
stone  under  his  head,  I'm  thinking;  and  he  ain't  far  wrong, 
either." 

"You're  out  there,  neighbor.  It's  himself  cares  as  little 
for  hardship  as  any  one  of  you  ;  and  sure  it's  not  becoming  me 
to  say  it,  but  the  best  blood  and  the  best  bred  was  always  the 
last  to  give  in  for  either  cold  or  hunger,  ay,  or  even  complain 
of  it." 

Mike's  few  words  shot  upon  me  a  new  and  a  sudden  con- 
viction— what  was  to  prevent  my  joining  once  more  .''  Obvious 
as  such  a  thought  now  was,  yet  never  until  this  moment  did  it 
present  itself  so  palpably.  So  habituated  does  the  mind  be- 
come to  a  certain  train  of  reasoning,  framing  its  convictions 
according  to  one  preconceived  plan,  and  making  every  fact 
and  every  circumstance  concur  in  strengthening  what  often  may 
be  but  a  prejudice, — that  the  absence  of  the  old  Fourteenth  in 
India,  the  sale  of  my  commission,  the  want  of  rank  in  the  service, 
all  seemed  to  present  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  my  re-entering 
the  army.  A  few  chance  words  now  changed  all  this,  and  I 
saw  that,  as  a  volunteer,  at  least,  the  path  of  glory  was  still 
open,  and  the  thought  was  no  sooner  conceived,  than  the  re- 
solve to  execute  it.  While,  therefore,  I  walked  hurriedly  up 
and  down,  devising,  planning,  plotting,  and  contriving,  each 
instant  I  would  stop  to  ask  myself  how  it  happened  I  had 
not  determined  upon  this  before. 

As  I  summoned  Mike  before  me,  I  could  not  repress  a 
feeling  of  false  shame,  as  I  remembered  how  suddenly  so 
natural  a  resolve  must  seem  to  have  been  adopted;  and  it  was 
with  somewhat  of  hesitation  that  I  opened  the  conversation. 

"  And  so,  sir,  you  are  going,  after  all  ? — long  life  to  you  ! 
But  I  never  doubted  it.  Sure,  you  wouldn't  be  your  father's 
son,  and  not  join  divarsion  when  there  was  any  going." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  917 

The  poor  fellow's  eyes  brightened  up,  his  look  gladdened, 
and  before  he  reached  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  I  heard  his  loud 
cheer  of  delight,  that  once  more  we  were  off  to  the  wars. 

The  packet  sailed  for  Liverpool  the  next  morning  ;  by  it  we 
took  our  passage,  and  on  the  third  morning  I  found  myself  in 
the  waiting-room  at  the  Horse  Guards,  expecting  the  moment 
of  his  Royal  Highness's  arrival;  my  determination  being  to 
serve  as  a  volunteer  in  any  regiment  the  Duke  might  suggest, 
until  such  time  as  a  prospect  presented  itself  of  entering  the 
service  as  a  subaltern. 

The  room  was  crowded  by  officers  of  every  rank  and  arm  in 
the  service  ;  the  old,  gray-headed  general  of  division  ;  the  tall, 
stout-looking  captain  of  infantry  ;  the  thin  and  boyish  figure 
of  the  newly-gazetted  cornet,  were  all  there  ;  every  accent, 
every  look  that  marked  each  trait  of  national  distinction  in  the 
empire,  had  its  representative  ;  the  reserved  and  distant  Scotch- 
man ;  the  gay,  laughing,  exuberant  Patlander ;  the  dark-eyed, 
and  dark-browed  North  Briton,  collected  in  groups,  talked 
eagerly  together ;  while  every  instant,  as  some  new  arrival 
would  enter,  all  eyes  would  turn  to  the  spot,  in  eager  ex- 
pectation of  the  Duke's  coming.  At  last  the  clash  of  arms, 
as  the  guard  turned  out,  apprised  us  of  his  approach,  and  we  had 
scarcely  time  to  stand  up  and  stop  the  buzz  of  voices,  when 
the  door  opened,  and  an  aide-decamp  proclaimed,  in  a  full 
tone, — 

"  His  Royal  Highness  the  Commander-in  Chief  !  " 

Bowing  courteously  on  every  side,  he  advanced  through  the 
crowd,  turning  his  rapid  and  piercing  look  here  and  there 
through  the  room,  while  with  that  tact,  the  essential  gift  of  his 
family,  he  recognized  each  person  by  his  name,  directing  from 
one  to  the  other  some  passing  observation. 

"  Ah,  Sir  (]eorge  Cockburn,  how  d'ye  do  ? — your  son's  ap- 
pointment is  made  out.  Major  Conyers,  that  application  shall 
be  looked  to.  Forbes,  you  must  explain,  that  I  cannot  pos- 
sibly put  men  in  the  regiment  of  their  choice — the  service  is  the 


9i8  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

first  thing.     Lord  L ,  your  memorial  is  before  the  Prince 

Regent ;  the  cavalry  command  will,  I  believe,  however,  include 
your  name." 

While  he  spoke  thus,  he  approached  the  place  where  I  was 
standing,  when,  suddenly  checking  himself,  he  looked  at  me  for 
a  moment  somewhat  sternly. 

"  Why  not  in  uniform,  sir  1  " 

"Your  Royal  Highness,  I  am  not  in  the  army." 

"  Not  in  the  army — not  in  the  army .?    And  why,  may  I  beg  to 

know,  have  you ,  but  I'm  speaking  to  Captam  O'Malley,  if 

I  mistake  not  ?  " 

"  I  held  that  rank,  sir,  once,  but  family  necessities  compelled 
me  to  sell  out ;  I  have  now  no  commission  in  the  service,  but 
am  come  to  beseech  your  Royal  Highness's  permission  to 
serve  as  a  volunteer." 

"  As  a  volunteer,  eh — a  volunteer  ?  Come,  that's  right,  I 
like  that;  but  still,  we  want  such  fellows  as  you — the   man  of 

Ciudad   Rodrigo.     Yes,  my   Lord   L ,  this    is  one  of  the 

stormers  ;  fought  his  way  through  the  trench  among  the  first ; 
must  not  be  neglected.     Hold  yourself  in   readiness.  Captain 

hang  it,  I  was  forgetting — Mr.  O'Malley,  I  mean — hold 

yourself  in  readiness  for  a  staff  appointment.  Smithson,  take 
a  note  of  this."  So  saying,  he  moved  on  ;  and  I  found  myself 
in  the  street,  with  a  heart  bounding  with  delight,  and  a  step 
proud  as  an  emperor's. 

With  such  rapidity  the  events  of  my  life  now  followed  one 
upon  the  other,  that  I  could  take  no  note  of  time  as  it  passed. 
On  the  fourth  day  after  my  conversation  with  the  Duke  I  found 
myself  in  Brussels.  As  yet,  I  heard  nothing  of  the  appoint- 
ment, nor  was  I  gazetted  to  any  regiment  or  any  situation  on 
the  stafif.  It  was  strange  enough,  too,  I  met  but  few  of  my  old 
associates,  and  not  one  of  those  with  whom  I  had  been  most 
intimate  in  my  Peninsular  career ;  but  it  so  chanced  that  very 
many  of  the  regiments  who  most  distinguished  themselves  in 
the   Spanish  campaigns,  at  the  peace  of   1814  were  sent  on 


THE  IRISH  DKA  GOON.  9  1 9 

foreign  service.  My  old  friend  Power  was,  I  learned,  quartered 
at  Courtrai ;  and,  as  I  was  perfectly  at  liberty  to  dispose  of  my 
movements  at  present,  I  resolved  to  visit  him  there. 

It  was  a  beautiful  evening  on  the  12th  of  June.  I  had  been 
inquiring  concerning  post-horses  for  my  journey,  and  was  re- 
turning slowly  through  the  park.  The  hour  was  late — near 
midnight — but  a  pale  moonlight,  a  calm,  unruffled  air,  and 
stronger  inducements  still,  the  song  of  the  nightingales  that 
abound  in  this  place,  prevailed  on  many  of  the  loungers  to 
prolong  their  stay  ;  and  so,  from  many  a  shady  walk  and  tangled 
arbor,  the  clank  of  a  sabre  would  strike  upon  the  ear,  or  the 
low,  soft  voice  of  woman  would  mingle  her  dulcet  sound  with 
the  deep  tones  of  her  companion.  I  wandered  on,  thoughtful 
and  alone ;  my  mind  preoccupied  so  completely  with  the 
mighty  events  passing  before  me,  I  totally  forgot  my  own 
humble  career,  and  the  circumstances  of  my  fortune.  As  I 
turned  into  an  alley  which  leads  from  the  Great  Walk  towards 
the  Palace  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  I  found  my  path  obstructed 
by  three  persons  who  were  walking  slowly  along  in  front  of  me. 
T  was,  as  I  have  mentioned,  deeply  absorbed  in  thought,  so 
that  I  found  myself  close  behind  them  before  I  was  aware  of 
their  presence.  Two  of  the  party  were  in  uniform,  and  by 
their  plumes,  upon  which  a  passing  ray  of  moonlight  flickered, 
I  could  detect  they  were  general  officers  ;  the  third  was  a  lady. 
Unable  to  pass  them,  and  unwilling  to  turn  back,  I  was  un- 
avoidably compelled  to  follow,  and,  however  unwilling,  to  over- 
hear somewhat  of  their  conversation. 

"You  mistake,  George,  you  mistake.  Depend  upon  it,  this 
will  be  no  lengthened  campaign  ;  victory  will  soon  decide  for 
one  side  or  the  other.  If  Napoleon  beats  the  I'russians  one 
.1  ly,  and  beat  us  the  next,  the  German  states  will  rally  to  his 
standard,  and  the  old  confederation  of  the  Rhine  will  spring 
up  once  more,  in  all  the  plenitude  of  its  power.  The  Champ 
de  Mai  has  shown  the  enthusiasm  of  France  for  their  emperor. 
Louis  XVIII.  fled  from  his  capital,  with  few  to  follow,  and 


920  CHARLES  0\M ALLEY. 

none  to  say,  '  God  bless  him  ! '  The  warlike  spirit  of  the  nation 
is  roused  again  ;  the  interval  of  peace,  too  short  to  teach  habits 
of  patient  and  enduring  industry,  is  yet  sufficient  to  whet  the 
appetite  for  carnage;  and  nothing  was  wanting,  save  the  presence 
of  Napoleon  alone,  to  restore  all  the  brilliant  delusions  and 
intoxicating  splendors  of  the  empire," 

"  I  confess,"  said  the  other,  "  I  take  a  very  different  view 
from  yours  in  this  matter :  to  me,  it  seems  that  France  is  as 
tired  of  battles  as  of  the  Bourbons " 

I  heard  no  more  ;  for,  though  the  speaker  continued,  a  misty 
confusion  passed  across  my  mind.  The  tones  of  his  voice,  well 
remembered  as  they  were  by  me,  left  me  unable  to  think  ;  and, 
as  I  stood  motionless  on  the  spot,  I  muttered  half  aloud,  "  Sir 
George  Dashwood."  It  was  he,  indeed  ;  and  she  who  leaned 
upon  his  arm  could  be  no  other  than  Lucy  herself.  I  know 
not  how  it  was  ;  for  many  a  long  month  I  had  schooled  my 
heart,  and  taught  myself  to  believe  that  time  had  dulled  the 
deep  impression  she  had  made  upon  me,  and  that,  were  we  to 
meet  again,  it  would  be  with  more  sorrow  on  my  part  for  my 
broken  dream  of  happiness  than  of  attachment  and  affection 
for  her  who  inspired  it ;  but  now,  scarcely  was  I  near  her — I 
had  not  gazed  upon  her  looks,  I  had  not  even  heard  her  voice 
— and  yet,  in  all  their  ancient  force,  came  back  the  early  pas- 
sages of  my  love  ;  and,  as  her  footfall  sounded  gently  upon  the 
ground,  my  heart  beat  scarce  less  audibly.  Alas  !  I  could  no 
longer  disguise  from  myself  the  avowal  that  she  it  was,  and  she- 
only,  who  implanted  in  my  heart  the  thirst  for  distinction  ;  and 
the  moment  was  ever  present  to  my  mind  in  which,  as  she 
threw  her  arms  around  her  father's  neck,  she  muttered,  "  Oh, 
why  not  a  soldier  !  " 

As  I  thus  reflected,  an  officer  in  full  dress  passed  me 
hurriedly,  and  taking  off  his  hat  as  he  came  up  with  the  party 
before  me,  bowed  obsequiously. 

"  My  Lord ,  I  believe,  and  Sir   George  Dashwood  ? " 

They  replied  by  a  bow.     Sir  Thomas  Picton   wishes  to  speak 


'iHE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  921 

with  you  both  for  a  moment  ;  he  is  standing  beside  the  '  Basin.' 
If  you  will  permit "  said  he,  looking  towards  Lucy. 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Sir  George;  "if  you  will  have  the 
goodness  to  accompany  us,  my  daughter  will  wait  our  coming 
here.     Sit  down,  Lucy,  we  shall  not  be  long  away." 

The  next  moment  she  was  alone.  The  last  echoes  of  their 
retiring  footsteps  had  died  away  in  the  grassy  walk,  and  in 
the  calm  and  death-like  stillness  I  could  hear  every  rustle  of 
her  silk  dress.  The  moonlight  fell  in  fitful,  straggling  gleams 
between  the  leafy  branches,  and  showed  me  her  countenance, 
pale  as  marble.  Her  eyes  were  upturned  slightly  ;  her  brown 
hair,  divided  upon  her  fair  forehead,  sparkled  with  a  wreath  of 
brilliants,  which  heightened  the  lustrous  effect  of  her  calm 
beauty ;  and  now  I  could  perceive  her  dress  bespoke  that  she 
had  been  at  some  of  the  splendid  entertainments  which 
followed  day  after  day  in  the  busy  capital. 

Thus  I  stood  within  a  few  paces  of  her,  to  be  near  to  whom, 
a  few  hours  before,  I  would  willingly  have  given  all  I  possessed 
in  the  world  ;  and  yet  now  a  barrier,  far  more  insurmountable 
than  time  and  space,  intervened  between  us  ;  still,  it  seemed 
as  though  fortune  had  presented  this  incident  as  a  last  fare- 
well between  us.  Why  should  I  not  take  advantage  of  it  ? 
Why  should  I  not  seize  the  only  opportunity  that  might  ever 
occur  of  rescuing  myself  from  the  apparent  load  of  ingratitude 
which  weighed  on  my  memory  1  I  felt  in  the  cold  despair  of  my 
heart  that  I  could  have  no  hold  upon  her  affection  ;  but  a 
pride,  scarce  less  strong  than  the  attachment  that  gave  rise  to 
it,  urged  me  to  speak.  By  one  violent  effort  I  summoned  up 
my  courage  ;  and,  while  I  resolved  to  limit  the  few  words  I 
should  say  merely  to  my  vindication,  I  prepared  to  advance. 
Just  at  this  instant,  however,  a  shadow  crossed  the  path  ;  a 
rustling  sound  was  heard  among  the  branches,  and  the  tall 
figure  of  a  man  in  a  clrii^oon  cloak  stood  before  mc.  Lucy 
turned  suddenly  at  tlie  sound  ;  hut  scarcely  had  her  eyes  been 
bent  in  the  direction,  when,  throwing  off  his  cloak,    he  sprang 


^22  VHAkLES  O' 31  ALLEY, 

forward,  and  dropped  at  her  feet.  All  my  feeling  of  shame  at 
the  part  I  was  performing  was  now  succeeded  by  a  sense  of 
savage  and  revengeful  hatred.  It  was  enough  that  I  should 
be  brought  to  look  upon  her  whom  I  had  lost  forever  without 
the  added  bitterness  of  witnessing  her  preference  for  a  rival. 
The  whirlwind  passion  of  my  brain  stunned  and  stupefied  me. 
Unconsciously  I  drew  my  sword  from  my  scabbard,  and  it  was 
only  as  the  pale  light  fell  upon  the  keen  blade  that  the  thought 
flashed  across  me,  "  What  could  I  mean  to  do  ?  " 

"  No,  Hammersley  " — it  was  he  indeed— said  she,  "  it  is  un- 
kind, it  is  unfair,  nay,  it  is  unmanly  to  press  me  thus  ;  I  would 
not  pain  you,  were  it  not  that,  in  sparing  you  now,  I  should  entail 
deeper  injury  upon  you  hereafter.  Ask  me  to  be  your  sister — 
your  friend;  ask  me  to  feel  proudly  in  your  triumphs— to 
glory  in  your  success  ;  all  this  I  do  feel ;  but,  oh  !  I  beseech 
you,  as  you  value  your  happiness— as  you  prize  mine— ask  me 
no  more  than  this." 

There  was  a  pause  of  some  seconds  ;  and,  at  length,  the 
low  tones  of  a  man's  voice,  broken  and  uncertain  in  their  ut- 
terance, said, — 

"  I  know  it — I  feel  it — my  heart  never  bade  me  hope — and 
now^'tis  over." 

He  stood  up  as  he  spoke,  and  while  he  threw  the  light  folds 
of  his  mantle  round  him,  a  gleam  of  light  fell  upon  his  features. 
They  were  pale  as  death  ;  two  dark  circles  surrounded  his 
sunken  eyes,  and  his  bloodless  lip  looked  still  more  ghastly, 
from  the  dark  moustache  that  drooped  above  it. 

"  Farewell  ! "  said  he,  slowly,  as  he  crossed  his  arms  sadly 
upon  his  breast ;  "  I  will  not  pain  you  more." 

"  Oh  !  go  not  thus  from  me,"  said  she,  as  her  voice  became 
tremulous  with  emotion  ;  "  do  not  add  to  the  sorrow  that  weighs 
upon  my  heart.  I  cannot,  indeed  I  cannot,  be  other  than  I 
am  ;  and  I  do  but  hate  myself  to  think  that  I  cannot  give  my 

love  where  I  have   given  all   my  esteem.     If  time "     But 

before  she  could  continue  further,  the  noise  of  approaching 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  923 

footsteps  was  heard,  and  th«  voice  of  Sir  George,  as  he  came 
near.  Hammersley  disappeared  at  once,  and  Lucy,  with 
rapid  steps,  advanced  to  meet  her  father,  while  I  remained  riv- 
eted upon  the  spot.  What  a  torrent  of  emotions  then  rushed 
upon  my  heart  !  What  hopes,  long  dead  or  dying,  sprang  up 
to  life  again !  What  visions  of  long-abandoned  happiness 
flitted  before  me  !  Could  it  be,  then  ?  dare  I  trust  myself  to 
think  it,  that  Lucy  cared  for  me  ?  The  thought  was  maddening  ! 
With  a  bounding  sense  of  ecstasy,  1  dashed  across  the  park, 
resolving,  at  all  hazards,  to  risk  everything  upon  the  chance, 
and  wait  the  next  morning  upon  Sir  George  Dashwood.  As  I 
thought  thus,  I  reached  my  hotel,  where  I  found  Mike  in  wait- 
ing with  a  letter.  As  I  walked  towards  the  lamp  in  \\iQ.  porie 
cocJCere,  my  eye  fell  upon  the  address.  It  was  General  Dash- 
wood's  hand  ;  I  tore  it  open,  and  read  as  follows  : — 

"Dear  Sir, 

"  Circumstances  into  which  you  will  excuse  me  entering,  hav- 
ing placed  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  our  former  terms  of  intimacy,  you 
will,  I  trust,  excuse  me  declining  the  honor  of  any  nearer  acquaintance, 
and  also  forgive  the  liberty  I  take  in  informing  you  of  it,  which  step,  how- 
ever unpleasant  to  my  feelings,  will  save  us  both  the  great  pain  of  meet- 
ing. 

"  I  have  only  this  moment  heard  of  your  arrival  in  Brussels,  and  take 
thus  the  eariiest  opportunity  of  communicating  with  you. 

"  With  every  assurance  of  my  respect  for  you  personally,  and  an  earnest 
desire  to  serve  you  in  your  military  career, 

"  I  beg  to  remam, 

"  Very  faithfully  yours, 

"Gkorge  Uashwoop." 

"Another  note,  sir,"  said  Mike,  as  he  thrust  into  my  un- 
conscious hands  a  letter  he  had  just  received  from  an  orderly. 

Stunned,  half  stupefied,  I  broke  the  seal.  'I'he  contents 
were  but  three  lines  : — 

"Sir, 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you,  that  Sir  Thomas  Picton  has 
appointed  you  an   extra   aide-de-camp  on  his  personal  staff.     You  will, 


924  CHARLES  U'M ALLEY, 

therefore,  present  yourself  to-morrow  morning  at  the   Adjutant-General's 
office,  to  receive  your  appointment  and  instructions. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc., 

"  G.    FiTZROY." 

Crushing  the  two  letters  in  my  fevered  hand,  I  retired  to 
my  room,  and  threw  myself,  dressed  as  I  was,  upon  my  bed. 
Sleep,  that  seems  to  visit  us  in  the  saddest  as  in  the  happiest 
times  of  our  existence,  came  over  me,  and  I  did  not  wake  until 
the  bugles  of  the  Ninety-fifth  were  sounding  the  reveil  through 
the  park,  and  the  bright  beams  of  the  morning  sun  were  peer- 
ing through  the  window. 


CHAPTER   CXVII. 

AN  OLD  ACQUAINTANCE. 

"  Mr.  O'Malley,"  said  a  voice,  as  my  door  opened,  and  an 
officer  in  undress  entered.  "  Mr.  O'Malley,  I  believe  you 
received  your  appointment  last  night  on  General  Picton's 
staff  ? " 

I  bowed  in  reply,  as  he  resumed  : — 

"  .Sir  Thomas  desires  you  will  proceed  to  Courtrai  with  these 
despatches  in  all  haste.  I  don't  know  if  you  are  well  mounted, 
but  I  recommend  you,  in  any  case,  not  to  spare  your  cattle." 

So  saying,  he  wished  me  a  good-morning,  and  left  me,  in  a 
state  of  no  small  doubt  and  difficulty,  to  my  own  reflections. 
What  the  deuce  was  I  to  do  ?  I  had  no  horse ;  I  knew  not 
where  to  find  one.  What  uniform  should  I  wear  ?  For, 
although  appointed  on  the  staff,  I  was  not  gazetted  to  any 
regiment  that  I  knew  of,  and  hitherto  had  been  wearing  an 
undress  frock  and  a  foraging  cap ;  for  I  could  not  bring  myself 
to  appear  as  a  civilian  among  so  many  military  acquaintances. 
No  time  was,  however,  to  be  lost ;  so  I  proceeded  to  put  on 
my  old   Fourteenth  uniform,  wondering  whether  my  costume 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  925 

might  not  cost  me  a  reprimand  in  the  very  outset  of  my 
career.  Meanwhile  I  despatched  Mike  to  see  after  a  horse, 
caring  Uttle  for  the  time,  the  merits,  or  the  price  of  the  animal, 
provided  he  served  my  present  purpose. 

In  less  than  twenty  minutes  my  worthy  follower  appeared 
beneath  my  window,  surrounded  by  a  considerable  mob,  who 
seemed  to  take  no  small  interest  in  the  proceedings. 

"  What  the  deuce  is  the  matter  ?  "  cried  I,  as  I  opened  the 
sash,  and  looked  out. 

"  Mighty  little's  the  matter,  your  honor  ;  it's  the  savages, 
here,  that's  admiring  my  horsemanship,"  said  Mike,  as  he  be- 
labored a  tall,  scraggy-looking  mule  with  a  stick  which  bore 
an  uncommon  resemblance  to  a  broom-handle. 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  with  that  beast  ?  "  said  I.  "  You 
surely  don't  expect  me  to  ride  a  mule  to  Courtrai  ?  " 

"  Faith,  and  if  you  don't,  you  are  likely  to  walk  the 
journey  ;  for  there  isn't  a  horse  to  be  had  for  love  or  money  in 
the  town  :  but  I  am  told  that  Mr.  Marsden  is  coming  up  to- 
morrow with  plenty,  so  that  you  may  as  W'ell  take  the  journey 
out  of  the  soft  horns  as  spoil  a  better  ;  and  if  he  only  makes  as 
good  use  of  his  fore  legs  as  he  does  of  the  hind  ones,  he'll 
think  little  of  the  road." 

A  vicious  lash  out  behind  served  in  a  moment  to  corrob- 
orate Mike's  assertion,  and  to  scatter  the  crowd  on  every  side. 

However  indisposed  to  exhibit  myself  with  such  a  turn-out, 
my  time  did  not  admit  of  any  delay  ;  and  so,  arming  myself 
with  my  despatches,  and  having  procured  the  necessary  infor- 
mation as  to  the  road,  I  set  out  from  the  Belle  Vue,  amid  an 
ill-suppressed  titter  of  merriment  from  the  mob,  which  nothing 
Init  fear  of  Mike  and  his  broomstick  prevented  becoming  a 
regular  shout  of  laughter. 

It  was  near  nightfall,  as,  tired  and  weary  of  tlie  road,  I 
Ltitered  the  little  village  of  Halle.  All  was  silent  and  noise- 
less in  the  deserted  streets  ;  not  a  lamp  threw  its  glare  upon 
the  pavement,  nor  even  a  solitary  candle  flickered  through  the 


926  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

casement.  Unlike  a  town  garrisoned  by  troops,  neither  sentry 
nor  outpost  was  to  be  met  with ;  nothing  gave  evidence  that 
the  place  was  held  by  a  large  body  of  men  ;  and  I  could  not 
help  feeling  struck,  as  the  footsteps  of  my  mule  were  echoed 
along  the  causeway,  with  the  silence  almost  of  desolation 
around  me.  By  the  creaking  of  a  sign,  as  it  swung  mournfully 
to  and  fro,  I  was  directed  to  the  door  of  the  village  inn,  w^here, 
dismounting,  I  knocked  for  some  moments,  but  without  success. 
At  length,  when  I  had  made  an  uproar  sufficient  to  alarm  the 
entire  village,  the  casement  above  the  door  slowly  opened,  and 
a  head  enveloped  in  a  huge  cotton  nightcap — so,  at  least,  it  ap- 
peared to  me  from  the  size — protruded  itself.  After  mutter- 
ing a  curse  in  about  the  most  barbarous  French  I  ever  heard, 
he  asked  me  what  I  wanted  there ;  to  which  I  replied,  most 
nationally,  by  asking,  in  return,  where  the  British  dragoons 
were  quartered.? 

"  They  have  left  for  Nivelle,  this  morning,  to  join  some  reg- 
iments of  your  own  country." 

"  Ah  !  ah  !  "  thought  I,  "  he  mistakes  me  for  a  Brunswicker  ;  " 
to  which,  by  the  uncertain  light,  my  uniform  gave  me  some 
resemblance.  As  it  was  now  impossible  for  me  to  proceed 
further,  I  begged  to  ask  where  I  could  procure  accommodation 
for  the  night. 

"  At  the  Burgomaster's.  Turn  to  your  left  at  the  end  of 
this  street,  and  you  will  soon  find  it.  They  have  got  some 
English  officers  there,  who,  I  believe  in  my  soul,  never  sleep." 

This  was,  at  least,  pleasant  intelligence,  and  promised  a 
better  termination  to  my  journey  than  I  had  begun  to  hope 
for;  so,  wishing  my  friend  a  good-night,  to  which  he  willingly 
responded,  I  resumed  my  way  down  the  street.  As  he  closed 
the  window,  once  more  leaving  me  to  my  own  reflections,  I 
began  to  wonder  within  myself  to  what  arm  of  the  service  be- 
longed these  officers  to  whose  convivial  gifts  he  bore  testimony. 
As  I  turned  the  corner  of  the  street,  I  soon  discovered  the 
correctness    of    his    information.     A    broad    glare    of    light 


THE  IRISH  DRAGO  ON.  927 

Stretched  across  the  entire  pavement  from  a  large  house  with 
a  clumsy  stone  portico  before  it.  On  coming  nearer,  the 
sound  of  voices,  the  roar  of  laughter,  the  shouts  of  merriment 
that  issued  forth,  plainly  bespoke  that  a  jovial  party  were 
seated  within.  The  half-shutter  which  closed  the  lower  part 
of  the  windows  prevented  my  obtaining  a  view  of  the  pro- 
ceedings ;  but,  having  cautiously  approached  the  casement, 
I  managed  to  creep  on  the  window-sill,  and  look  into  the  room. 

There  the  scene  was  certainly  a  curious  one.  Around  a 
large  table  sat  a  party  of  some  twenty  persons,  the  singularity 
of  whose  appearance  may  be  conjectured,  when  I  mention  that 
all  those  who  appeared  to  be  British  officers  were  dressed  in 
the  robes  of  the  echevins  (or  aldermen)  of  the  village  ;  while 
some  others,  whose  looks  bespoke  them  as  sturdy  Flemings, 
sported  the  cocked  hats  and  cavalry  helmets  of  their  as- 
sociates. He  who  appeared  the  ruler  of  the  feast  sat  with  his 
back  towards  me,  and  wore,  in  addition  to  the  dress  of  bur- 
gomaster, a  herald's  tabard,  which  gave  him  something  the 
air  of  a  grotesque  screen  at  its  potations.  A  huge  fire  blazed 
upon  the  ample  hearth,  before  which  were  spread  several  staff 
uniforms,  whose  drabbled  and  soaked  appearance  denoted  the 
reason  of  the  party's  cliange  of  habiliments.  Every  imagin- 
able species  of  drinking-vessel  figured  upon  the  board,  from 
the  rich  flagon  of  chased  silver  to  the  humble  cruchewo.  see  in 
a  Teniers  picture.  As  well  as  I  could  hear,  the  language  of 
tlie  company  seemed  to  be  French,  or,  at  least,  such  an  imita- 
tion of  tluit  language  which  served  as  a  species  of  neutral  ter- 
ritory for  both  parties  to  meet  in. 

He  of  the  tabard  spoke  louder  than  the  others,  and  although, 
from  the  execrable  endeavors  he  made  to  express  himself  in 
French,  his  natural  voice  was  much  altered,  there  was  yet 
something  in  his  accents  which  seemed  perfectly  familiar  to  me. 

''  Mfls/tecr  f  Abbey"  said  he,  placing  his  arm  familiarly  on 
the  siioulder  of  a  portly  personage,  whose  shaven  crown 
strangely  contrasted   with    a   pair   of    corked  moustachios — 


g2S  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

"  Moshccr  r Abbey,  nous  sommes  frcres,  ct  7/ioi,  savez-7>ous,  s?iis 
iveqiie, — 'pon  my  life  it's  true ;  I  might  have  been  Bishop  of 
Saragossa,  if  I  only  consented  to  leave  the  Twenty-third. 
/esuis  bong  Catholiquc.  Lord  bless  you,  if  you  saw  how  I  loved 
the  nunneries  in  Spain  !  Tai  tres  jolly  souvenirs  of  those  nun- 
neries; a  goodly  company  of  little  silver  saints;  and  this 
waistcoat  you  see — mong  gilet — was  a  satin  petticoat  of  our 
Lady  of  Loretto." 

Need  I  say,  that  before  this  speech  was  concluded,  I  had  rec- 
ognized in  the  speaker  nobody  but  that  inveterate  old  villain, 
Monsoon  himself. 

^^  Permettez,  voire  Excellence,'"  sz\d  ^  hale,  jolly-looking  per- 
sonage on  his  left,  as  he  filled  the  Major's  goblet  with  obsequi- 
ous politeness. 

"  Bo?ig  engfong,^'  replied  Monsoon,  tapping  him  familiarly  on 
the  head.  "  Burgomaster,  you  are  a  trump ;  and  when  I  get 
my  promotion,  I'll  make  you  prefect  in  a  wine  district.  Pass 
the  lush,  and  don't  look  sleepy  !  '  Drowsiness,'  says  Solomon, 
'  clothes  a  man  in  rags ; '  and  no  man  knew  the  world  better 
than  Solomon.  Don't  you  be  laughing,  you  raw  boys.  Never 
mind  them,  Abbey  ;  Us  sont pctits gar^ongs — fags  from  Eton  and 
Harrow ;  better  judges  of  mutton  broth  than  sherry  negus." 

"  I  say,  Major,  you  are  forgetting  this  song  you  promised 
us." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  several  voices  together  ;  "  the  song.  Major  ! 
the  song  !  " 

"  Time  enough  for  that ;  we're  doing  very  well  as  it  is.  Upon 
my  life,  though,  they  hold  a  deal  of  wine.  I  thought  we'd 
have  had  them  fit  to  bargain  with  before  ten  ;  and  see,  it's 
near  midnight ;  and  I  must  have  my  forage  accounts  ready  for 
the  Commissary-General  by  to-morrow  morning." 

This  speech  having  informed  me  the  reason  of  the  Major's 
presence  there,  I  resolved  to  wait  no  longer  a  mere  spectator 
of  their  proceedings  ;  so,  dismounting  from  my  position,  I  com- 
menced a  vigorous  attack  upon  the  door. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


929 


It  was  some  time  before  I  was  heard  ;  but  at  length  the  door 
was  opened,  and  I  was  accosted  by  an  Englishman,  who,  in  a 
strange  compound  of  French  and  English,  asked  "what  the 
devil  I  meant  by  all  that  uproar  ?  "  Determining  to  startle  my 
old  friend  the  Major,  I  replied,  that  "  I  was  an  aide-de-camp 
to  General  Picton,  and  had  come  down  on  very  unpleasant 
business."  By  this  time  the  noise  of  the  party  within  had 
completely  subsided,  and,  from  a  few  whispered  sentences,  and 
their  thickened  breathing,  I  perceived  that  they  were  listening. 

"  May  I  ask,  sir,"  continued  I,  "  if  Major  Monsoon  is  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  stammered  out  the  Ensign,  for  such  he  was. 

"  Sorry  for  it,  for  his  sake,"  said  I ;  "  but  my  orders  are 
peremptory.'' 

A  deep  groan  from  within,  and  a  muttered  request  to  pass 
down  the  sherry,  nearly  overcame  my  gravity ;  but  I  re- 
sumed : — 

"  If  you  will  permit  me,  I  will  make  the  affair  as  short  as 
possible.     The  Major,  I  presume,  is  here  ?  " 

So  saying,  I  pushed  forward  into  the  room,  where  now  a 
slight  scuffling  noise  and  murmur  of  voices  had  succeeded 
silence.  Brief  as  was  the  interval  of  our  colloquy,  the  scene 
within  had,  notwithstanding,  undergone  considerable  change, 
'['lie  English  officers,  hastily  throwing  off  their  aldermanic 
robes,  were  busily  arraying  themselves  in  their  uniforms,  while 
Monsoon  himself,  with  a  huge  basin  of  water  before  him,  was 
endeavoring  to  wash  the  cork  from  his  countenance  in  the 
corner  of  his  tabard. 

"Very  hard  U[)on  nic,  all  this;  upon  my  life,  sf)  it  is.  Picton 
is  always  at  me,  just  as  if  we  had  not  been  school-fellows. 
The  service  is  getting  worse  every  day.  R('(:;ar(icz-moi  Curcv, 
ynong  {Z.ZQ.  est  propri'l  Eli?  Tlicrc.  thank  you.  Good  fellow 
the  Curey  is,  but  takes  a  deal  of  fluid.  Oh,  Burgomaster!  I 
fear  it  is  all  up  with  me  !  N'o  more  fun,  no  more  jollification, 
no  more  plunder — and  how  I  did  do  it  !  Nothing  like  watching 
pne's  little  chances  I     '  The  poor  is  hated  fven  by  his  neigh- 

59 


g-^o  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

bor.'  Old,  Curey,  it  is  Solomon  says  that,  and  they  must  have 
had  a  heavy  poor-rate  in  his  day  to  make  him  say  so.  Another 
glass  of  sherry  !  " 

By  this  time  I  approached  the  back  of  the  chair,  and,  slap- 
ping him  heartily  on  the  shoulder,  called  out, — 

"  Major  !  old  boy,  how  goes  it  ?  " 

<■<■  Eh  ? — what  ? — how  ! — who  is  this  ?  It  can't  be — egad, 
sure  it  is,  though.  Charley  !  Charley  O'Malley,  you  scape- 
grace, where  have  you  been  ?     When  did  you  join  ?  " 

"  A  week  ago,  Major.  I  could  resist  it  no  longer.  I  did 
my  best  to  be  a  country  gentleman,  and  behave  respectably, 
but  the  old  temptation  was  too  strong  for  me.  Fred  Power  and 
yourself.  Major,  had  ruined  my  education  ;  and  here  I  am 
once  more  amongst  you." 

"  And  so  Picton,  and  the  arrest,  and  all  that,  was  nothing 
but  a  joke  ? "  said  the  old  fellow,  rolling  his  wicked  eyes  with 
a  most  cunning  expression. 

"  Nothing  more.  Major,  set  your  heart  at  rest." 

"  What  a  scamp  you  are,"  said  he,  with  another  grin,  "// 
est  t7ionfils—il  estmonfih,  Curey"  presenting  me,  as  he  spoke, 
while  the  Burgomaster,  in  whose  eyes  the  Major  seemed  no  in- 
considerable personage,  saluted  me  with  profound  respect. 

Turning  at  once  towards  this  functionary,  I  explained  that  I 
was  the  bearer  of  important  despatches,  and  that  my  horse— I 
was  ashamed  to  say  my  mule— having  fallen  lame,  I  was  un- 
able to  proceed. 

"  Can  you  procure  me  a  remount,  Monsieur  ?  "  said  I,  "  for 
I  must  hasten  on  to  Courtrai." 

"  In  half-an-hour  you  shall  be  provided,  as  well  as  with  a 
mounted  guide  for  the  road.  Lejiis  de  son  Excellence,'''  said  he, 
with  emphasis,  bowing  to  the  Major  as  he  spoke  ;  who,  in  his 
turn,  repaid  the  courtesy  w-ith  a  still  lower  obeisance. 

"  Sit  down,  Charley ;  here  is  a  clean  glass.  I  am  delighted 
to  see  you,  my  boy  !  They  tell  me  you  have  got  a  capital 
estate,  and  plenty  of  ready.     Lord  !    we  so  wanted  you,  as 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  931 

there's  scarcely  a  fellow  with  sixpence  among  us.  Give  me 
the  lad  that  can  do  a  bit  of  paper  at  three  months,  and  always 
be  ready  for  a  renewal !  You  haven't  got  a  twenty  pound 
note  ?  "  This  was  said  soito  voce.  "  Never  mind,  ten  will  do  ; 
you  will  give  me  the  remainder  at  Brussels.  Strange,  is  it  not, 
I  have  not  seen  a  bit  of  clean  bank  paper  like  this  for  above 
a  twelvemonth  !  "  This  was  said  as  he  thrust  his  hand  into  his 
pocket,  with  one  of  those  peculiar  leers  upon  his  countenance 
which,  unfortunately,  betrayed  more  satisfaction  at  his  success 
than  gratitude  for  the  service.  "  You  are  looking  fat — too  fat, 
I  think,"  said  he,  scrutinizing  me  from  head  to  foot ;  "  but  the 
life  we  are  leading  just  now  will  soon  take  that  off.  The  slave- 
trade  is  luxurious  indolence  compared  to  it.  Post  haste  to 
Nivelle  one  day;  down  to  Ghent  the  next;  forty  miles  over  a 
paved  road  in  a  hand-gallop,  and  an  aide-de-camp  with  a  watch 
in  his  hand  at  the  end  of  it,  to  report  if  you  are  ten  minutes 
too  late.  And  there  is  Wellington  has  his  eye  everywhere ; 
there  is  not  a  truss  of  hay  served  to  the  cavalry,  nor  a  pair  of 
shoes  half-soled  in  the  regiment,  that  he  don't  know  of  it.  I've 
got  it  over  the  knuckles  already." 

"  How  so,  Major  ? — how  was  that .''  " 

"  Why,  he  ordered  me  to  picket  two  squadrons  of  the  seventh, 
and  a  supper  was  waiting.  I  didn't  like  to  leave  my  quarters, 
so  I  took  up  my  telescope,  and  pitched  upon  a  sweet  little  spot 
of  ground  on  a  hill  ;  rather  difficult  to  get  up,  to  be  sure,  but 
a  beautiful  view  when  you're  on  it.  '  There  is  your  ground, 
Captain,'  said  I,  as  I  sent  one  of  my  people  to  mark  the  spot. 
He  did  not  like  it  much  ;  however,  he  was  obliged  to  go.  And, 
would  you  believe  it  i" — so  much  for  bad  luck  ! — there  turned 
out  to  be  no  water  within  two  miles  of  it — not  a  drop,  ('barley  ; 
and  so,  about  eleven  at  niglit,  tiic  two  squadrons  moved  down 
into  Grammont  to  wet  their  lips,  and,  what  is  worse,  to  report 
me  to  the  commanding  officer.  And,  only  think  !  they  put  me 
under  arrest  l^ccause  Providence  did  not  make  a  river  run  up 
a  mountain  1  " 


P32  CHARLES  O'MALLEY. 

Just  as  the  Major  finished  speaking,  the  distant  clatter  of 
horses'  feet  and  the  clank  of  cavalry  was  heard  approaching. 
We  all  rushed  eagerly  to  the  door ;  and  scarcely  had  we  done 
so,  when  a  squadron  of  dragoons  came  riding  up  the  street  at 
a  fast  trot. 

"  I  say,  good  people,"  cried  the  officer,  in  French,  "  where 
does  the  Burgomaster  live  here  ?  " 

"  Fred  Power,  'pon  my  life  ! "  shouted  the  Major. 
"  Eh,  Monsoon  !  that  you  ?     Give  me  a  tumbler  of  wine,  old 
boy  ;  you  are  sure  to  have  some,  and  I  am  desperately  blown." 
"  Get  down,  Fred,  get  down  ;  we  have  an  old  friend  here." 
"Who  the  deuce  d'ye  mean  ?  "  said  he,  as,  throwing  himself 
from  the  saddle,  he  strode  into  the  room.    "  Charley  O'Malley  ! 
by  all  that's  glorious  !  " 

"  Fred,  my  gallant  fellow  !  "  said  I. 

"  It  was  but  this  morning,  Charley,  that  I  so  wished  for  you 
here.  The  French  are  advancing,  my  lad  :  they  have  crossed 
the  frontier ;  Zeithen's  corps  have  been  attacked,  and  driven 
in ;  Blucher  is  falling  back  upon  Ligny  ;  and  the  campaign  is 
opened.  But  I  must  press  forward  :  the  regiment  is  close  be- 
hind me,  and  we  are  ordered  to  push  for  Brussels  in  all  haste." 
"  Then  these  despatches,"  said  I,  showing  my  packet,  "  'tis 
unnecessary  to  proceed  with  ?  " 

"  Quite  so.  Get  into  the  saddle,  and  come  back  with  us." 
The  Burgomaster  had  kept  his  word  with  me  ;  so,  mounted 
upon  a  strong  hackney,  I  set  out  with  Power  on  the  road  to 
Brussels.  I  have  had  occasion  more  than  once  to  ask  pardon 
of  my  reader  for  the  prolixity  of  my  narrative,  so  I  shall  not 
trespass  on  him  here  by  the  detail  of  our  conversation  as  we 
jogged  along.  Of  me  and  my  adventures  he  already  knows 
enough — perhaps  too  much.  My  friend  Power's  career,  abound- 
ing as  it  did  in  striking  incidents,  and  all  the  light  and  shadow 
of  a  soldier's  life,  yet  not  bearing  upon  any  of  the  characters  I 
have  presented  to  your  acquaintance,  e?ccept  in  one  instance, 
(;f  that  only  shall  I  speak, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  933 

"  And  the  Senhora,  Fred,  how  goes  your  fortune  in  that 
quarter  ? " 

"  Gloriously,  Charley !  I  am  every  day  expecting  the  pro- 
motion in  my  regiment  which  is  to  make  her  mine." 

"  You  have  heard  from  her  lately,  then  ?  " 

"  Heard  from  her !     Why,  man,  she  is  in  Brussels." 

"  In  Brussels  ? " 

"  To  be  sure.  Don  Emanuel  is  in  high  favor  with  the  Duke, 
and  is  now  Commissary-General  with  the  army  ;  and  the  Senhora 
is  the  belle  of  the  Rue  Royale,  or,  at  least,  it's  a  divided  sover- 
eignty between  her  and  Lucy  Dashwood.  And  now,  Charley, 
let  me  ask,  what  of  her  ?  There— there,  don't  blush,  man  ; 
there  is  quite  enough  moonlight  to  show  how  tender  you  are 
in  that  quarter." 

"  Once  for  all,  Fred,  pray  spare  me  on  that  subject.  You 
have  been  far  too  fortunate  in  your  affaire  de  cxur,  and  I  too 
much  the  reverse,  to  permit  much  sympathy  between  us." 

"  Do  you  not  visit,  then  ?  or  is  it  a  cut  between  you  ? " 

"  I  have  never  met  her  since  the  night  of  the  masquerade  of 
the  Villa — at  least,  to  speak  to " 

"  Well,  I  must  confess,  you  seem  to  manage  your  own  affairs 
much  worse  than  your  friends' ;  not  but  that  in  so  doing  you 
are  exhibiting  a  very  Irish  feature  of  your  character.  In  any 
case,  you  will  come  to  the  ball  ?  Inez  will  be  delighted  to  see 
you ;  and  I  have  got  over  all  my  jealousy." 

"  What  ball  ?     I  never  heard  of  it." 

"  Never  heard  of  it !  Why,  the  Duchess  of  Richmond's,  of 
course.  Pooh,  pooh  !  man  ;  not  invited  ? — of  course  you  are 
invited  ;  the  staff  are  never  left  out  on  such  occasions.  You 
will  find  your  card  at  your  hotel  on  your  return." 

"In  any  case,  Fred " 

"  I  shall  insist  upon  your  going.  I  have  no  arri}re  pcnsec 
about  a  reconciliation  with  tiie  Dashwoods ;  no  subtle  scheme, 
on  my  honor  ;  but  simply  I  feel  that  you  will  never  give  your- 
self fair  chances  in  the  world,  by  indulging  your  habit  of  shrink- 


934  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

ing  from  every  embarrassment.  Don't  be  offended,  boy  ;  1 
know  you  have  pluck  enough  to  storm  a  battery  ;  I  have  seen 
you  under  fire  before  now.  What  avails  your  courage  in  the 
field  if  you  have  not  presence  of  mind  in  the  drawing-room  ? 
Besides,  everything  else  out  of  the  question,  it  is  a  breach  of 
etiquette  towards  your  chief  to  decline  such  an  invitation." 

"  You  think  so  ?  " 

"  Think  so  ? — no  ;  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  Then,  as  to  uniform,  Fred  ?  " 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,  easily  managed.  And,  now  I  think  of  it, 
they  have  sent  me  an  unattached  uniform,  which  you  can  have  ; 
but  remember,  my  boy,  if  I  put  you  in  my  coat,  I  don't  want 
you  to  stand  in  my  shoes.  Don't  forget  also  that  I  am  your 
debtor  in  horseflesh,  and  fortunately  able  to  repay  you.  I  have 
got  such  a  charger ;  your  own  favorite  color,  dark  chestnut, 
and  except  one  white  leg,  not  a  spot  about  him  ;  can  carry 
sixteen  stone  over  a  five  foot  fence,  and  as  steady  as  a  rock 
under  fire." 

"  But,  Fred,  how  are  you ? " 

"  Oh,  never  mind  me ;  I  have  six  in  my  stable,  and  intend  to 
share  with  you.  The  fact  is,  I  have  been  transferred  from  one 
staff  to  another  for  the  last  six  months,  and  four  of  my  number 
are  presents.  Is  Mike  with  you  ?  Ah  !  glad  to  hear  it ;  you 
will  never  get  on  without  that  fellow.  Besides,  it  is  a  capital 
thing  to  have  such  a  connecting  link  with  one's  nationality. 
No  fear  of  your  ever  forgetting  Ireland  with  Mr.  Free  in  your 
company.  You  are  not  aware  that  we  have  been  correspond- 
ents ? — a  fact,  I  assure  you.  Mike  wrote  me  two  letters ;  and  such 
letters  they  were  !  The  last  was  a  Jeremiad  over  your  decline  and 
fall,  with  a  very  ominous  picture  of  a  certain  Miss  Baby  Blake." 

"  Confound  the  rascal  !  " 

"By  Jove,  though,  Charley,  you  were  coming  it  rather  strong 
with  Baby.  Inez  saw  the  letter,  and,  as  well  as  she  could 
decipher  Mike's  hieroglyphics,  saw  there  was  something  in  it; 
but  the  name  Baby  puzzled  her  immensely,  and  she  set  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  935 

whole  thing  down  to  your  great  love  of  children.  I  don't  think 
that  Lucy  quite  agreed  with  her." 

"  Did  she  tell  it  to  Miss  Dashwood  ? "  I  inquired,  with  fear 
and  trembling. 

"  Oh,  that  she  did  ;  in  fact,  Inez  never  ceases  talking  of  you 
to  Lucy.  But  come,  lad,  don't  look  so  grave  ;  let's  have  another 
brush  with  the  enemy  ;  capture  a  battery  of  their  guns  ;  carry 
off  a  French  marshal  or  two ;  get  the  Bath  for  your  services, 
and  be  thanked  in  general  orders,  and  I  will  wager  all  my 
chateaux  en  Espagne  that  everything  goes  well." 

Thus  chatting  away,  sometimes  over  the  past,  of  our  former 
friends  and  gay  companions,  of  our  days  of  storm  and  sunshine  ; 
sometimes  indulging  in  prospects  for  the  future,  we  trotted 
along,  and,  as  the  day  was  breaking,  mounted  the  ridge  of  low 
hills,  from  whence,  at  the  distance  of  a  couple  of  leagues,  the 
city  of  Brussels  came  into  view. 


CHAPTER  CXVin. 

THE    DUCHESS    OF    RICHMOND'S    BALL. 

Whether  we  regard  the  illustrious  and  distinguished  per- 
sonages who  thronged  around,  or  we  think  of  the  portentous 
moment  in  which  it  was  given,  the  Duchess  of  Richmond's  Ball, 
on  the  night  of  the  15th  of  June,  1815,  was  not  only  one  of  the 
most  memorable,  but,  in  its  interest,  the  most  exciting  enter- 
tainment that  the  memory  of  any  one  now  living  can  compass. 

There  is  always  something  of  no  common  interest  in  seeing 
the  bronzed  and  war-worn  soldier  mixing  in  tlie  crowd  of 
light-hearted  and  brilliant  beauty.  To  watch  the  eye  whose 
proud  glance  has  flashed  o'er  the  mail-clad  squadrons,  now 
ijending  meekly  beneath  the  look  of  some  timid  giil  ;  lo  hear 
the  voice  that,  high  above  the  battle  or  the  breeze,  has  shouted 
the  hoarse  word  '*  Charge  !  "  now  subdued  into  the  low,  soft  mur- 


936  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

mur  of  flattery  or  compliment ;  this,  at  any  rate,  is  a  picture  full  of 
its  own  charm  ;  but  when  we  see  these  heroes  of  a  hundred  fights ; 
when  we  look  upon  these  hardy  veterans,  upon  whose  worn 
brow  the  whitened  locks  of  time  are  telling,  indulging  themselves 
in  the  careless  gaiety  of  a  moment,  snatched,  as  it  were,  from 
the  arduous  career  of  their  existence,  while  the  tramp  of  the 
advancing  enemy  shakes  the  very  soil  they  stand  on,  and  where 
it  maybe  doubted  whether  each  aide-de-camp  who  enters  comes 
a  new  votary  of  pleasure  or  the  bearer  of  tidings  that  the  troops 
of  the  foe  are  advancing,  and  already  the  work  of  death  has 
begun ;  this  is,  indeed,  a  scene  to  make  the  heart  throb,  and 
the  pulse  beat  high  ;  this  is  a  moment,  second  in  its  proud 
excitement  only  to  the  very  crash  and  din  of  battle  itself ;  and 
into  this  entrancing  whirlwind  of  passion  and  of  pleasure,  of 
brilliant  beauty  and  ennobled  greatness,  of  all  that  is  lovely  in 
woman  and  all  that  is  chivalrous  and  heroic  in  man,  I  brought 
a  heart  which,  young  in  years,  was  yet  tempered  by  disappoint- 
ment; still,  such  was  the  fascination,  such  the  brilliancy  of  the 
spectacle,  that  scarcely  had  I  entered,  than  I  felt  a  change 
come  over  me — the  old  spirit  of  my  boyish  ardor — that  high- 
wrought  enthusiasm  to  do  something — to  be  something  which 
men  may  speak  of — shot  suddenly  through  me,  and  I  felt  my 
cheek  tingle,  and  my  temples  throb,  as  name  after  name  of 
starred  and  titled  officers  were  announced,  to  think  that  to  me, 
also,  the  path  of  glorious  enterprise  was  opening. 

"  Come  along,  come  along,"  said  Power,  catching  me  by  the 
arm,  "  you've  not  been  presented  to  the  Duchess ;  I  know  her, 
I'll  do  it  for  you — or  perhaps  it  is  better  Sir  Thomas  Picton 
should  ;  in  any  case,  ^Jilez'  after  me,  for  the  dark-eyed  Senhora 
is  surely  expecting  us.  There,  do  you  see  that  dark,  intelligent- 
looking  fellow  leaning  over  the  end  of  the  sofa  ?  that  is  Alava  ; 
and  there,  you  know  who  that  is,  that  bean  ideal  of  a  hussar .'' 
Look  how  jauntily  he  carries  himself  ;  see  the  careless  but  grace- 
ful sling  with  which  he  edges  through  the  crowd  ;  and  look  ! — 
mark  his  bow  ! — did  you  see  that,  Charley? — did  you  catch  the 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  937 

quick  glance  he  shot  yonder,  and  the  soft  smile  that  showed 
his  white  teeth  ?  Depend  upon  it,  boy,  some  fair  heart  is  not 
the  better  nor  the  easier  for  that  look." 

"Who  is  it?"  said  I. 

"  Lord  Uxbridge,  to  be  sure ;  the  handsomest  fellow  in  the 
service  :  and  there  goes  Vandeleur,  talking  with  Vivian ;  the 
other,  to  the  left,  is  Ponsonby." 

"  But  stay,  Fred,  tell  me  who  that  is  ?  "  For  a  moment  or 
two,  I  had  some  difficulty  in  directing  his  attention  to  the 
quarter  I  desired.  The  individual  I  pointed  out  was  somewhat 
above  the  middle  size  ;  his  uniform  of  blue  and  gold,  though 
singularly  plain,  had  a  look  of  richness  about  it;  besides  that, 
among  the  orders  which  covered  his  breast,  he  wore  one  star 
of  great  brilliancy  and  size.  This,  however,  was  his  least  dis- 
tinction ;  for  although  surrounded  on  every  side  by  those  who 
might  be  deemed  the  very  types  and  pictures  of  their  caste, 
there  was  something  in  the  easy  but  upright  carriage  of  his 
head,  the  intrepid  character  of  his  features,  the  bold  and 
vigorous  flashing  of  his  deep  blue  eye,  that  marked  him  as  no 
common  man.  He  was  talking  with  an  old  and  prosy-looking 
personage,  in  civilian  dress ;  and  while  I  could  detect  an 
anxiety  to  get  free  from  a  tiresome  companion,  there  was  an 
air  of  deferential,  and  even  kind  attention  in  his  manner, 
absolutely  captivating. 

"  A  thorough  gentleman,  Fred,  whoever  he  be,"  said  I. 

"  1  should  think  so,"  replied  Power,  dryly  ;  "  and  as  our 
countrymen  would  say,  'The  devil  thank  liim  for  it!'  Tiiat  is 
the  Prince  of  Orange;  but  see,  look  at  him  now,  liis  features 
iiave  learned  another  fashion."  And  true  it  was;  with  a  smile 
of  the  most  winning  softness,  and  with  a  voice,  whose  slightly 
foreign  accent  took  nothing  from  its  interest,  I  heard  him  en- 
gaging a  partner  for  a  waltz. 

'Inhere  was  a  flutter  of  excitement  in  the  circle  as  the  lady 
rose  to  take  his  arm,  and  a  muttered  sound  of,  "  How  very 
beautiful,  quelle  est  belle  ;  c'est  un  an^ef"  on  all  sides,     I  leaned 


938  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY. 

forward  to  catch  a  glance  as  she  passed — it  was  Lucy  Dash- 
wood.  Beautiful  beyond  anything  I  had  ever  seen  her,  her 
lovely  features  lit  up  with  pleasure  and  with  pride,  she  looked 
in  every  way  worthy  to  lean  upon  the  arm  of  royalty.  The 
graceful  majesty  of  her  walk,  the  placid  loveliness  of  her  gentle 
smile,  struck  every  one  as  she  passed  on.  As  for  me,  totally 
forgetting  all  else,  not  seeing  or  hearing  aught  around  me,  I 
followed  her  with  my  eye  until  she  was  lost  among  the  crowd, 
and  then,  with  an  impulse  of  which  I  was  not  master,  followed 
in  her  steps. 

"  This  way,  this  way,"  said  Power  ;  *'  I  see  the  Senhora." 
So  saying,  we  entered  a  little  boudoir,  where  a  party  was  play- 
ing at  cards.  Leaning  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  Inez  was  en- 
deavoring, with  that  mixture  of  coquetry  and  half  malice  she 
possessed,  to  distract  the  attention  of  the  player.  As  Power 
came  near,  she  scarcely  turned  her  head  to  give  him  a  kind  of 
saucy  smile ;  while,  seeing  me,  she  held  out  her  hand  with 
friendly  warmth  and  seemed  quite  happy  to  meet  me. 

"  Do,  pray,  take  her  away  :  get  her  to  dance,  to  eat  ice,  or 
flirt  with  you,  for  Heaven's  sake  !  "  said  the  half-laughing  voice 
of  her  victim.  "  I  have  revoked  twice,  and  misdealt  four  times, 
since  she  has  been  here.  Believe  me,  I  shall  take  it  as  the 
greatest  favor,  if  you'll " 

As  he  got  thus  far  he  turned  round  towards  me,  and  I  per- 
ceived it  was  Sir  George  Dashwood.  The  meeting  was  as 
awkward  for  him  as  for  me  ;  and,  while  a  deep  flush  covered- 
my  face,  he  muttered  some  unintelligible  apology,  and  Inez 
burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter  at  the  ludicrous  contrete7nps  of  our 
situation. 

"  I  will  dance  with  you  now,  if  you  like,"  said  she,  "  and 
that  will  be  punishing  all  three.     Eh,  Master  Fred  ?  " 

So  saying,  she  took  my  arm  as  I  led  her  towards  the  ball- 
room. 

"  And  so  you  really  are  not  friends  with  the  Dashwoods  ? 
How    very    provoking,  and    how    foolish,   too !     But,  really, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  939 

chevalier,  I  must  say  you  treat  ladies  very  ill.  I  don't  forget 
your  conduct  to  me.  Dear  me,  I  wish  we  could  move  forward, 
there  is  some  one  pushing  me  dreadfully !  " 

"  Get  on.  Ma'am,  get  on  !  "  said  a  sharp,  decided  voice,  be- 
hind me.  I  turned,  half  smiling,  to  see  the  speaker.  It  was 
the  Duke  of  Wellington  himself,  who,  with  his  eye  fixed  upon 
some  person  at  a  distance,  seemed  to  care  very  little  for  any 
intervening  obstruction.  As  I  made  way  for  him  to  pass  be- 
tween us,  he  looked  hardly  at  me,  while  he  said,  in  a  short, 
quick  way, — 

"Know  your  face  very  well:  how  d'ye  do?"  With  this 
brief  recognition  he  passed  on,  leaving  me  to  console  Inez  for 
her  crushed  sleeve,  by  informing  her  who  had  done  it. 

The  ball  was  now  at  its  height.  The  waltzers  whirled  past  in 
the  wild  excitement  of  the  dance.  The  inspiriting  strains  of  the 
music,  the  sounds  of  laughter,  the  din,  the  tumult,  all  made  up 
that  strange  medley  which,  reacting  upon  the  minds  of  those 
who  cause  it,  increases  the  feeling  of  pleasurable  abandonment, 
making  the  old  feel  young,  and  the  young  intoxicated  with 
delight. 

As  the  Senhora  leaned  upon  me,  fatigued  with  waltzing,  I 
was  endeavoring  to  sustain  a  conversation  with  her;  while  my 
thoughts  were  wandering  with  my  eyes  to  where  I  had  last  seen 
Lucy  Dashwood. 

"It  must  be  something  of  importance  ;  I'm  sure  it  is,"  said 
she,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  speech  of  which  I  had  not  heard 
one  word.     "  Look  at  General  Picton's  face  !  " 

"  Very  pretty,  indeed,"  said  I  ;  "  but  the  hair  is  unbecom- 
ing," replying  to  some  previous  observation  she  had  made,  and 
still  lost  in  a  reverie.  A  hearty  burst  of  laughter  was  her 
answer,  as  she  gently  shook  my  arm,  saying,— 

"  You  really  are  too  bad  !  You  never  listened  to  one  word 
I've  been  telling  you,  but  keep  continually  staring  with  your 
eyes  here  and  there,  turning  this  way,  and  looking  that  ;  and 
the  dull  and  vacant  unmeaning  smile  ;  answering  at  random,  in 


940 


CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 


the  most  provoking  manner.  There,  now,  pray  pay  attention, 
and  tell  me  what  that  means."  As  she  said  this,  she  pointed 
with  her  fan  to  wliere  a  dragoon  officer,  in  splashed  and 
spattered  uniform,  was  standing,  talking  to  some  three  or  four 
general  officers.  "  But  here  conies  the  Duke  ;  it  can't  be  any- 
thing of  consequence." 

At  the  same  instant  the  Duke  of  Wellington  passed  with  the 
Duchess  of  Richmond  on  his  arm. 

*'  No,  Duchess  ;  nothing  to  alarm  you.     Did  you  say  ice  ?  " 

"  There  you  heard  that,  I  hope  ?  "  said  Inez  ;  "  there  is  noth- 
ing to  alarm  us." 

"  Go  to  General  Picton  at  once  ;  but  don't  let  it  be  remarked," 
said  an  officer,  in  a  whisper,  as  he  passed  close  by  me. 

"  Inez,  I  have  the  greatest  curiosity  to  learn  what  that  new 
arrival  has  to  say  for  himself  ;  and,  if  you  will  permit  me,  I'll 
leave  you  with  Lady  Gordon  for  one  moment " 

"  Delighted,  of  all  things.  You  are,  without  exception,  the 
most  tiresome Good-bye." 

"  Sans  adieu,''  said  I,  as  I  hurried  through  the  crowd  towards 
an  open  window,  on  the  balcony  outside  of  which  Sir  Thomas 
Picton  was  standing. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  O'Malley  !  have  you  a  pencil  ?  There,  that'll  do. 
Ride  down  to  Etterbeeck  with  this  order  for  Godwin.  You 
have  heard  the  news,  I  suppose,  that  the  French  are  in  ad- 
vance ?  The  Seventy-ninth  will  muster  in  the  Grande  Place. 
The  Ninety-second  and  the  Twenty-eighth  along  the  Park  and 
the  Boulevard.  Napoleon  left  Fresne  this  morning.  The 
Prussians  have  fallen  back.  Zeithen  has  been  beaten.  We 
march  at  once." 

"  To-morrow,  sir  }  " 

"No,  sir;  to-night.  There!  don't  delay.  But,  above  all, 
let  everything  be  done  quietly  and  noiselessly.  The  Duke  will 
remain  here  for  an  hour  longer,  to  prevent  suspicion.  When 
you've  executed  your  orders,  come  back  here." 

I  mounted  the  first  horse  I  could  find  at  the  door,  and  galloped 


THE  IRJSH  DRAGOON. 


941 


with  top  speed  over  the  heavy  causeway  to  Etterbeeck.  In 
two  minutes  the  drum  beat  to  arms,  and  the  men  were  mustering 
as  I  left.  Thence  I  hastened  to  the  barracks  of  the  Highland 
brigade  and  the  28th  Regiment ;  and,  before  half-an-hour,  was 
back  in  the  ball-room,  where,  from  the  din  and  tumult,  I  guessed 
the  scene  of  pleasure  and  dissipation  continued  unabated.  As 
I  hurried  up  the  staircase,  a  throng  of  persons  were  coming 
down,  and  I  was  obliged  to  step  aside  to  let  them  pass. 

"  Ah  !  come  here,  pray,"  said  Picton,  who,  with  a  lady, 
cloaked  and  hooded,  leaning  upon  his  arm,  was  struggling  to 
make  way  through  the  crowd.     "  The  very  man  !  " 

"  Will  you  excuse  me,  if  I  commit  you  to  the  care  of  my  aide- 
de-camp,  who  will  see  you  to  your  carriage  ?  The  Duke  has  just 
desired  to  see  me."  This  he  said  in  a  hurried  and  excited 
tone  ;  and  the  same  moment  beckoned  to  me  to  take  the  lady's 
arm. 

It  was  with  some  difificulty  I  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
spot,  and  had  only  time  to  ask  whose  carriage  I  should  call  for, 
ere  we  arrived  in  the  hall. 

"  Sir  George  Dash  wood's,"  said  a  low,  soft  voice,  whose  ac- 
cents sank  into  my  very  heart.  Heaven  !  it  was  Lucy  herself ; 
it  was  her  arm  that  leaned  on  mine,  her  locks  that  fluttered 
beside  me,  her  hand  that  hung  so  near,  and  yet  I  could  not 
speak.  I  tried  one  word;  but  a  choking  feeling  in  my  throat 
prevented  utterance,  and  already  we  were  upon  the  door-steps. 

"  Sir  George  Dashwood's  carriage,"  shouted  the  footman, 
and  the  announcement  was  repeated  by  the  porter.  The  steps 
were  hurried  down  ;  the  footman  stood,  door  in  hand  ;  and  I 
led  her  forward,  mute  and  trembling.  Did  she  know  me  .''  I 
assisted  her  as  she  stepped  in  ;  her  hand  touched  mine  :  it  was 
the  work  of  a  second  ;  to  me  it  was  the  bliss  of  years.  She 
leaned  a  little  forward,  and,  as  the  servant  put  up  the  steps, 
said,  in  her  soft,  sweet  tone,  "Thank  you,  sir.     Good-night." 

I  felt  my  shoulder  touched  by  some  one,  who,  it  appeared, 
was  standing  close  to  me  for  some  seconds  ;  but  so  occupied 


942  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

was  I  in  gazing  at  her,  that  I  paid  no  attention  to  the  circum- 
stance. The  carriage  drove  away,  and  disappeared  in  the 
thick  darkness  of  a  starless  night.  I  turned  to  re-enter  the 
house,  and,  as  I  did  so,  the  night  lamp  of  the  hall  fell  upon  the 
features  of  tlie  man  beside  me,  and  showed  me  the  pale  and 
corpse-like  face  of  Fred  Hammersley.  His  eye  was  bent  upon 
me  with  an  expression  of  fierce  and  fiery  passion,  in  whicli  the 
sadness  of  long  suffering  also  mingled.  His  bloodless  lips 
parted,  moved  as  though  speaking,  while  yet  no  sound  issued ; 
and  his  nostril,  dilating  and  contracting  by  turns,  seemed  to 
denote  some  deep  and  hidden  emotion  that  worked  within 
him. 

"  Hammersley,"  said  I,  holding  out  my  hand  towards  him. 
"  Hammersley,  do  not  always  mistake  me." 

He  shook  his  head  mournfully  as  it  fell  forward  upon  his 
breast;  and,  covering  his  arm,  moved  slowly  away  without 
speaking. 

General  Picton's  voice,  as  he  descended  the  stairs,  accom- 
panied by  Generals  Vandeleur  and  Vivian,  aroused  me  at  once, 
and  I  hurried  towards  him. 

"  Now,  sir ;  to  horse.  The  troops  will  defile  by  the  Namur 
gate ;  and  meet  me  there  in  an  hour.  Meanwhile  tell  Colonel 
Cameron  that  he  must  march  with  the  light  companies  of  his 
own  and  the  Ninety-second  at  once." 

"  I  say,  Picton,  they'll  say  we  were  taken  by  surprise  in  Eng- 
land ;  won't  they  .'' "  said  a  sharp,  strong  voice,  in  a  half-laugh- 
ing tone,  from  behind. 

"  No,  your  Grace,"  said  Sir  Thomas,  bowing  slightly ; 
"  they'll  scarcely  do  so,  when  they  hear  the  time  we  took  to  get 
under  arms." 

I  heard  no  more ;  but,  throwing  myself  into  the  saddle  of 
my  troop-horse,  once  more  rode  back  to  the  Belle  Vue,  to 
make  ready  for  the  road. 

The  thin  pale  crescent  of  a  new  moon,  across  which  masses 
of  dark  and  inky  clouds  were  hurrying,  tipped  with  its  faint 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  943 

and  sickly  light  the  tall  minarets  of  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  as  I 
rode  into  the  "  Grande  Place."  Although  midnight,  the  streets 
were  as  crowded  as  at  noonday  ;  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons 
passing  and  hurrying  hither;  the  wild  pibroch  of  the  High- 
lander ;  the  mellow  bugle  of  the  Seventy-first ;  the  hoarse 
trumpet  of  the  cavalry  ;  the  incessant  roll  of  the  drum,  mingled 
their  sounds  with  the  tide  of  human  voices,  in  which  every 
accent  was  heard,  from  the  reckless  cheer  of  anticipated  victory, 
to  the  heart-piercing  shriek  of  woman's  agony.  Lights  gleamed 
from  every  window ;  from  the  doors  of  almost  every  house 
poured  forth  a  crowd  of  soldiers  and  townsfolk.  The  sergeants, 
on  one  side,  might  be  seen  telling  off  their  men,  their  cool  and 
steady  countenances  evidencing  no  semblance  of  emotion ; 
while  near  them,  some  young  ensign,  whose  beardless  cheek 
and  vacant  smile  bespoke  the  mere  boy,  looked  on,  with  min- 
gled pride  and  wonder,  at  the  wild  scene  before  him.  Every 
now  and  then  some  general  officer,  with  his  staff,  came  canter- 
ing past ;  and,  as  the  efforts  to  muster  and  form  the  troops 
grew  more  pressing,  I  could  mark  how  soon  we  were  destined 
to  meet  the  enemy. 

There  are  few  finer  monuments  of  the  architecture  of  the 
middle  ages  than  the  Grande  Place  of  Brussels  ;  the  rich  fac^ade 
of  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  with  its  long  colonnade  of  graceful  arches, 
upon  every  keystone  of  which  some  grim,  grotesque  head  is 
peering.  The  massive  cornices ;  the  heavy  corbels  carved 
into  ten  thousand  strange  and  uncouth  fancies  ;  but,  finer  than 
all,  the  taper  and  stalely  spire,  fretted  and  perforated  like 
some  piece  of  silver  filigree,  stretches  upwards  towards  the 
sky,  its  airy  pinnacle  growing  finer  and  more  beautiful  as  it 
nears  the  stars  it  points  to.  How  full  of  historic  associations 
is  every  dark  embrasure,  every  narrow  casement  around  !  I  lere 
may  have  stood  the  great  Emperor,  Charles  the  Fifth,  medi- 
tating upon  that  greatness  he  was  about  to  forego  forever; 
here,  from  this  tall  window,  may  have  looked  the  sad  and  sickly 
features  of  Jeanne  Laffolle,  as,  with  wandering  eye  and  idiot 


544  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

smile,  she  gazed  upon  the  gorgeous  procession  beneath.  There 
is  not  a  stone  that  has  not  echoed  to  the  tread  of  haughty 
prince  or  bold  baron  ;  yet  never,  in  the  palmiest  days  of  an- 
cient chivalry,  did  those  proud  dwellings  of  the  great  of  old 
look  out  upon  a  braver  and  more  valiant  host  than  now 
thronged  beneath  their  shadow.  It  was  indeed  a  splendid  sight, 
where  the  bright  gleams  of  torch  and  lantern  threw  the  red 
light  around,  to  watch  the  measured  tread  and  steady  tramp 
of  the  Highland  regiments  as  they  defiled  into  the  open  space ; 
each  footstep  as  it  met  the  ground,  seeming,  in  its  proud  and 
firm  tread,  to  move  in  more  than  sympathy  with  the  wild  notes 
of  their  native  mountains  ;  silent  and  still  they  moved  along  ; 
no  voice  spoke  within  their  ranks,  save  that  of  some  command 
to  "  Close  up — take  ground — to  the  right — rear  rank — close 
order."  Except  such  brief  words  as  these,  or  the  low  muttered 
praise  of  some  veteran  general  as  he  rode  down  the  line,  all 
was  orderly  and  steady  as  on  a  parade.  Meanwhile,  from  an 
angle  of  the  square,  the  band  of  an  approaching  regiment  was 
heard  ;  and  to  the  inspiriting  quickness  of  "  The  Young  May 
Moon,"  the  gallant  Twenty-eighth  came  forward,  and  took  up 
their  ground  opposite  to  the  Highlanders. 

The  deep  bell  of  the  Hotel  de  Ville  tolled  one.  The  solemn 
sound  rang  out  and  died  away  in  many  an  echo  ;  leaving  upon 
the  heart  a  sense  of  some  unknown  depression  ;  and  there  was 
something  like  a  knell  in  the  deep  cadence  of  its  bay  ;  and  over 
many  a  cheek  a  rapid  trace  of  gloomy  thought  now  passed ; 
and  true — too  true,  alas  ! — how  many  now  listened  for  the  last 
time  ! 

"  March  !  march  !  "  passed  from  front  to  rear  ;  and,  as  the 
bands  burst  forth  again  in  streams  of  spirit-stirring  harmony, 
the  Seventy-ninth  moved  on  ;  the  Twenty-eighth  followed  ;  and 
as  they  debouched  from  the  "  Place  "  the  Seventy-first  and  the 
Ninety-second  succeeded  them.  Like  wave  after  wave,  the 
tide  of  armed  men  pressed  on,  and  mounted  the  steep  and 
narrow  street  towards  the  upper  town  of  Brussels.     Here  Pack's 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  945 

brigade  was  forming  in  the  Place  Royale ;  and  a  crowd  of  staff 
officers  dictating  orders,  and  writing  hurriedly  on  the  drum- 
heads, were  also  seen.  A  troop  of  dragoons  stood  beside  their 
horses  at  the  door  of  the  Belle  Vue,  and  several  grooms  with 
led  horses  walked  to  and  fro. 

"  Ride  forward,  sir,  to  the  Bois  de  Cambre,"  said  Picton, 
"  and  pivot  the  troops  on  the  road  to  Mont  St.  Jean.  You  will 
then  wait  for  my  coming  up,  or  further  orders." 

This  command,  which  was  given  to  me,  I  hastened  to  obey  ; 
and  with  difficulty  forcing  my  way  through  the  opposing  crowd, 
at  length  reached  the  Namur  gate.  Here  I  found  a  detach- 
ment of  the  Guards,  who  as  yet  had  got  no  orders  to  march, 
and  were  somewhat  surprised  to  learn  the  forward  movement. 
Ten  minutes'  riding  brought  me  to  the  angle  of  the  wood, 
whence  I  wrote  a  few  lines  to  my  host  of  the  Belle  Vue,  desir- 
ing him  to  send  Mike  after  me  with  my  horses  and  my  kit. 
The  night  was  cold,  dark,  and  threatening ;  the  wind  howled 
with  a  low  and  wailing  cry  through  the  dark  pine-trees ;  and 
as  I  stood  alone  and  in  solitude,  I  had  time  to  think  of  the 
eventful  hours  before  me,  and  of  that  field  whicli  ere  long  was 
to  witness  the  triumph  or  tlie  downfall  of  my  country's  arms. 
The  road  which  led  through  the  forest  of  Soignies  caught  an 
additional  gloom  from  the  dark,  dense  woods  around.  The 
faint  moon  only  showed  at  intervals  ;  and  a  louring  sky,  willi- 
out  a  single  star,  stretched  above  us.  It  was  an  awful  and  a 
solemn  thing  to  hear  the  deep  and  thundering  roll  of  that 
mighty  column,  awakening  the  echoes  of  the  silent  forest  as 
they  went.  So  hurried  was  the  movement,  that  we  had  scarcely 
any  artillery,  and  that  of  the  lightest  calibre  ;  but  the  clash 
and  clank  of  the  cavalry,  the  heavy,  monotonous  tramp  of  in- 
fantry were  there  ;  and  as  division  followed  after  division,  staff 
officers  rode  hurriedly  to  and  fro,  pressing  the  eager  troops 
still  on. 

"  Move  up  there.  Ninety-fifth.  Ah  !  Forty-second,  we've 
work  before  us  1  "  said  Picton,  as  he  rode  up  to  the  head  of 
60 


946  CMAkLkS  &M ALLEY, 

his  brigade.  The  air  of  depression  which  usually  sat  upon  his 
careworn  features  now  changed  for  a  light  and  laughing  look, 
while  his  voice  was  softened  and  subdued  into  a  low  and  pleas- 
ing tone.  Although  it  was  midsummer,  the  roads  were  heavy 
and  deep  with  mud.  For  some  weeks  previously  the  weather 
had  been  rainy  ;  and  this,  added  to  the  haste  and  discomfort 
of  the  night  march,  considerably  increased  the  fatigue  of  the 
troops.  Notwithstanding  these  disadvantages,  not  a  murmur 
nor  complaint  was  heard  on  any  side. 

"  I'm  unco  glad  to  get  a  blink  o'  them,  onyhow,"  said  a  tall, 
raw-boned  sergeant,  who  marched  beside  me. 

"  Faith,  and  maybe  you  won't  be  over  pleased  at  the  expres- 
sion of  their  faces,  when  you  see  them,"  said  Mike,  whose 
satisfaction  at  the  prospect  before  him  was  still  as  great  as  that 
of  any  other  amid  the  thousands  there. 

The  day  was  slowly  breaking,  as  a  Prussian  officer,  splashed 
and  covered  with  foam,  came  galloping  up  at  full  speed  past 
us.  While  I  was  yet  conjecturing  what  might  be  the  intelli- 
gence he  brought.  Power  rode  up  to  my  side. 

"  We're  in  for  it,  Charley,"  said  he.  "  The  whole  French 
army  are  in  march ;  and  Blucher's  aide-de-camp,  who  has  arrived, 
gives  the  number  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men.  The 
Prussians  are  drawn  up  between  Saint  Amand  and  Sombref, 
and  the  Nassau  and  Dutch  troops  are  at  Quatre  Bras,  both 
expecting  to  be  attacked." 

"  Quatre  Bras  was  the  original  rallying  spot  for  our  troops, 
was  it  not  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Yes,  yes.  It  is  that  we're  now  marching  upon ;  but  our 
Prussian  friend  seems  to  think  we  shall  arrive  too  late.  Strong 
French  corps  are  already  at  Fresnes,  under  the  command,  it  is 
said,  of  Marshal  Ney." 

The  great  object  of  the  British  Commander-in-Chief  was  to 
arrive  at  Quatre  Bras  in  sufficient  time  to  effect  his  junction 
with  Blucher  before  a  battle  should  be  fought.  To  effect  this 
no  exertion  was  spared  :  efforts  almost  superhuman  were  made ; 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOOX.  947 

for,  however  prepared  for  a  forward  movement,  it  was  impos- 
sible to  have  anticipated  anything  until  the  intentions  of  Napo- 
leon became  clearly  manifest.  While  Nivellcs  and  Charleroi 
were  exposed  to  him  on  one  side,  Namur  lay  open  on  the  other ; 
and  he  could  either  march  upon  Brussels,  by  Mons,  or  Halle, 
or,  as  he  subsequently  attempted,  by  Quatre  Bras  and  Water- 
loo. No  sooner,  however,  were  his  intentions  unmasked,  and 
the  line  of  his  operations  manifested,  than  Lord  Wellington, 
with  an  energy  equal  to  the  mighty  occasion  that  demanded 
it,  poured  down  with  the  whole  force  under  his  command  to 
meet  him. 

The  march  was  a  most  distressing  one  ;  upwards  of  three- 
and-twenty  miles,  with  deep  and  cut-up  roads,  in  hot,  oppres- 
sive weather,  in  a  country  almost  destitute  of  water.  Still  the 
troops  pressed  forward,  and  by  noon  came  within  hearing  of 
the  heavy  cannonade  in  front,  which  indicated  the  situation  of 
the  battle.  From  this  time  aide-de-camp  followed  aide-de-camp 
in  quick  succession,  who,  from  their  scared  looks  and  hurried 
gestures,  seemed  to  bode  but  ill-fortune  to  the  cause  we  cared 
for.  What  the  precise  situation  of  ihe  rival  armies  might  be 
we  knew  not ;  but  we  heard  the  French  were  in  overwhelming 
numbers  ;  that  the  Dutch  troops  had  abandoned  their  position; 
the  Hanoverians  being  driven  back,  the  Duke  of  Brunswick — 
the  brave  sovereign  of  a  gallant  people — fell  charging  at  the 
head  of  his  black  hussars.  From  one  phrase  which  constantly 
met  our  ears,  it  seemed  that  the  Bois  de  Bossu  was  the  key  of 
the  position.  This  had  been  won  and  lost  repeatedly  by  both 
sides  ;  and  as  we  ncarcd  the  battle-field  a  despatch  hurriedly 
announced  to  Picton  the  importance  of  at  once  recovering  this 
contested  point.  The  Ninety-fiflh  were  ordered  up  to  tin?  at- 
tack. Scarcely  was  the  word  given,  when  fatigue,  thirst,  and 
exhaustion  were  forgotten  ;  with  one  cheer  the  gallant  regiment 
formed  into  line,  and  advanced  upon  iIk;  wood.  Meanwhile, 
the  Highland  brigade  moved  tlown  towards  the  right;  the 
Royals  and  the  Twenty-eighth  debouched  upon  the  left  of  the 


94^  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

road  ;  and  in  less  than  half-an-hour  after  our  arrival  our  whole 
force  was  in  action. 

There  is  something  appalling,  to  the  bravest  army,  in  coming 
up  to  battle  at  the  time  that  an  overwhelming  and  conquering 
foe  are  carrying  victory  triumphantly  before  them  :  such  was  our 
position  at  Quatre  Bras.  Bravely  and  gloriously  as  the  forces 
of  the  Prince  of  Orange  fought,  the  day,  however,  was  not  theirs. 
The  Bois  de  Bossu,  which  opened  to  the  enemy  the  road  to 
Brussels,  was  held  by  their  tirailleurs  ;  the  valley  to  the  right  was 
rode  over  by  their  mounted  squadrons,  who  with  lance  and  sabre 
carried  all  before  them  ;  their  dark  columns  pressed  steadily  on  ; 
and  a  death-dealing  artillery  swept  the  allied  ranks  from  flank 
to  flank.  Such  was  the  field  when  the  British  arrived,  and, 
throwing  themselves  into  squares,  opposed  their  unaided  force 
to  the  dreadful  charges  of  the  enemy.  The  batteries  showered 
down  their  storms  of  grape  ;  Milhaud's  heavy  dragoons, 
assisted  by  crowds  of  lancers,  rushed  upon  the  squares,  but 
they  stood  unbroken  and  undaunted,  as  sometimes  upon  three 
sides  of  their  position  the  infuriated  horsemen  of  the  enemy 
came  down.  Once,  and  once  only,  were  the  French  successful ; 
the  42nd,  who  were  stationed  amid  tall  corn-fields,  were  sur- 
rounded with  cavalry  before  they  knew  it.  The  word  was  given 
to  form  square  ;  the  Lancers  were  already  among  them,  and, 
fighting  back  to  back,  the  gallant  Highlanders  met  the  foe. 
Fresh  numbers  poured  down  upon  them,  and  already  half  the 
regiment  was  disabled  and  their  colonel  killed.  These  brave 
fellows  were  rescued  by  the  44th,  who,  throwing  in  a  withering 
volley,  fixed  bayonets  and  charged.  Meanwhile,  the  95th  had 
won  and  lost  the  wood,  which,  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
French  tirailleurs,  threatened  to  turn  the  left  of  our  position. 
It  was  at  this  time  that  a  body  of  cavalry  were  seen  standing  to 
the  left  of  the  Enghien  road,  as  if  in  observation.  An  ofBcer 
sent  forward  to  reconnoitre,  returned  with  the  intelligence  that 
they  were  British  troops,  for  he  had  seen  their  red   uniforms. 

"  I  can't  think  it,  sir,"  said  Picton.     "  It  is  hardly  possible 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  949 

that  any  regiment  from  Enghien  could  have  arrived  already. 
Ride  forward,  O'Malley,  and,  if  they  be  our  fellows,  let  them 
carry  that  height  yonder  ;  there  are  two  guns  there  cutting  the 
92nd  to  pieces." 

I  put  spurs  to  my  horse,  cleared  the  road  at  once,  and  dash- 
ing across  the  open  space  to  the  left  of  the  wood,  rode  on  in 
the  direction  of  the  horsemen.  When  I  came  within  the  dis- 
tance of  three  hundred  yards  I  examined  them  with  my  glass, 
and  could  plainly  detect  the  scarlet  coats  and  bright  helmets." 
"  Ha,"  thought  I,  "  the  ist  Dragoon  Guards,  no  doubt." 
Muttering  to  myself  thus  much,  I  galloped  straight  on  ;  and, 
waving  my  hand  as  I  came  near,  announced  that  I  was  the 
bearer  of  an  order.  Scarcely  had  I  done  so,  when  four  horse- 
men, dashing  spurs  into  their  steeds,  plunged  hastily  out  from 
the  line,  and,  before  I  could  speak,  surrounded  me.  While  the 
foremost  called  out,  as  he  flourished  his  sabre  above  his  head, 
'■'^Rendezvous  !'^  At  the  same  moment  I  was  seized  on  each  side, 
and  led  back  a  captive  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

"  We  guess  your  mistake,  Capitaine,"  said  the  French  officer 
before  whom  I  was  brought.  "  We  are  the  regiment  of  Berg, 
and  our  scarlet  uniform  cost  us  dearly  enough  yesterday." 

This  allusion,  I  afterwards  learnt,  was  in  reference  to  a 
charge  by  a  cuirassier  regiment,  which,  in  mistaking  them  for 
English,  poured  a  volley  into  them,  and  killed  and  wounded 
about  twenty  of  their  number. 


CHAPTER  CXIX. 

QUATRE    BRAS. 

Those  who  have  visited  the  field  of  Quatre  Bras  will  re- 
member that  on  the  left  of  the  high  road,  and  nearly  at  the 
extremity  of  the  Bois  de  Bossu,  stands  a  large   Flemish   farm- 


950  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

house,  whose  high  pitched  roof,  pointed  gables,  and  quaint,  old- 
fashioned  chimneys,  remind  one  of  the  architecture  so  fre- 
quently seen  in  Tenier's  pictures.  The  house,  which,  with  its 
dependencies  of  stables,  granaries,  and  out-houses,  resembles 
a  little  village,  is  surrounded  by  a  large,  straggling  orchard  of 
aged  fruit-trees,  through  which  the  approach  from  the  high  road 
leads.  The  interior  of  this  quaint  dwelling,  like  all  those  of  its 
class,  is  only  remarkable  for  a  succession  of  small,  dark,  low- 
ceiled  rooms,  leading  one  into  another  ;  their  gloomy  aspect 
increased  by  the  dark  oak  furniture,  the  heavy  armories,  and 
old-fashioned  presses,  carved  in  the  grotesque  taste  of  the  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  centuries.  Those  who  visit  it  now  may 
mark  the  trace  of  cannon  shot  here  and  there  through  the 
building  ;  more  than  one  deep  crack  will  attest  the  force  of  the 
dread  artillery.  Still  the  traveller  will  feel  struck  with  the 
rural  peace  and  quietude  of  the  scene  ;  the  speckled  oxen  that 
stand  lowing  in  the  deep  meadows  ;  the  splash  of  the  silvery 
trout  as  he  sports  in  the  bright  stream  that  ripples  along  over 
its  gravelly  bed  ;  the  cawing  of  the  old  rooks  in  the  tall  beech- 
trees  ;  but,  more  than  all,  the  happy  laugh  of  children, — speak 
of  the  spot  as  one  of  retired  and  tranquil  beauty  ;  yet,  when 
my  eyes  oped  upon  it  on  the  morning  of  the  17  th  of  June,  the 
scene  presented  features  of  a  widely  different  interest.  The 
day  was  breaking  as  the  deep,  full  sound  of  the  French  bugles 
announced  the  riveil.  Forgetful  of  where  I  was,  I  sprang 
from  my  bed  and  rushed  to  the  window  ;  the  prospect  before 
me  at  once  recalled  me  to  my  recollection,  and  I  remembered 
that  I  was  a  prisoner.  The  exciting  events  around  left  me  but 
little  time  and  as  little  inclination  to  think  over  my  old  mis- 
fortunes ;  and  I  watched,  with  all  the  interest  of  a  soldier,  the 
movement  of  the  French  troops  in  the  orchard  beneath.  A 
squadron  of  dragoons,  who  seemed  to  have  passed  the  night 
beside  their  horses,  lay  stretched  or  seated  in  all  the  pictu- 
resque groupings  of  a  bivouac  ;  some  already  up  and  stirring  ; 
others  leaned   half  listlessly  upon  their   elbows,  and   looked 


THE  IRISH  dragoon: 


951 


about  as  if  unwilling  to  believe  the  night  was  over  ;  and  some, 
stretched  in  deep  slumber,  woke  not  with  the  noise  and  tumult 
around  them.  The  room  in  which  I  was  confined  looked  out 
upon  the  road  to  Charleroi  ;  I  could  therefore  see  the  British 
troops  ;  and  as  the  French  army  had  fallen  back  during  the 
night,  only  an  advanced  guard  maintaining  the  position,  I  was 
left  to  my  unaided  conjectures  as  to  the  fortune  of  the  preced- 
ing day  of  battle.  \A'hat  a  period  of  anxiety  and  agitation  was 
that  morning  to  me  ;  what  would  I  not  have  given  to  learn 
the  result  of  the  action  since  the  moment  of  my  capture  ! 
Stubborn  as  our  resistance  had  been,  we  were  evidently  getting 
the  worst  of  it  ;  and,  if  the  Guards  had  not  arrived  in  time, 
I  knew  we  must  have  been  beaten. 

I  walked  up  and  down  my  narrow  room,  tortured  and 
agonized  by  my  doubts,  now  stopping  to  reason  over  the  pos- 
sibilities of  success,  now  looking  from  the  window  to  try  if,  in 
the  gesture  and  bearing  of  those  without,  I  could  conjecture 
anything  that  passed.  Too  well  I  knew  the  vaunting  character 
of  the  French  soldier,  in  defeat  as  in  victory,  to  put  much  con- 
fidence in  their  bearing.  While,  however,  I  watched  them 
with  an  eager  eye,  I  heard  the  tramp  of  horsemen  coming 
along  the  paved  causeway.  From  the  moment  my  ear  caught 
the  sound  to  that  of  their  arrival  at  the  gate  of  the  orchard, 
but  few  minutes  elapsed  ;  their  pace  was  indeed  a  severe  one, 
and,  as  they  galloped  through  the  narrow  path  that  led  to  the 
farm-house,  they  never  drew  rein  till  they  reached  the  porch, 
'i'iie  party  consisted  of  about  a  dozen  persons,  whose  plumed 
hats  bespoke  them  staff  officers ;  but  their  uniforms  were 
concealed  beneath  their  great-coats.  As  they  came  along  the 
picket  sprang  to  their  feet,  and  the  guard  at  the  door  beneath 
presented  arms  :  this  left  no  doubt  upon  my  mind  that  some 
oflficer  of  rank  was  among  them,  and,  as  I  knew  that  Ney  him- 
self commanded  on  the  preceding  day,  I  thought  it  might  be 
he.  'I'he  sound  of  voices  beneath  informed  me  tliat  the  party 
occupied  the  room  under  that  in  which  1  was,  and,  although  I 


952  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

listened  attentively,  I  could  hear  nothing  but  the  confused 
murmur  of  persons  conversing  together  without  detecting  even 
a  word.  My  thoughts  now  fell  into  another  channel,  and,  as  I 
ruminated  over  my  old  position,  I  heard  the  noise  of  the  sen- 
try at  my  door  as  he  brought  his  musket  to  the  shoulder,  and 
the  next  moment  an  officer  in  the  uniform  of  the  Chasseurs  of 
the  Guard  entered.  Bowing  politely  as  he  advance4  to  the 
middle  of  the  room,  he  addressed  me  thus  : — 

"  You  speak  French,  sir  ? "  and,  as  I  replied  in  the  affirma- 
tive, continued : — 

"  Will  you,  then,  have  the  goodness  to  follow  me  this 
way?" 

Although  burning  with  anxiety  to  learn  what  had  taken 
place,  yet  somehow  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  ask  the  ques- 
tion. A  secret  pride  mingled  with  my  fear  that  all  had  not 
gone  well  with  us,  and  I  durst  not  expose  myself  to  hear  of  our 
defeat  from  the  lips  of  an  enemy.  I  had  barely  time  to  ask 
into  whose  presence  I  was  about  to  be  ushered,  when,  with  a 
slight  smile  of  a  strange  meaning,  he  opened  the  door  and  in- 
troduced me  into  the  saloon.  Although  I  had  seen  at  least 
twelve  or  fourteen  horsemen  arrive,  there  were  but  three  per- 
sons in  the  room  as  I  entered.  One  of  these,  who  sat  writing 
at  a  small  table  near  the  window,  never  lifted  his  head  on  my 
entrance,  but  continued  assiduously  his  occupation.  Another, 
a  tall,  fine-looking  man  of  some  sixty  years  or  upwards,  whose 
high,  bald  forehead  and  drooping  moustache,  white  as  snow, 
looked  in  every  way  the  old  soldier  of  the  empire,  stood  lean- 
ing upon  his  sabre  ;  while  the  third,  whose  stature,  somewhat 
below  the  middle  size,  was  yet  cast  in  a  strong  and  muscular 
mould,  stood  with  his  back  to  the  fire,  holding  on  his  arms  the 
skirts  of  a  gray  surtout  which  he  wore  over  his  uniform  ;  his  legs 
were  cased  in  the  tall  hottcs  a  recnyere  worn  by  the  chasseur  d 
cheval,  and  on  his  head  a  low  cocked-hat,  without  plume  or 
feather,  completed  his  costume.  There  was  something  which, 
at  the  very  moment  of  my  entrance,  struck  me   as  uncommon 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  953 

in  his  air  and  bearing,  so  much  so  that  when  my  eyes  had  once 
rested  on  his  pale  but  placid  countenance,  his  regular,  hand- 
some, but  somewhat  stern  features,  I  totally  forgot  the  pres- 
ence of  the  others  and  looked  only  at  him. 

"  What's  your  rank,  sir  ? "  said  he,  hurriedly,  and  with  a 
tone  which  bespoke  command. 

"  I  have  none  at  present,  save " 

"  Why  do  you  wear  your  epaulettes  then,  sir  ? "  said  he, 
harshly,  while  from  his  impatient  look,  and  hurried  gesture,  I 
saw  that  he  put  no  faith  in  my  reply. 

"I  am  an  aide-de-camp  to  General  Picton,  but  without  regi- 
mental rank." 

"What  was  the  British  force  under  arms  yesterday  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  feel  myself  at  liberty  to  give  you  any  information 
as  to  the  number  or  the  movements  of  our  army." 

"■  Diantre !  Diatitre I"  said  he,  slapping  his  boot  with  his 
horsewhip,  "  do  you  know  what  you've  been  saying  there,  eh  ? 
Cambronne,  you  heard  him,  did  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sire,  and  if  your  Majesty  would  permit  me  to  deal 
with  him,  I  would  have  his  information,  if  he  possess  any,  and 
that  ere  long,  too." 

"  Eh,  gaiilard,'"  said  he,  laughing,  as  he  pinched  the  old 
general's  ear  in  jest,  "  I  believe  you,  with  all  my  heart." 

The  full  truth  Hashed  upon  my  mind.  I  was  in  presence  of 
the  Emperor  himself.  As,  however,  up  to  this  moment,  I  was 
unconscious  of  his  presence,  I  resolved  now  to  affect  igno- 
rance of  it  throughout. 

"  Had  you  despatches,  sir?"  said  he,  turning  towards  me 
with  a  look  of  stern  severity.  "  Were  any  despatches  found 
upon  him  when  he  was  taken  ? "  Tiiis  latter  question  was 
directed  to  the  aide-de-camp  wlio  introduced  mc,  and  who  still 
remained  at  the  door. 

"  No,  sire,  nothing  was  found  upon  him  except  this  locket." 

As  he  said  tliese  words  he  placed  in  Napoleon's  hands  the 
keepsake  which   St.  Croix  had  left  with  me  years  before   in 


g^4  CHARLES  &M ALLEY, 

Spain,  and  which,  as  the  reader  may  remember,  was  a  minia- 
ture of  the  Empress  Josephine. 

The  moment  the  Emperor  threw  his  eyes  upon  it,  the  flush 
which  excitement  had  called  into  his  cheek  disappeared  at 
once  :  he  became  pale  as  death,  his  very  lips  as  bloodless  as 
his  wan  cheek. 

"  Leave  me,  Lefebvre ;  leave  me,  Cambronne,  for  a  moment  . 
I  will  speak  with  this  gentleman  alone." 

As  the  door  closed  upon  them  he  leaned  his  arm  upon  the 
mantelpiece,  and,  with  his  head  sunk  upon  his  bosom,  remained 
some  moments  without  speaking. 

"  Augiire  sinistref"  muttered  he  within  his  teeth,  as  his 
piercing  gaze  was  riveted  upon  the  picture  before  him.  "  Voiia 
la  troisihnefois  ;  peutetrc  la  deniiere:'  Then  suddenly  rousing 
himself,  he  advanced  close  to  me,  and,  seizing  me  by  the  arm 
with  a  grasp  like  iron,  inquired  :^ 

"  How  came  you  by  this  picture  ?  The  truth,  sir  :  mark  me, 
the  truth." 

Without  showing  any  sign  of  feeling  hurt  at  the  insinuation 
of  this  question,  I  detailed,  in  as  few  words  as  I  could,  the 
circumstance  by  which  the  locket  became  mine.  Long  before 
I  had  concluded,  however,  I  could  mark  that  his  attention 
flagged,  and  finally  wandered  far  away  from  the  matter  before 
him. 

"  Why  will  you  not  give  me  the  information  I  look  for?  I 
seek  for  no  breach  of  faith.  The  campaign  is  all  but  over. 
The  Prussians  were  beaten  at  Ligny,  their  army  routed,  their 
artillery  captured,  ten  thousand  prisoners  taken.  Your  troops 
and  the  Dutch  were  conquered  yesterday,  and  they  are  in  full 
retreat  on  Brussels.  By  to-morrow  evening  I  shall  date  my 
bulletin  from  the  palace  at  Laeken.  Antwerp  will  be  in  my 
possession  within  twenty-four  hours.  Namur  is  already  mine. 
Cambronne,  Lefebvre,"  cried  he,  "  cd  homvie-la  n'cn  salt  rim,''' 
pointing  to  me  as  he  spoke.  "  Let  us  see  the  other."  With 
this  he  motioned  slightly  with  his  hand,  as  a  sign  for  me  to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  955 

withdraw,  and  the  next  moment  I  was  once  more  in  the 
solitude  of  my  prison-room,  thinking  over  the  singular  interview 
1  had  just  had  with  the  great  Emperor. 

How  anxiously  pass  the  hours  of  one  who,  deprived  of  other 
means  of  information,  is  left  to  form  his  conjectures  by  some 
passing  object  or  some  chance  murmur.  The  things  which,  in 
the  ordinary  course  of  life,  are  passed  by  unnoticed  and  unre- 
garded, are  now  matters  of  moment ;  with  what  scrutiny  he  ex- 
amines the  features  of  those  whom  he  dare  not  question  ;  with 
what  patient  ear  he  listens  to  each  passing  word.  Thus  to  me,  a 
prisoner,  the  hours  went  by  tardily  yet  anxiously;  no  sabre 
clanked ;  no  war-horse  neighed  ;  no  heavy-booted  cuirassier 
tramped  in  the  court-yard  beneath  my  window,  without  setting 
a  hundred  conjectures  afloat  as  to  what  was  about  to  happen. 
For  some  time  there  had  been  a  considerable  noise  and  bustle 
in  and  about  the  dwelling.  Horsemen  came  and  went  contin- 
ually. The  sound  of  galloping  could  be  heardalong  the  paved 
causeway ;  then  the  challenge  of  the  sentry  at  the  gate ;  then 
the  nearer  tread  of  approaching  steps,  and  many  voices  speak- 
ing together,  would  seem  to  indicate  that  some  messenger  had 
arrived  with  despatches.  At  length  all  these  sounds  became 
hushed  and  still ;  no  longer  were  the  voices  heard  ;  and  except 
tiie  measured  tread  of  the  heavy  cuirassier,  as  he  paced  on  the 
flags  beneath,  nothing  was  to  be  heard.  My  state  of  suspense, 
doubly  greater  now  than  when  the  noise  and  tumult  suggested 
food  for  conjecture,  continued  till  towards  noon,  when  a  soldier 
in  undress  brought  me  some  breakfast,  and  told  me  to  prepare 
speedily  for  tiie  r(j;ul. 

Scarcely  had  he  left  the  room,  when  the  rumbling  noise  of 
wagons  was  heard  below,  and  a  train  of  artillery-carts  moved 
into  the  little  court-yard,  loaded  with  wounded  men.  It  was  a 
sad  and  frightful  sight  to  see  these  poor  fellows,  as,  crammed 
side  by  side  in  the  straw  of  the  charrctte^  they  lay,  their  ghastly 
wounds  opening  with  every  motion  of  the  wagon,  while  their 
wan,  pale  faces  were  convulsed  with  agony  and  suffering.     Of 


95 6  CHARLES  aM ALLEY, 

every  rank,  from  the  sous-lieutenant  to  the  humble  soldier, 
from  every  arm  of  the  service,  from  the  heavy  cuirassier  of  the 
guard  to  the  light  and  intrepid  tirailleur,  they  were  there.  I  well 
remember  one,  an  artilleryman  of  the  Guard,  who,  as  they  lifted 
him  forth  from  the  cart,  presented  the  horrifying  spectacle  of 
one  both  of  whose  legs  had  been  carried  away  by  a  cannon- 
shot  ;  pale,  cold,  and  corpse-like,  he  lay  in  their  arms ;  his  head 
lay  heavily  to  one  side,  his  arms  fell  passively,  as  in  death. 
It  was  at  this  moment  a  troop  of  lancers,  the  advanced  guard 
of  D'Erlon's  division,  came  trotting  up  the  road;  the  cry  of 
"  Vive  V Einpereur !^''  burst  from  them  as  they  approached;  its 
echo  rang  within  the  walls  of  the  farm-house,  when  suddenly 
the  dying  man,  as  though  some  magic  touch  had  called  him 
back  to  life  and  vigor,  sprang  up  erect  between  his  bearers, 
his  filmy  eye  flashing  fire,  a  burning  spot  of  red  coloring  his 
bloodless  cheek ;  he  cast  one  wild  and  hurried  look  around 
him,  like  one  called  back  from  death  to  look  upon  the  living ; 
and,  as  he  raised  his  blood-stained  hand  above  his  head, 
shouted,  in  a  heart-piercing  cry,  "  Vive  V Empereur !'''  The 
effort  was  his  last.  It  was  the  expiring  tribute  of  allegiance 
to  the  chief  he  adored.  The  blood  spouted  in  cataracts  from 
his  half-closed  wounds,  a  convulsive  spasm  worked  through 
his  frame,  his  eyes  rolled  fearfully,  as  his  outstretched  hand 
seemed  striving  to  clutch  some  object  before  them — and  he 
was  dead.  Fresh  arrivals  of  wounded  continued  to  pour  in  ; 
and  now  I  thought  I  could  detect  at  intervals  the  distanf 
noise  of  a  cannonade :  the  wind,  however,  was  from  the 
southward,  and  the  sounds  were  too  indistinct  to  be  relied 
on. 

"  Allans  !  allons  !  mon  cher,^^  said  a  rough  but  good-humored 
looking  fellow,  as  he  strode  into  my  room  ;  he  was  the  quarter- 
master of  Milhaud's  dragoons,  under  whose  care  I  was  now 
placed,  and  came  to  inform  me  that  we  were  to  set  out  im- 
mediately. 

Monsieur  Bonnard  was  a  character  in  his   way;  and,    if   it 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  957 

were  not  so  near  the  conclusion  of  my  history,  I  should 
like  to  present  him  to  my  readers.  As  it  is,  I  shall 
merely  say  he  was  a  thorough  specimen  of  one  class  of  his 
countrymen — a  loud  talker,  a  louder  swearer,  a  vaporing, 
boasting,  overbearing,  good-natured,  and  even  soft-hearted 
fellow,  who  firmly  believed  that  Frenchmen  were  the  climax  of 
the  species,  and  Napoleon  the  climax  of  Frenchmen.  Being  a 
great  bavard,  he  speedily  told  me  all  that  had  taken  place 
during  the  last  two  days.  From  him  I  learned  that  the  Prus- 
sians had  really  been  beaten  at  Ligny,  and  had  fallen  back,  he 
knew  not  where  :  they  were,  however,  he  said,  hotly  pursued  by 
Grouchy,  with  thirty-five  thousand  men,  while  the  Emperor  him- 
self was  now  following  the  British  and  Dutch  armies  with 
seventy  thousand  more. 

"You  see,"  continued  he,  ''  T  affaire  est faite  !  who  can 
resist  the  Emperor  ? " 

These  were  sad  tidings  for  me  ;  and,  although  I  did  not  place 
implicit  confidence  in  my  informant,  I  had  still  my  fears  that 
nuich  of  what  he  said  was  true. 

"  And  the  British,  now,"  said  I ;  "  what  direction  have  they 
taken  ?" 

"  Bah  !  they're  in  retreat  on  Brussels,  and  will  probably  ca- 
pitulate to-morrow." 

"  Capitulate  !  " 

"  Oui,  Old:  ne  vous /Aehez pas,  eattiarade"  said  he,  laughing. 
'  What  could  you  do  against  Napoleon  ?  you  did  not  expect  to 
beat  him,  surely  ?  But  come,  we  must  move  on ;  I  have  my 
orders  to  bring  you  to  Planchcnoit  this  evening,  and  our  horses 
are  tired  enough  already." 

"  Mine,  methinks,  should  be  fresh,"  said  I. 

"  Parbleu  non,'"  replied  he  :  "  lie  has  twice  made  the  journey 
to  Fresnes  this  morning  with  despatches  for  Marshal  Ney ;  the 
Emperor  is  enraged  with  the  Marshal  for  having  retreated  last 
night,  having  the  wood  in  his  possession  ;  he  says  he  sliould 
have  waited  till  daybreak,  and  then  fallen  upon  your  retreating 


958  CHARLES  O'MALLl:/, 

columns,  As  it  is,  you  are  getting  away  without  much  loss. 
Sacrisiie,  that  was  a  fine  charge  !  "  These  last  words  he  mut- 
tered to  himself;  adding,  between  his  teeth,  "  sixty-four  killed 
and  wounded." 

"  What  was  that  ?  who  were  they  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Our  fellows,"  replied  he,  frankly  ;  "  the  Emperor  ordered 
up  two  twelve-pounders,  and  eight  squadrons  of  lancers ;  they 
fell  upon  your  light  dragoons  in  a  narrow  part  of  the  highroad. 
But  suddenly  we  heard  a  noise  in  front ;  your  hussars  fell  back, 
and  a  column  of  your  heavy  dragoons  came  thundering  down 
upon  us.  Parbku  !  they  swept  over  us  as  if  we  were  broken 
infantry ;  and  there  !  there  !  "  said  he,  pointing  to  the  court- 
yard, from  whence  the  groans  of  the  wounded  still  rose,  "  there 
are  the  fruits  of  that  terrible  charge." 

I  could  not  restrain  an  outbreak  of  triumphant  pleasure  at 
this  gallant  feat  of  my  countrymen. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  the  honest  Quartermaster,  "it  was  a  fine 
thing  ;  but  a  heavy  reckoning  is  at  hand.  But  come,  now,  let 
us  take  the  road." 

In  a  few  moments  more  I  found  myself  seated  upon  a  heavy 
Norman  horse,  whose  lumbering  demi-peak  saddle  was  nearly 
cleft  in  two  by  a  sabre-cut. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  said  Monsieur  Bonnard,  as  he  saw  my  eye  fixed  on 
the  spot,  "  it  was  one  of  your  fellows  did  that ;  and  the  same 
cut  clove  poor  Pierre  from  the  neck  to  the  seat." 

"  I  hope,"  said  I,  laughing,  "  the  saddle  may  not  prove  an 
unlucky  one." 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  Frenchman,  seriously  ;  "  it  has  paid  its 
debt  to  fate." 

As  we  pressed  on  our  road,  which,  broken  by  the  heavy  guns, 
and  ploughed  up  in  many  places  by  the  artillery,  was  nearly 
impassable,  we  could  distinctly  hear  from  time  to  time  the  dis- 
tant boom  of  the  large  guns,  as  the  retiring  and  pursuing  armies 
replied  to  each  other :  while  behind  us,  but  still  a  long  way  off, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  959 

a  dark  mass  appeared  on  the  horizon  :  they  were  the  advancing 
columns  of  Ney's  division. 

"  Have  the  troops  come  in  contact  more  than  once  this 
morning  ?  " 

"  Not  closely,"  said  the  Quartermaster :  "  the  armies  have 
kept  a  respectful  distance ;  they  were  like  nothing  I  can  think 
of,"  said  the  figurative  Frenchman,  "  except  two  hideous  ser- 
pents wallowing  in  mire,  and  vomiting  at  each  other  whole 
rivers  of  fire  and  flame." 

As  we  approached  Planchenoit,  we  came  up  to  the  rear-guard 
of  the  French  army  ;  from  them  we  learned  that  Ney's  division, 
consisting  of  the  eighth  corps,  had  joined  the  Emperor  ;  that 
the  British  were  still  in  retreat,  but  that  nothing  of  any  impor- 
tance had  occurred  between  the  rival  armies,  the  French  merely 
firing  their  heavy  guns  from  time  to  time,  to  ascertain  by  the 
reply  the  position  of  the  retreating  forces  ;  the  rain  poured 
down  in  torrents ;  gusts  of  cold  and  stormy  wind  swept  across 
the  wide  plains,  or  moaned  sorrowfully  through  the  dense  forest. 
As  I  rode  on  by  the  side  of  my  companion,  I  could  not  help 
remarking  how  little  the  effects  of  a  fatiguing  march  and  un- 
favorable weather  were  apparent  on  those  around  me.  The 
spirit  of  excited  gaiety  pervaded  every  rank  ;  and,  unlike  the 
stern  features  which  the  discipline  of  our  service  enforces,  the 
French  soldiers  were  talking,  laughing,  and  even  singing,  as 
they  marched  ;  the  canteens  passed  freely  from  hand  to  hand, 
and  jests  and  toasts  flew  from  front  to  rear  along  the  dark 
columns ;  many  carried  their  loaves  of  dark  rye-bread  on  the 
tops  of  their  bayonets ;  and  to  look  upon  that  noisy  and 
tumultuous  mass  as  they  poured  along,  it  would  have  needed  a 
practised  eye  to  believe  thcni  tlie  most  disciplined  of  European 
armies. 

The  sun  was  just  setting,  as,  mounting  a  ridge  of  high  land 
beside  the  high  road,  my  companion  i:K)inled  with  his  finger  to 
a  small  farm-house,  which,  standing  alone  in  the  plain,  com- 
mands an  extensive  view  on  every  side  of  it. 


960  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY,  '' 

"  There,"  said  he,  "there  is  the  qiiariier  ghieral ;  the  Em- 
peror sleeps  there  to-night.  The  King  of  Holland  will  afford 
him  a  bed  to-morrow  night." 

The  dark  shadows  of  the  coming  night  were  rapidly  fall- 
ing as  I  strained  my  eyes  to  trace  the  British  position.  A 
hollow,  rumbling  sound  announced  the  movement  of  artillery 
in  our  front. 

"  What  is  it,  Arnotte  ?  "  said  the  Quartermaster  to  a  dragoon 
officer  who  rode  past. 

"  Tt  is  nothing,"  replied  the  other,  laughing,  "but  a  ruse  oi 
the  Emperor.  He  wishes  to  ascertain  if  the  enemy  are  in  force, 
or  if  we  have  only  a  strong  rear-guard  before  us." 

As  he  spoke,  fifteen  heavy  guns  opened  their  fire,  and  the 
still  air  reverberated  with  a  loud  thunder.  The  sound  had  not 
died  away — the  very  smoke  lay  yet  heavily  upon  the  moist  earth 
— when  forty  pieces  of  British  cannon  rang  out  their  answer, 
and  the  very  plain  trembled  beneath  the  shock. 

"  Ha  !  they  are  there,  then,"  exclaimed  the  dragoon,  as  his 
eyes  flashed  with  ecstasy.  "  Look  !  see  !  the  artillery  are  lim- 
bering up  already.     The  Emperor  is  satisfied." 

And  so  it  was.  A  dark  column  of  twelve  hundred  horse 
that  accompanied  the  guns  into  the  plain,  now  wheeled  slowly 
round,  and  wound  their  long  track  far  away  to  the  right.  The 
rain  fell  in  torrents  ;  the  wind  was  hushed  ;  and,  as  the  night 
fell  in  darkness,  the  columns  moved  severally  to  their  destina- 
tions. The  bivouacs  were  formed,  the  watch-fires  were  lighted, 
and  seventy  thousand  men  and  two  hundred  pieces  of  cannon 
occupied  the  heights  of  Planchenoit. 

"  My  orders  are  to  bring  you  to  La  Caillon,"  said  the 
Quartermaster;  "and  if  you  only  can  spur  your  jaded  horse 
into  a  trot  we  shall  soon  reach  it." 

About  a  hundred  yards  from  the  little  farm-house  stood  a 
small  cottage  of  a  peasant.  Here  some  officers  of  Marshal 
Soult's  staff  had  taken  up  their  quarters;  and  thither  my  guide 
now  bent  his  steps, 


THE  IRrSII  DRAGOON.  961 

"  Comment !  Bonnard^'''  said  an  aide-de-camp,  as  we  rode  up, 
"another  prisoner  ?  Sacrebleu  !  we  shall  have  the  whole  British 
staff  among  us.  You  are  in  better  luck  than  your  country- 
man, the  General,  I  hope,"  said  the  aide-de-camp  ;  "  his  is  a 
sad  affair  ;  and  I'm  sorry  for  it,  too ;  he's  a  fine,  soldier-like 
looking  fellow." 

"  Pray  what  has  happened .''  "  said  I.  "  To  what  do  you 
allude?" 

"  Merely  to  one  of  your  people  who  has  just  been  taken  with 
some  letters  and  papers  of  Bourmont's  in  his  possession.  The 
Emperor  is  in  no  very  amicable  humor  towards  the  traitor, 
and  resolves  to  pay  off  some  part  of  his  debt  on  his  British 
correspondent." 

"  How  cruel  !  how  unjust !  " 

"  Why,  yes,  it  is  hard,  I  confess,  to  be  shot  for  the  fault  of 
another,     Mais,  que  voulez-vous  ?  " 

"  And  when  is  this  atrocious  act  to  take  place  ? " 

"  By  daybreak  to-morrow,"  said  he,  bowing,  as  he  turned 
towards  the  hut.  "  Meanwhile,  let  me  counsel  you,  if  you 
would  not  make  another  in  the  party,  to  reserve  your  indigna- 
tion for  your  return  to  England." 

"  Come  along,"  said  the  Quartermaster  ;  "  I  find  they  have 
got  quarters  for  you  in  the  granary  of  the  farm.  I'll  not  forget 
you  at  supper  time." 

So  saying,  he  gave  his  horse  to  an  orderly,  and  led  me  by 
a  little  path  to  a  back  entrance  of  the  dwelling.  Had  I  time 
or  inclination  for  such  a  scene,  I  might  have  lingered  long  to 
gaze  at  the  spectacle  before  me.  The  guard  held  tlicir  bivouac 
around  the  quarters  of  the  Emperor  ;  and  here,  beside  the  watch- 
fires,  sat  the  bronzed  and  scarred  veterans  who  had  braved 
every  death  and  danger,  from  the  Pyramids  tn  the  Kremlin. 
On  every  side  I  heard  the  names  of  those  whnni  history  has 
already  consigned  to  immortality;  and,  as  the  (Itful  blazi'  of  a 
wood-fire  flashed  from  within  the  lu)use,  I  rnuld  mark  tiie 
figure  of  one  who,  with  his  hands  behind  his  back,  walked 
61 


g62  CHARLES    O'MALLEV, 

leisurely  to  and  fro,  his  head  leaned  a  little  forward,  aS  though 
in  deep  thought ;  but  as  the  light  fell  upon  his  pale  and  placid 
features,  there  was  nothing  there  to  indicate  the  stormy  strife 
of  hope  and  fear  that  raged  beneath.  From  the  rapid  survey 
I  took  around  I  was  roused  by  an  officer,  who,  saluting  me, 
politely  desired  me  to  follow  him.  We  mounted  a  flight  of  stone 
steps,  which,  outside  the  wall  of  the  building,  led  to  the  upper 
story  of  a  large  but  ruined  granary.  Here  a  sentry  was  posted, 
who,  permitting  us  to  pass  forward,  I  found  myself  in  a  small, 
mean-looking  apartment,  whose  few  articles  of  coarse  furni- 
ture were  dimly  lighted  by  the  feeble  glimmer  of  a  lamp.  At 
the  further  end  of  the  room  sat  a  man,  wrapt  in  a  large  blue 
cavalry  cloak,  whose  face,  covered  with  his  hands  as  he  bent 
downwards,  was  completely  concealed  from  view.  The  noise 
of  the  opening  door  did  not  appear  to  arouse  him,  nor  did  he 
notice  my  approach.  As  I  entered,  a  faint  sigh  broke  from 
him,  as  he  turned  his  back  upon  the  light ;  but  he  spoke  not 
a  word. 

I  sat  for  some  time  in  silence,  unwilling  to  obtrude  myself 
upon  the  sorrows  of  one  to  whom  I  was  unknown  ;  and,  as  I 
walked  up  and  down  the  gloomy  chamber,  my  thoughts  became 
riveted  so  completely  upon  my  own  fortunes  tliat  I  ceased  to 
remember  my  fellow-prisoner.  The  hours  passed  thus  lazily 
along,  when  the  door  suddenly  opened,  and  an  officer  in  the 
dress  of  a  lancer  of  the  Guard  stood  for  an  instant  before  me, 
and  then,  springing  forward,  clasped  me  by  both  hands,  and 
called  out  : — 

"  Charles,  mon  ami,  c'est  Men  toi  ?  " 

The  voice  recalled  to  my  recollections  what  his  features, 
altered  by  time  and  years,  had  failed  to  do.  It  was  Jules  St, 
Croix,  my  former  prisoner  in  the  Peninsula,  I  cannot  paint 
the  delight  with  which  I  saw  him  again  ;  his  presence  now, 
while  it  brought  back  the  memory  of  some  of  my  happiest 
days,  also  assured  me  that  I  was  not  friendless. 

His  visit  was  a  brief  one,  for  he  was  in  attendance  on  Mar- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON. 


963 


shal  Lobau's  staff.  In  the  few  mihutes,  however,  of  his  stay, 
he  said  : — 

"  I  have  a  debt  to  pay,  Charles  ;  and  have  come  to  discharge 
it.  In  an  hour  hence  I  shall  leave  this  with  despatches  for 
the  left  of  our  line.  Before  I  go,  I'll  come  here  with  two  or 
three  others,  as  it  were,  to  wish  you  a  good-night:  I'll  take 
care  to  carry  a  second  cloak  and  a  foraging  cap:  I'll  provide 
a  fast  horse  ;  you  shall  accompany  us  for  some  distance.  I'll 
see  you  safe  across  our  pickets;  for  the  rest,  you  must  trust 
to  yourself.      Oestarra?ige,  7i'esf-ce pas?  " 

One  firm  grasp  of  his  hand,  to  which  I  responded  by  another, 
followed,  and  he  was  gone. 

Everything  concurred  to  show  me  that  a  tremendous  battle 
must  ensue  on  the  morrow,  if  the  British  forces  but  held  their 
position.  It  was  then  with  a  feeling  of  excitement  approach- 
ing to  madness  that  I  saw  my  liberty  before  me  ;  that  once 
more  I  should  join  in  the  bold  charge  and  the  rude  shock  of 
arms,  hear  the  wild  cry  of  my  gallant  countrymen,  and  either 
live  to  triumph  with  tliem  in  victory,  or  wait  not  to  witness  our 
defeat.  Fast  flew  my  hopes,  as,  witli  increasing  impatience 
I  waited  St.  Croix's  coming,  and  with  anxious  heart  listened 
to  every  sound  upon  tlie  stairs  which  miglit  indicate  his  ap- 
proach. At  length  he  came.  I  heard  the  gay  and  laughing 
voices  of  his  companions  as  they  came  along  ;  the  door  opened, 
and  affecting  tiie  familiarity  of  old  acquaintance,  to  deceive 
the  sentry,  they  all  shook  me  by  the  hand,  and  spoke  in  terms 
of  intimacy. 

"  Labedoyere  is  below,"  said  St.  Croix,  in  a  whisper  ;  "  you 
must  wait  here  a  few  moments  longer,  and  I'll  return  for  you  ; 
put  on  the  cloak  and  cap,  and  speak  not  a  word  as  you  pass 
out.  The  sentry  will  suppose  that  one  of  our  party  has  re- 
mained behind  ;  for  I  shall  call  out  as  if  speaking  to  him,  as  I 
leave  the  room." 

Tiie  voice  of  an  ofTicer  calling  in  tones  of  impatience  for 
the  party  to  come  down,  cut  short  the  interview,  and   again 


964  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

assuring  me  of  their  determination  to  stand  by  me,  they  left 
the  chamber,  and  descended  into  the  court.  Scarcely  had  the 
door  closed  behind  them,  when  my  fellow-prisoner,  whom  I 
had  totally  forgotten,  sprang  on  his  legs,  and  came  towards 
me.  His  figure  screening  the  lamplight  as  he  stood,  prevented 
my  recognizing  his  features ;  but  the  first  tones  of  his  voice  told 
me  who  he  was. 

"  Stay,  sir,"  cried  he,  as  he  placed  his  hand  upon  my  arm  ; 
"  I  have  overheard  your  project.  In  an  hour  hence  you  will 
be  free.  Can  you — will  you  perform  a  service  for  one  who 
will  esteem  it  not  the  less  that  it  will  be  the  last  that  man  can 
render  him  ?  The  few  lines  which  I  have  written  here  with 
my  pencil  are  for  my  daughter." 

I  could  bear  no  more,  and  called  out  in  a  voice  broken  as 
his  own, — 

"  Oh,  be  not  deceived,  sir.  Will  you,  even  in  an  hour  like 
this,  accept  a  service  from  one  whom  you  have  banished  from 
your  house  ? " 

The  old  man  started  as  I  spoke  ;  his  hand  trembled  till  it 
shook  my  very  arm,  and,  after  a  pause  and  with  an  eifort  to 
seem  calm  and  collected,  he  added  : — ■ 

"  My  hours  are  few.  Some  despatches  of  General  Bourmont 
with  which  the  Duke  entrusted  me  were  found  in  my  possession. 
My  sentence  is  a  hurried  one — and  it  is  death  !  By  to-morrow's 
sunrise " 

"  Stay,  stay  !  "  said  I.  "  You  shall  escape  ;  my  life  is  in  no 
danger.  I  have,  as  you  see,  even  friends  among  the  staff; 
besides,  I  have  done  nothing  to  compromise  or  endanger  my 
position.", 

"  No,  sir,"  said  he,  sternly,  ''  I  will  not  act  such  a  part  as 
this.  The  tears  you  have  seen  in  these  old  eyes  are  not  for 
myself.  I  fear  not  death.  Better  it  were  it  should  have  come 
upon  the  field  of  glorious  battle  ;  but  as  it  is,  my  soldier's 
honor  is  intact,  untainted." 

"  You  refuse  the  service  on  account  of  him  who  proffers  it," 


TII£  IRISH  DRAGOON.  965 

Said  I,  as  I  fell  heavily  upon  a  seat,  my  head  bowed  upon  my 
bosom. 

"  Not  so,  not  so,  my  boy,"  replied  he,  kindly ;  "  the  near 
approach  of  death,  like  the  fading  light  of  day,  gives  us  a  longer 
and  a  clearer  view  before  us.  I  feel  that  I  have  v/ronged  you ; 
that  I  have  imputed  to  you  the  errors  of  others  ;  but,  believe 
me,  if  I  have  wronged  you,  I  have  punished  my  own  heart ; 
for,  Charles,  I  have  loved  you  like  a  son." 

"  Then  prove  it,"  said  I,  "  and  let  me  act  towards  you  as 
towards  a  father.  You  will  not  ?  You  refuse  me  still  ? 
Then,  by  heaven,  I  remain  to  share  your  fate  !  I  well  know 
the  temper  of  him  who  has  sentenced  you,  and  that,  by  one 
word  of  mine,  my  destiny  is  sealed  forever." 

"  No,  no,  boy  !  This  is  but  rash  and  insane  folly.  Another 
year  or  two,  nay,  perhaps  a  few  months  more,  and  in  the  com- 
mon course  of  nature  I  had  ceased  to  be  ;  but  you,  with  youth, 
with  fortune,  and  with  hope " 

"  Oh,  not  with  hope  !  "  said  I,  in  a  voice  of  agony. 

"  Nay,  say  not  so,"  replied  he,  calmly,  while  a  sickly  smile 
played  sadly  over  his  face  ;  "you  will  give  this  letter  to  my 
daughter,  you  will  tell  her  that  we  parted  as  friends  should 
part ;  and  if,  after  that,  when  time  shall  have  smoothed  down 
her  grief,  and  her  sorrow  be  rather  a  dark  dream  of  the  past 
than   a  present  suffering;  if,  then,  you  love   her,  and  if " 

"  Oh,  tempt  me  not  thus  !  "  said  I,  as  the  warm  tears  gushed 
from  my  eyes ;  "  lead  me  not  thus  astray  from  what  my  honor 
tells  mc  1  should  do.  If  ark  !  they  are  coming  already.  I 
hear  the  clank  of  their  sabres;  they  are  mounting  the  steps; 
not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost !     Do  you  refuse  me  still? " 

"  1  do,"  replied  he,  firmly  ;  "  1  am  resolved  to  bide  my  fate." 

"Then  so  do  I,"  cried  I,  as,  folding  my  arms,  I  sat  down 
beside  the  window,  determined  on  my  course. 

"  Charley,  Charley,"  said  he,  stooping  over  me,  "  my  friend, 
my  last  hope,  the  protector  of  my  child " 

"  I  will  not  go,"  said  I,  in  a  hollow  whisper. 


966  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Already  they  were  at  the  door  ;  I  heard  their  voices  as  they 
challenged  the  sentry ;  I  heard  his  musket  as  he  raised  it  to 
his  shoulder.  The  thought  flashed  across  me — I  jumped  up, 
and,  throwing  the  loose  mantle  of  the  French  dragoon  around 
him,  a»d  replacing  his  own  with  the  foraging  cap  of  St.  Croix, 
I  sprang  into  a  corner  of  the  room,  and,  seating  myself  so  as 
to  conceal  my  face,  waited  the  result.  The  door  opened,  the 
party  entered,  laughing  and  talking  together. 

"Come,  Eugene,"  said  one,  taking  Sir  George  by  the  arm, 
"  you  have  spent  long  enough  time  here  to  learn  the  English 
language.  We  shall  be  late  at  the  outpost.  Messieurs  les 
Anglais,  good-night,  good-night  !  " 

This  was  repeated  by  the  others  as  they  passed  out  with  Sir 
George  Dashwood  among  them,  who,  seeing  that  my  determin- 
ation was  not  to  be  shaken,  and  that  any  demur  on  his  part 
must  necessarily  compromise  both,  yielded  to  a  coup  de  main 
what  he  never  would  have  consented  to  from  an  appeal  to  his 
reason.  The  door  closed ;  their  steps  died  away  in  the  dis- 
tance. Again  a  faint  sound  struck  my  ear  ;  it  was  the  challenge 
of  the  sentry  beneath,  and  I  heard  the  tramp  of  horses'  feet. 
All  was  still,  and  in  a  burst  of  heartfelt  gratitude  I  sank  upon 
my  knees,  and  thanked  God  that  he  was  safe. 

So  soundly  did  I  sleep,  that  not  before  I  was  shaken  several 
times  by  the  shoulder  could  I  awake  on  the  following  morning. 

"  I  thought  there  were  two  prisoners  here,"  said  a  gruff  voice, 
as  an  old  moustached-looking  veteran  cast  a  searching  look 
about  the  room.  "  However,  we  shall  have  enough  of  them 
before  sunset.  Get — get  up  ;  Monsieur  le  Due  de  Dalmatie 
desires  some  information  you  can  give  him." 

As  he  said  this,  he  led  me  from  the  room,  and,  descending 
the  flight  of  stone  steps,  we  entered  the  court-yard.  It  was 
but  four  o'clock,  the  rain  still  falling  in  torrents,  yet  every  one 
was  up  and  stirring. 

"  Mount  this  horse,"  said  my  gruff  friend,  "  and  come  with 
me  towards  the  left ;  the  Marshal  has  already  gone  forward." 


THE  IRISH  BRA  GO  ON.  967 

The  heavy  mist  of  the  morning,  darkened  by  the  louring 
clouds  which  almost  rested  on  the  earth,  prevented  our  seeing 
above  a  hundred  yards  before  us ;  but  the  hazy  light  of  the 
watch-fires  showed  me  the  extent  of  the  French  position,  as  it 
stretched  away  along  the  ridge  towards  the  Halle  road.  We 
rode  forward  at  a  trot,  but  in  the  deep  clayey  soil  we  sank  at 
each  moment  to  our  horses'  fetlocks.  I  turned  my  head  as  I 
heard  the  tramp  and  splash  of  horsemen  behind,  and  perceived 
that  I  was  followed  by  two  dragoons,  who,  with  their  carbines 
on  the  rest,  kept  their  eyes  steadily  upon  me  to  prevent  any 
chance  of  escape.  In  a  slight  hollow  of  the  ground  before  us 
stood  a  number  of  horsemen,  who  conversed  together  in  a  low 
tone  as  we  came  up. 

"There!  that  is  the  Marshal,"  said  my  companion,  in  a 
whisper,  as  we  joined  the  party. 

"  Yes,  Monsieur  le  Due,"  said  an  engineer  colonel,  who  stood 
beside  Soult's  horse,  with  a  colored  plan  in  his  hand — "  Yes, 
that  is  the  Chateau  de  Gonmont,  yonder.  It  is,  as  you  perceive, 
completely  covered  by  the  rising  ground  marked  here ;  they 
will,  doubtless,  place  a  strong  artillery  force  in  this  quarter." 

"Ah!  who  is  this?"  said  the  Marshal,  turning  his  eyes 
suddenly  upon  me,  and  then  casting  a  look  of  displeasure 
ar(;und  him,  lest  I  should  have  overheard  any  portion  of  their 
conversation.  "You  are  deficient  in  cavalry,  it  would  appear, 
sir  ?  "  said  he  to  me. 

"You  must  feel,  Monsieur  Ic  Due,"  said  I,  calmly,  "how 
impossible  it  is  for  me,  as  a  man  of  honor  and  a  soldier,  to 
afford  you  any  information  as  to  the  army  I  belong  to." 

"  I  do  not  see  that,  sir.  You  are  a  prisoner  in  our  hands ; 
your  treatment,  your  fortune,  your  very  life  depends  on  us. 
licsides,  sir,  when  French  officers  fall  into  the  power  of  your 
people,  I  have  heard  they  meet  not  very  ceremonious  treat- 
ment." 

"  Those  who  say  so,  say  falsely,"  said  I,  "  and  wrong  bulh 
your  countrymen  and  mine.      In  any  case " 


968  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  The  Guards  are  an  untried  force  in  your  service,"  said  he, 
with  a  mixture  of  inquiry  and  assertion. 
I  replied  not  a  word. 

"  You  must  see,  sir,"  continued  he,  "  that  all  the  chances  are 
against  you.  The  Prussians  beaten,  the  Dutch  discouraged, 
the  Belgians  only  waiting  for  victory  to  incline  to  our  standard, 
to  desert  your  ranks,  and  pass  over  to  ours  ;  while  your  troops, 
scarcely  forty  thousand,  nay,  I  might  say,  not  more  than  thirty- 
five  thousand.     Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

Here  was  another  question,  so  insidiously  conveyed  that 
even  a  change  of  feature  on  my  part  might  have  given  the 
answer.  A  half  smile,  however,  and  a  slight  bow  was  all  my 
1-eply  ;  while  Soult  muttered  something  between  his  teeth,  which 
called  forth  a  laugh  from  those  around  him. 

"  You  may  retire,  sir,  a  little,"  said  he,  drily,  to  me. 
Not  sorry  to  be  freed  from  the  awkwardness  of  my  position, 
I  fell  back  to  the  little  rising  ground  behind.  Although  the 
rain  poured  down  without  ceasing,  the  rising  sun  dispelled,  in 
part,  the  heavy  vapor,  and  by  degrees  different  portions  of 
the  wide  plain  presented  themselves  to  view  ;  and,  as  the  dense 
masses  of  fog  moved  slowly  along,  I  could  detect,  but  still 
faintly,  the  outline  of  the  large,  irregular  building  which  I  had 
heard  them  call  the  Chateau  de  Goumont,  and  from  whence  I 
could  hear  the  clank  of  masonry,  as,  at  intervals,  the  wind  bore 
the  sounds  towards  me.  These  were  the  sappers  piercing  the 
walls  for  musketry ;  and  this  I  could  now  perceive  was  looked 
upon  as  a  position  of  no  small  importance.  Surrounded  by  a 
straggling  orchard  of  aged  fruit-trees,  the  chateau  lay  some 
hundred  yards  in  advance  of  the  British  line,  commanded  by 
two  eminences  ;  one  of  which,  in  the  possession  of  the  French, 
was  already  occupied  by  a  park  of  eleven  guns ;  of  the  other  I 
knew  nothing,  except  the  passing  glance  I  had  obtained  of  its 
position  on  the  map.  The  second  corps,  under  Jerome  Bona- 
parte, with  Foy  and  Kellermann's  brigade  of  light  artillery, 
stretched  behind  us.     On  the  right  of  these  came  D'Erlon's 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  969 

corps,  extending  to  a  small  wood,  which  my  companion  told  me 
was  Frischermont ;  while  Lobau's  division  was  stationed  to  the 
extreme  right  towards  St.  Lambert,  to  maintain  the  communi- 
cation with  Grouchy  at  Wavre,  or,  if  need  be,  to  repel  the 
advance  of  the  Prussians,  and  prevent  their  junction  with  the 
Anglo-Dutch  army.  The  Imperial  Guard,  with  the  cavalry, 
formed  the  reserve.  Such  was,  in  substance,  the  information 
given  me  by  my  guide,  who  seemed  to  expatiate  with  pleasure 
over  the  magnificent  array  of  battle,  while  he  felt  a  pride  in  dis- 
playing his  knowledge  of  the  various  divisions  and  their  leaders. 

"  I  see  the  Marshal  moving  towards  the  right,"  said  he  ;  "  we 
had  better  follow  him." 

It  was  now  about  eight  o'clock,  as  from  the  extremity  of  the 
line  I  could  see  a  party  of  horsemen  advancing  at  a  sharp 
canter. 

"  That  must  be  Ney,"  said  my  companion.  "  See  how  rashly 
he  approaches  the  English  lines  !  " 

And  so  it  was.  The  party  in  question  rode  fearlessly  down 
the  slope,  and  did  not  halt  until  they  reached  within  about 
three  hundred  yards  of  what  appeared  a  ruined  church. 

"  What  is  that  building  yonder  ?" 

"That — that,"  replied  he,  after  a  moment's  thought,  "that 
must  be  La  Haye  Sainte  ;  and  yonder,  to  the  right  of  it,  is  the 
road  to  Brussels.  There,  look  now  !  your  people  are  in  motion. 
See  !  a  column  is  moving  towards  the  right,  and  the  cavalry 
are  defiling  on  the  other  side  of  the  road.  I  was  mistaken — 
that  cannot  be  Ney.  Sacrc  Dicii  I  it  was  the  Emperor  himself, 
and  here  he  comes." 

As  he  spoke,  the  party  galloped  forward,  and  pulled  up  short 
within  a  few  yards  of  where  we  stood. 

"Ha!  "  cried  he,  as  his  sharp  glance  fell  upon  me,  "there 
is  my  taciturn  friend  of  Quatre  l^ras.  You  see,  sir,  I  can  dis- 
pense witii  your  assistance  now  ;  the  chess-board  is  before 
me  ;  "  and  then  added,  in  a  tone  he  intended  not  to  be  over- 
heard. "  Everything;  depends  on  Grouchy." 


970  CHARLES  a M ALLEY, 

"Well,  Haxo,"  he  called  out  to  an  officer  who  galloped  up, 
chapeau  in  hand,  "  what  say  you  ?  are  they  intrenched  in  that 
position  ?" 

"  No,  sire,  the  ground  is  open,  and  in  two  hours  more  will 
be  firm  enough  for  the  guns  to  manoeuvre." 

"  Now,  then,  for  breakfast,"  said  Napoleon,  as  with  an  easy 
and  tranquil  smile  he  turned  his  horse's  head,  and  cantered 
gently  up  the  heights  towards  La  Belle  Alliance.  As  he  ap- 
proached the  lines,  the  cry  of  "  Vive  F Efiipereur  .'''^  burst  forth. 
Regiment  after  regiment  took  it  up  ;  and  from  the  distant 
wood  of  Frischermont  to  the  far  left  beside  Merkebraine,  the 
shout  resounded.  So  sudden,  so  simultaneous  the  outbreak, 
that  he  himself,  accustomed  as  he  well  was  to  the  enthusiasm 
of  his  army,  seemed,  as  he  reined  in  his  horse,  and  looked 
with  proud  and  elated  eye  upon  the  countless  thousands, 
astounded  and  amazed.  He  lifted  with  slow  and  graceful 
action  his  unplumed  hat  above  his  head,  and,  while  he  bowed 
that  proud  front  before  which  kings  have  trembled,  the  ac- 
clamation burst  forth  anew,  and  rent  the  very  air. 

At  this  moment  the  sun  shone  brilliantly  out  from  the  dark 
clouds,  and  flashed  upon  the  shining  blades  and  glistening 
bayonets  along  the  line.  A  dark  and  louring  shadow  hung 
gloomily  over  the  British  position,  while  the  French  sparkled 
and  glittered  in  the  sunbeams.  His  quick  glance  passed  with 
lightning  speed  from  one  to  the  other  ;  and  I  thought  that,  in 
his  look,  upturned  to  heaven,  1  could  detect  the  flitting  thought 
which  bade  him  hope  it  was  an  augury.  The  bands  of  the  Im- 
perial Guard  burst  forth  in  joyous  and  triumphant  strains  ;  and 
amid  the  still  repeated  cries  of  '■'■  T Empereiir  !  F Empereur  J" 
he  rode  slowly  along  towards  La  Belle  Alliance. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  97 


CHAPTER  CXX. 

WATERLOO. 

Napoleon's  first  intention  was  to  open  the  battle  by  an 
attack  upon  the  extreme  right ;  but  Ney,  who  returned  from  an 
observation  of  the  ground,  informed  him  that  a  rivulet,  swollen 
by  the  late  rains,  had  now  become  a  foaming  torrent,  perfectly 
impassable  to  infantry.  To  avoid  this  difficulty  he  abandoned 
his  favorite  manoeuvre  of  a  flank  movement,  and  resolved  to 
attack  the  enemy  by  the  centre.  Launching  his  cavalry  and 
artillery  by  the  road  to  Brussels,  he  hoped  thus  to  cut  off  the 
communication  of  the  British  with  their  own  left,  as  well  as  with 
the  Prussians,  for  whom  he  trusted  that  Grouchy  would  be  more 
than  a  match. 

The  reserves  were  in  consequence  all  brought  up  to  the 
centre.  Seven  thousand  cavalry  and  a  massive  artillery  as- 
sembled upon  the  heights  of  La  Belle  Alliance,  and  waited  but 
the  order  to  march.  It  was  eleven  o'clock,  and  Napoleon 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  slowly  along  the  line  ;  again  the 
cry  of  "  Vive  F Einpereur  !^^  resounded,  and  the  bands  of  the 
various  regiments  struck  up  their  spirit-stirring  strains  as  the 
gorgeous  staff  moved  along.  On  the  British  side  all  was 
tranquil ;  and  still  the  different  divisions  appeared  to  have 
taken  up  their  ground,  and  the  long  ridge  Jrom  Ter-la-Haye  to 
Merke-braine  bristled  with  bayonets.  Nothing  could  possibly 
be  more  equal  than  the  circumstances  of  the  field.  Each  army 
possessed  an  eminence  whence  their  artillery  migiit  play.  A 
broad  and  sligiitly  undulating  v;illcy  lay  between  both.  The 
ground  permitted  in  all  places  both  cavalry  and  infantry  move- 
ments, and  except  the  crumbling  walls  of  the  C'iiateau  of 
Hougoumont,   or  the  farm-iiouse   of  La  11  aye    Saintc,  both  of 


972  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

which  were  occupied  by  the  British,  no  advantage  either  by 
nature  or  art  inclined  to  either  side.  It  was  a  fair  stand-up- 
fight.  It  was  the  mighty  tournament,  not  only  of  the  two  great- 
est nations,  but  the  two  deadliest  rivals  and  bitterest  enemies, 
led  on  by  the  two  greatest  military  geniuses  that  the  world  has 
ever  seen  :  it  might  not  be  too  much  to  say,  or  ever  will  see. 
As  for  me,  condemned  to  be  an  inactive  spectator  of  the  mighty 
struggle,  doomed  to  witness  all  the  deep-laid  schemes  and  well- 
devised  plans  of  attack  which  were  destined  for  the  overthrow 
of  my  country's  arms,  my  state  was  one  of  torture  and  suspense. 
I  sat  upon  the  little  rising  ground  of  Rossomme  :  before  me, 
in  the  valley,  where  yet  the  tall  corn  waved  in  ripe  luxuriance, 
stood  the  quiet  and  peaceful-looking  old  Chateau  of  Hougou- 
mont,  and  the  blossoming  branches  of  the  orchard  ;  the  birds 
were  gaily  singing  their  songs,  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  fatal 
musketry  was  to  be  heard,  and  through  my  glass  I  could  detect 
the  uniform  of  the  soldiers  who  held  the  position,  and  my  heart 
beat  anxiously  and  proudly  as  I  recognized  the  Guards.  In 
the  orchard  and  the  garden  were  stationed  some  riflemen — at 
least  their  dress  and  the  scattered  order  they  assumed  bespoke 
them  such.  While  I  looked,  the  tirailleurs  of  Jerome's  division 
advanced  from  the  front  of  the  line,  and,  descending  the  hill 
in  a  sling  trot,  broke  into  scattered  parties,  keeping  up,  as 
they  went,  a  desultory  and  irregular  fire.  The  English  skir- 
mishers, less  expert  in  this  peculiar  service,  soon  fell  back,  and 
the  head  of  Reille's  brigade  began  their  march  towards  the 
chateau.  The  English  artillery  is  unmasked  and  opens  its  fire. 
Kellermann  advances  at  a  gallop  his  twelve  pieces  of  artillery ; 
the  chateau  is  concealed  from  view  by  the  dense  smoke,  and 
as  the  attack  thickens,  fresh  troops  pour  forward,  the  artillery 
thundering  on  either  side  ;  the  entire  lines  of  both  armies  stand 
motionless  spectators  of  the  terrific  combat,  while  every  eye  is 
turned  towards  that  devoted  spot  from  whose  dense  mass  of 
cloud  and  smoke  the  bright  glare  of  artillery  is  flashing,  as  the 
crashing  masonry,   the  burning  rafters,  and  the  loud  yell  of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  973 

battle  add  to  the  frightful  interest  of  the  scene.  For  above  an 
hour  the  tremendous  attack  continues  without  cessation;  the 
artillery  stationed  upon  the  height  has  now  found  its  range, 
and  every  ringing  shot  tells  upon  the  tottering  walls  ;  some 
wounded  soldiers  return  faint  and  bleeding  from  the  conflict, 
but  there  are  few  who  escape.  A  crashing  volley  of  fire-arms  is 
now  heard  from  the  side  where  the  orchard  stands  ;  a  second, 
and  a  third  succeed,  one  after  the  other,  as  rapid  as  lightning 
itself.  A  silence  follows,  when,  after  a  few  moments,  a  deafen- 
ing cheer  bursts  forth,  and  an  aide-de-camp  gallops  up  to  say 
that  the  orchard  has  been  carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
the  Nassau  sharp-shooters  who  held  it  having,  after  a  desperate 
resistance,  retired  before  the  irresistible  onset  of  the  French 
infantry.  "^  nioi !  maintenant !"  said  General  Foy,  as  he 
drew  his  sabre,  and  rode  down  to  the  head  of  his  splendid 
division,  which,  anxious  for  the  word  to  advance,  was  standing 
in  the  valley.  '■'■En  ava?it/  nws  l>ra7'es,'"  cried  he,  while,  point- 
ing to  the  chiteau  with  his  sword,  he  dashed  boldly  forward. 
Scarcely  had  he  advanced  a  hundred  yards,  when  a  cannon- 
shot,  "  ricocheting  "  as  it  went,  struck  his  horse  in  the  counter, 
and  rolled  him  dead  on  the  plain.  Disengaging  himself  from 
the  lifeless  animal,  at  once  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  hurried 
forward.  The  column  was  soon  hid  from  my  view,  and  I  was 
left  to  mourn  over  the  seemingly  inevitable  fate  that  impended 
over  my  gallant  countrymen. 

In  the  intense  interest  which  chained  me  to  this  part  of  the 
field,  I  had  not  noticed  till  this  moment  that  the  Emperor  and 
his  staff  were  standing  scarcely  thirty  yards  from  where  I  was. 
Napoleon,  seated  upon  a  gray,  almost  white,  Arabian,  had 
suffered  the  reins  to  fall  loosely  on  the  neck,  as  he  held  with 
both  hands  his  telescope  to  his  eyes  ;  his  dress,  the  usual  green 
coat  with  white  facings,  the  uniform  of  the  r/uissrurs  n  cJicval, 
was  distinguished  merely  by  the  cross  of  the  legion  ;  his  high 
Ijoots  were  splashed  and  mud-stained,  from  riding  through  tiic 
deep  and  clayey  soil  ;    his   compact  and  clean-bred  ciiarger 


974^  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

looked  also  slightly  blown  and  heated,  but  he  himself,  and  I 
watched  his  features  well,  looked  calm,  composed,  and  tranquil- 
How  anxiously  did  I  scrutinize  that  face;  with  what  a  throb- 
bing heart  did  I  canvass  every  gesture,  hoping  to  find  some 
passing  trait  of  doubt,  of  difficulty,  or  of  hesitation  ;  but  none 
was  there  ;  unlike  one  who  looked  upon  the  harrowing  spectacle 
of  a  battle-field,  whose  all  was  depending  on  the  game  before 
him ;  gambling  with  one  throw  his  last,  his  only  stake,  and  that 
the  empire  of  the  world.  Yet,  could  I  picture  to  myself  one 
who  felt  at  peace  within  himself — naught  of  reproach,  naught 
of  regret  to  move  or  stir  his  spirit,  whose  tranquil  barque  had 
glided  over  the  calm  sea  of  life,  unruffled  by  the  breath  of  pas- 
sion— I  should  have  fancied  such  was  he. 

Beside  him  sat  one  whose  flashing  eye  and  changing  features 
looked  in  every  way  his  opposite ;  watching  with  intense 
anxiety  the  scene  of  the  deadly  struggle  round  the  chateau, 
every  look,  every  gesture  told  the  changing  fortune  of  the 
moment ;  his  broad  and  brawny  chest  glittered  with  orders 
and  decorations,  but  his  heavy  brow  and  louring  look,  flushed 
almost  black  with  excitement,  could  not  easily  be  forgotten. 
It  was  Soult,  who  in  his  quality  of  major-general,  accompanied 
the  Emperor  throughout  the  day. 

"  They  have  lost  it  again,  sire,"  said  the  Marshal,  passion- 
ately ;  "  and  see,  they  are  forming  beneath  the  cross-fire  of  the 
artillery;  the  head  of  the  column  keeps  not  its  formation  two 
minutes  together  :  why  does  he  not  move  up  ?  " 

"  Domont,  you  know  the  British  ;  what  troops  are  those  in 
the  orchard  ?     They  use  the  bayonet  well." 

The  officer  addressed  pointed  his  glass  for  a  moment  to  the 
spot.  Then,  turning  to  the  Emperor,  replied,  as  he  touched  his 
hat,     "  They  are  the  Guards,  sire." 

During  this  time  Napoleon  spoke  not  a  word ;  his  eye  ever 
bent  upon  the  battle,  he  seemed  to  pay  little  if  any  attention  to 
the  conversation  about  him.  As  he  looked,  an  aide-de-camp, 
breathless  and  heated,  galloped  up. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  975 

"  The  columns  of  attack  are  formed,  sire ;  everything  is  ready, 
and  the  Marshal  only  waits  the  order." 

Napoleon  turned  upon  his  saddle,  and,  directing  his  glass 
towards  Ney's  division,  looked  fixedly  for  some  moments  at 
them.  His  eye  moved  from  front  to  rear  slowly,  and  at  last, 
carrying  his  telescope  along  the  line,  he  fixed  it  steadily  upon 
the  far  left.  Here,  towards  St.  Lambert,  a  slight  cloud  seemed 
to  rest  on  the  horizon,  as  the  Emperor  continued  to  gaze 
steadfastly  at  it.  Every  glass  of  the  staff  was  speedily  turned 
in  that  direction. 

"  It  is  nothing  but  a  cloud ;  some  exhalation  from  the  low 
grounds  in  that  quarter,"  whispered  one. 

"To  me,"  said  another,  "They  look  like  trees,  part  of  the 
Bois  de  Wavre." 

"  They  are  men,"  said  the  Emperor,  speaking  for  the  first  time. 
"  Est-ce  Grouchy  ?     Est-ce  Bluchcr  ?  " 

Soult  inclines  to  believe  it  to  be  the  former,  and  proceeds  to 
give  his  reasons,  but  the  Emperor,  without  listening,  turns  to- 
wards Domont,  and  orders  him,  with  his  division  of  light 
cavalry  and  Subervic's  brigade,  to  proceed  thither  at  once. 
If  it  be  Grouchy,  to  establish  a  junction  with  him  ;  to  resist, 
should  it  prove  to  be  the  advanced  guard  of  Marshal  Blucher. 
Scarcely  is  the  order  given  when  a  cokuun  of  cavalry,  wheeling 
"  fours  about,"  unravels  itself  from  the  immense  mass,  and 
seems  to  serpentine  like  an  enormous  snake  between  tiie 
squares  of  the  mighty  army.  The  pace  increases  at  every 
Tuoment,  and  at  length  we  see  them  merge  from  the  extreme 
riglit  and  draw  up,  as  if  on  parade,  above  half-a-mile  from  tlie 
wood.  This  movement,  whicli  l)y  ils  precision  and  beauty 
had  attracted  our  entire  attention,  not  only  from  the  attack 
upon  Hougoumont,  l)ut  also  an  incident  which  Iiad  taken  place 
close  beside  us.  This  was  the  appearance  of  a  Prussian  hussar 
who  had  been  taken  prisoner  between  Wavre  and  Planchenoit : 
he  was  the  bearer  of  a  letter  from  Bulow  to  Wellington,  an- 
nouncing his  arrival  at  St.  Lambert,  and  asking  for  orders. 


976  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

This  at  once  explains  the  appearance  on  the  right ;  but  the 
prisoner  also  adds,  that  the  three  Prussian  corps  were  at 
Wavre,  having  pushed  their  patrols  two  leagues  from  that 
town  without  ever  encountering  any  portion  of  the  force  under 
the  command  of  Grouchy.  For  a  moment  not  a  word  is  spoken. 
A  silence  like  a  panic  pervades  the  staff ;  the  Emperor  him- 
self is  the  first  to  break  it. 

"  This  morning,"  said  he,  turning  toward  Soult,  "  the  chances 
were  ninety  to  one  in  our  favor;  Bulow's  arrival  has  already 
lost  us  thirty  of  the  number  ;  but  the  odds  are  still  sufficient, 
if  Grouchy  but  repair  the  horrible  fault  he  has  committed." 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  and,  as  he  lifted  up  his  own  hand, 
and  turned  a  look  of  indignant  passion  toward  the  staff,  added, 
in  a  voice  the  sarcasm  of  whose  tone  there  is  no  forget- 
ting :— 

'■'■  II  s'ainuse  a  Gemhloux  !  Still,"  said  he,  speaking  rapidly 
and  with  more  energy  than  I  had  hitherto  noticed, 
"  Bulow  may  be  entirely  cut  off.  Let  an  officer  approach. 
Take  this  letter,  sir," — giving,  as  he  spoke,  Bulow's  letter  to 
Lord  Wellington — "  give  this  letter  to  Marshal  Grouchy  ;  tell 
him  that  at  this  moment  he  should  be  before  Wavre  ;  tell  him 

that  already,   had    he   obeyed  his  orders but  no,   tell  him 

to  march  at  once,  to  press  forward  his  cavalry,  to  come 
up  in  two  hours,  in  three  at  furthest.  You  have  but  five 
leagues  to  ride ;  see,  sir,  that  you  reach  him  within  an 
hour." 

As  the  officer  hurries  away  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  an  aide- 
de-camp  from  General  Domont  confirms  the  news ;  they  are 
the  Prussians  whom  he  has  before  him.  As  yet,  however,  they 
are  debouching  from  the  wood,  and  have  attempted  no  forward 
movement. 

"  What's  Bulow's  force.  Marshal  ?  " 

"  Thirty  thousand,  sire." 

"  Let  Lobau  take  ten  thousand,  with  the  Cuirassiers  of  the 
Young  Guard,  and  hold  the  Prussians  in  check." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  977 

"  Maintenant,  pour  les  autresT  This  he  said  with  a  smile,  as 
he  turned  his  eyes  once  more  towards  the  field  of  battle.  The 
aide-de-camp  of  Marshal  Ney,  who,  bare-headed  and  expectant, 
sat  waiting  for  orders,  presented  himself  to  view.  The 
Emperor  turned  towards  him  as  he  said,  with  a  clear  and  firm 
voice  : — 

"  Tell  the  Marshal  to  open  the  fire  of  his  batteries  ;  to  carry 
La  Haye  Sainte  w^ith  the  bayonet,  and,  leaving  an  infantry 
division  for  its  protection,  to  march  against  La  Papelotte  and 
La  Haye.     They  must  be  carried  by  the  bayonet." 

The  aide-de-camp  was  gone  ;  Napoleon's  eye  followed  him 
as  he  crossed  the  open  plain  and  was  lost  in  the  dense  ranks 
of  the  dark  columns.  Scarcely  five  minutes  elapsed  when 
eighty  guns  thundered  out  together,  and,  as  the  earth  shook 
and  trembled  beneath,  the  mighty  movement  of  the  day  began 
its  execution.  From  Hougoumont,  where  the  slaugl/fer  and 
the  carnage  continued  unslackened  and  unstayed,  every  eye 
was  now  turned  towards  the  right.  I  knew  not  what  troops  oc- 
cupied La  Haye  Sainte,  or  whether  they  were  British  who 
crowned  the  heights  above  it ;  but  in  my  heart  how  fervently 
did  I  pray  that  they  might  be  so.  Oh  !  in  that  moment  of  sus- 
pense and  agonizing  doubt,  what  would  I  not  have  given  to 
know  that  Picton  himself  and  the  fighting  Fifth  were  there  ; 
that  behind  that  ridge  the  Greys,  the  Royals,  and  the  Ennis- 
killeners  sat  motionless,  but  burning  to  advance  ;  and  the 
breath  of  battle  waved  among  the  tartans  of  the  Highlanders, 
and  blew  upon  the  flashing  features  of  my  own  island  country- 
men. Had  I  known  this,  I  could  have  marked  the  onset  with 
a  less  failing  spirit. 

"There  goes  Marcognet's  division,"  said  my  comixmion, 
springing  to  his  legs;  "they're  moving  to  the  right  of  the 
road.  I  should  like  to  see  the  troops  that  will  stand  before 
tliem." 

So  saying,  he  mounted  liis  horse,  and,  desiring  me  to  accom- 
pany him,  rode  to  tlie   height  beside  La   Pelle  Alliance.     The 


97^  CHARLES  o'MaLLEV, 

battle  was  now  raging  from  the  Chateau  de  Hougoumont  to 
St.  Lambert,  where  the  Prussian  tirailleurs,  as  they  issued 
from  the  wood,  were  skirmishing  with  the  advanced  posts  of 
Lobau's  brigade.  The  attack  upon  the  centre,  however, 
engrossed  all  my  attention,  and  I  watched  the  dark  columns 
as  they  descended  into  the  plain,  while  the  incessant  roll  of 
the  artillery  played  about  them.  To  the  right  of  Ney's  attack, 
D'Erlon  advanced  with  three  divisions,  and  the  artillery  of  the 
Guard.  Towards  this  part  of  the  field  my  companion  moved. 
General  le  Vasseur  desired  to  know  if  the  division  on  the 
Brussels  road  were  English  or  Hanoverian  troops,  and  I  was  sent 
for  to  answer  the  question.  We  passed  from  square  to  square 
until  at  length  we  found  ourselves  upon  the  flank  of  D'Erlon's 
division.  Le  Vasseur,  who  at  the  head  of  his  cuirassiers 
waited  but  the  order  to  charge,  waved  impatiently  with  his 
sword  for  us  to  approach.  We  were  now  to  the  right  of  the 
high  road,  and  about  four  hundred  yards  from  the  crest  of  the 
hill  where,  protected  by  a  slight  hedge,  Picton,  with  Kempt's 
brigade,  waited  the  attack  of  the  enemy. 

Just  at  this  moment  an  incident  took  place  which,  while  in 
itself  one  of  the  most  brilliant  achievements  of  the  day,  changed 
in  a  signal  manner  my  own  fortunes.  The  head  of  D'Erlon's 
column  pressed  with  fixed  bayonets  up  the  gentle  slope.  Al- 
ready the  Belgian  infantry  give  way  before  them.  The  brave 
Brunswickers,  overwhelmed  by  the  heavy  cavalry  of  France,  at 
first  begin  to  waver  ;  then  are  broken  ;  and  at  last  retreat  in 
disorder  up  the  road,  a  whirlwind  of  pursuing  squadrons 
thundering  behind  them.  "  En  avant  I  en  avant  !  la  vidoire 
est  a  nous,''  is  shouted  madly  through  the  impatient  ranks  ; 
and  the  artillery  is  called  up  to  play  upon  the  British  squares ; 
upon  which,  fixed  and  immovable,  the  cuirassiers  have  charged 
without  success.  Like  a  thunderbolt,  the  flying  artillery 
dashes  to  the  front ;  but  scarcely  has  it  reached  the  bottom  of 
the  ascent,  when,  from  the  deep  ground,  the  guns  become 
embedded   in  the  soil :    the  wheels  refuse  to  move.     In  vain 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  979 

the  artillery  drivers  whip  and  spur  their  laboring  cattle. 
Impatiently  the  leading  files  of  the  column  prick  with  their 
bayonets  the  struggling  horses.  The  hesitation  is  fatal ;  for 
Wellington,  who,  with  eagle  glance,  watches  from  an  eminence 
beside  the  high  road  the  advancing  column,  sees  the  accident. 
An  order  is  given  ;  and,  with  one  fell  swoop,  the  heavy  cavalry 
brigade  pour  down.  Picton's  division  deploys  into  line  ;  the 
bayonets  glance  above  the  ridge  ;  and,  with  a  shout  that  tells 
above  the  battle,  on  they  come,  the  fighting  Fifth.  One 
volley  is  exchanged ;  but  the  bayonet  is  now  brought  to  the 
charge,  and  the  French  division  retreat  in  close  column, 
pursued  by  their  gallant  enemy.  Scarcely  have  the  leading 
divisions  fallen  back,  and  the  rear  pressed  down  upon,  or 
thrown  into  disorder,  when  the  cavalry  trumpets  sound  a 
charge  :  the  bright  helmets  of  the  Enniskilleners  come  flashing 
in  the  sunbeams,  and  the  Scotch  Greys,  like  a  white-crested 
wave,  are  rolling  upon  the  foe.  Marcognet's  division  is 
surrounded  ;  tlie  dragoons  ride  them  down  on  every  side  ;  the 
guns  are  captured  ;  the  drivers  cut  down,  and  two  thousand 
prisoners  are  carried  off.  A  sudden  panic  seems  to  seize  upon 
the  French,  as  cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery,  are  hurried  back 
on  each  other.  Vainly  the  French  attempt  to  rally  :  the 
untiring  enemy  press  madly  on  ;  the  household  brigade,  led 
on  by  Lord  Uxbridge,  came  thundering  down  the  road,  riding 
down  with  their  gigantic  force  the  mailed  cuirassiers  of  France, 
liorne  along  with  the  retreating  torrents,  I  was  carried  on 
amidst  the  densely  commingled  mass.  The  IJritish  cavalry, 
which,  like  the  lightnings  that  sev(M"  the  ihunder-cltnid,  pierce 
through  in  every  direction,  plunged  madly  upon  us.  The  roar 
of  battle  grew  louder,  as  hand  to  liand  they  foughl.  Milhaud's 
heavy  dragoons,  with  the  4lh  I^ancers,  came  up  nt  a  gallop. 
I'icton  presses  forward,  waving  iiis  phinied  hat  a])ove  iiis 
iu-ad  ;  his  proud  eye  flasiies  willi  (he  lire  of  victory.  That 
moment  is  his  last.  Struck  in  the  forehead  by  a  musket-hall, 
he  falls  dead  from   the  saddle  ;  and  the  wild  yell   of  the  Irish 


980  CHARLES  &M ALLEY. 

regiments,  as  they  ring  his  death-cry,  are  the  last  sounds  which 
he  hears.  Meanwhile,  the  Life  Guards  are  among  us  ;  pris- 
oners of  rank  are  captured  on  every  side  :  and  I,  seizing  the 
inoment,  throw  myself  among  the  ranks  of  my  countrymen, 
and  am  borne  to  the  rear  with  the  retiring  squadrons. 

As  we  reached  the  crest  of  the  hill  above  the  road,  a  loud 
cheer  in  the  valley  beneath  us  burst  forth,  and  from  the  midst 
of  the  dense  smoke  a  bright  and  pointed  flame  shot  up  towards 
the  sky.  It  was  the  farm-house  La  Haye  Sainte,  which  the 
French  had  succeeded  in  setting  fire  to  with  hot  shot.  For 
some  time  past  the  ammunition  of  the  corps  that  held  it  had 
failed,  and  a  dropping  irregular  musketry  was  the  only  reply  to 
the  incessant  rattle  of  the  enemy.  As  the  smoke  cleared 
away  we  discovered  that  the  French  had  carried  the  position ; 
and,  as  no  quarter  was  given  in  that  deadly  hand-to-hand  con- 
flict, not  one  returned  to  our  ranks  to  tell  the  tale  of  their 
defeat. 

"  This  is  the  officer  that  I  spoke  of,"  said  an  aide-de-camp, 
as  he  rode  up  to  where  I  was  standing,  bare-headed  and 
without  a  sword.  "  He  has  just  made  his  escape  from  the 
French  lines,  and  will  be  able  to  give  your  Lordship  some  in- 
formation." 

The  handsome  features  and  gorgeous  costume  of  Lord 
Uxbridge  were  known  to  me  ;  but  I  was  not  aware,  till  after- 
wards, that  a  soldier-like,  resolute-looking  officer  beside  him  was 
General  Graham.     It  was  the  latter  who  first  addressed  me. 

"  Are  you  aware,  sir,"  said  he,  "  if  Grouchy's  force  is 
arrived  ? " 

"  They  had  not :  on  the  contrary,  as,  shortly  before  I 
escaped,  an  aide-de-camp  was  despatched  to  Gembloux,  to 
hasten  his  coming.  And  the  troops,  for  they  must  be  troops, 
were  debouching  from  the  wood  yonder.  They  seem  to  form 
a  junction  with  the  corps  to  the  right ;  they  are  the  Prussians. 
They  arrived  there  before  noon  from  St.  Lambert,  and  are  part 
of    Bulow's   corps.      Count    Lobau    and   his    division    of   ten 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  981 

thousand  men  were  despatched,  about  an  hour  since,  to  hold 
them  in  check." 

"  This  is  great  news,"  said  Lord  Uxbridge.  "  Fitzroy  must 
know  it  at  once." 

So  saying,  he  dashed  spurs  into  his  horse,  and  soon  dis- 
appeared amid  the  crowd  on  the  hill-top. 

"  You  had  better  see  the  Duke,  sir,"  said  Graham.  "  Your 
Information  is  too  important  to  be  delayed.  Captain  Calvert, 
let  this  officer  have  a  horse  ;  his  own  is  too  tired  to  go  much 
further." 

"  And  a  cap,  I  beg  of  you,"  added  I,  in  an  undertone,  "for 
I  have  already  found  a  sabre." 

By  a  slight  circuitous  route  we  reached  the  road,  upon  which 
a  mass  of  dismounted  artillery-carts,  baggage-wagons,  and 
tumbrils  were  heaped  together  as  a  barricade  against  the  attack 
of  the  French  dragoons,  who  more  than  once  had  penetrated 
to  the  very  crest  of  our  position.  Close  to  this,  and  on  a  little 
rising  ground,  from  which  a  view  of  the  entire  field  extended, 
from  Hougoumont  to  the  far  left,  the  Duke  of  Wellington  stood 
surrounded  by  his  staff.  His  eye  was  bent  upon  the  valley 
before  him,  where  the  advancing  columns  of  Ney's  attack  still 
pressed  onwards ;  wliile  the  fire  of  sixty  great  guns  poured 
death  and  carnage  into  his  lines.  The  second  Belgian  division, 
routed  and  broken,  had  fallen  back  upon  the  27th  Regiment, 
who  had  merely  time  to  throw  themselves  into  square,  when 
Milhaud's  cuirassiers,  armed  with  their  terrible  long,  straight 
swords,  came  sweeping  down  upon  them.  A  line  of  impass- 
able bayonets,  a  living  chcvaux-de-frise  of  the  best  blood  of 
Britain,  stood  firm  and  motionless  before  the  shock.  'I'he 
French  mitrailk  played  mercilessly  on  the  ranks,  but  the 
chasms  were  filled  up  like  magic,  and  in  vain  tlie  bold  horse- 
men of  Gaul  galloped  round  the  bristling  files.  At  length  the 
word  "  I''ire  !  "  was  heard  within  the  square,  and,  as  tiie  bullets 
at  pistol-range  rattled  upon  them,  the  cuirass  afforded  them  no 
defence   against  the    deadly    volley.     Men  and  horses  rolled 


982  CHARLES  O'MALLEY, 

indiscriminately  upon  the  earth.  Then  would  come  a  charge 
of  our  dashing  squadrons,  who,  riding  recklessly  upon  the  foe 
were,  in  their  turn,  to  be  repulsed  by  numbers,  and  fresh  attacks 
poured  down  upon  our  unshaken  infantry. 

"That  column  yonder  is  wavering.  Why  does  he  not  bring 
up  his  supporting  squadrons  ?  "  inquired  the  Duke,  pointing  to 
a  Belgian  regiment  of  light  dragoons,  who  were  formed  in  the 
same  brigade  with  the  7th  Hussars. 

"  He  refuses  to  oppose  his  light  cavalry  to  cuirassiers,  my 
Lord,"  said  an  aide-de-camp,  who  had  just  returned  from  the 
division  in  question. 

"Tell  him  to  march  his  men  off  the  ground,"  said  the  Duke, 
with  a  quiet  and  impassive  tone. 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  the  "Belgian  regiment"  was  seen 
to  defile  from  the  mass,  and  take  the  road  to  Brussels,  to  in- 
crease the  panic  of  that  city,  by  circulating  and  strengthening 
the  report  that  the  English  were  beaten,  and  Napoleon  in  full 
march  upon  the  capital. 

"What's  Ney's  force?  can  you  guess,  sir?"  said  the  Duke 
of  Wellington,  turning  to  me. 

"  About  twelve  thousand  men,  my  Lord." 

"  Are  the  Guard  among  them  ?  " 

"No,  sir;  the  Guard  are  in  reserve  above  La  Belle  Alliance." 

"  In  what  part  of  the  field  is  Bonaparte  ?  " 

"  Nearly  opposite  to  where  we  stand." 

"  I  told  you,  gentlemen,  Hougoumont  never  was  the  great 
attack.  The  battle  must  be  decided  here,"  pointing,  as  he 
spoke,  to  the  plain  beneath  us,  where  Ney  still  poured  on  his 
devoted  columns,where  yet  the  French  cavalry  rode  down  upon 
our  firm  squares. 

As  he  spoke,  an  aide-de-camp  rode  up  from  the  valley. 

"  The  Ninety-second  requires  support,  my  Lord.  They  can- 
not maintain  their  position  half-an-hour  longer  without  it." 

"  Have  they  given  way,  sir  ?  " 

«  No " 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  983 

"  Well,  then,  they  must  stand  where  they  are.  I  hear  cannon 
towards  the  left ;  yonder,  near  Frischermont." 

At  this  moment  the  light  cavalry  swept  past  the  base  of  the 
hill  on  which  we  stood,  hotly  followed  by  the  French  heavy 
cuirassier  brigade.  Three  of  our  guns  were  taken ;  and  the 
cheering  of  the  French  infantry,  as  they  advanced  to  the  charge, 
presaged  their  hope  of  victory. 

"  Do  it  then,"  said  the  Duke,  in  reply  to  some  whispered 
question  of  Lord  Uxbridge  ;  and  shortly  after  the  heavy  trot  of 
advancing  squadrons  was  heard  behind. 

Tliey  were  the  Life  Guards  and  the  Blues,  who,  with  the  ist 
Dragoon  Guards  and  the  Enniskilleners,  were  formed  into  close 
column. 

"  I  know  the  ground,  my  Lord,"  said  I  to  Lord  Uxbridge. 

"  Come  along,  sir,  come  along,"  said  he,  as  he  threw  his  hussar 
jacket  loosely  behind  him,  to  give  freedom  to  his  sword-arm. 
"  Forward,  my  men,  forward  ;  but  steady,  hold  your  horses  in 
hand,  threes  about,  and  together,  charge." 

"  Charge  !  "  he  shouted  ;  while,  as  the  word  flew  from  squad- 
ron to  squadron,  each  horseman  bent  upon  his  saddle,  and  that 
mighty  mass,  as  though  instinct  with  but  one  spirit,  dashed 
like  a  thunderbolt  upon  the  column  beneath  them.  The 
French,  blown  and  exhausted,  inferior  besides  in  weight,  both 
of  man  and  horse,  offered  but  a  short  resistance.  As  the  tall 
corn  bends  beneath  the  sweeping  hurricane,  wave  succeeding 
wave,  so  did  the  steel-clad  squadrons  of  TVance  fall  before  the 
nervous  arm  of  IJrilain's  cavalry.  Onward  they  went,  carrying 
death  and  ruin  before  them,  and  never  stayed  their  course 
until  the  guns  were  recaptured,  and  the  cuirassiers,  repulsed, 
disordered,  and  Ijroken,  had  retired  beneath  the  protection 
of    their  artillery. 

There  was,  as  a  brilliant  and  eloquent  writer  on  the  subject 
mentions,  a  terrible  sameness  in  the  whole  of  this  battle.  In- 
cessant charges  of  cavalry  upon  the  squares  of  our  infantry, 
whose  sole  manoeuvre  consisted   in  cither  deploying  into  line 


984  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

to  resist  the  attack  of  the  infantry,  or  falHng  back  into  square 
when  the  cavalry  advanced  ;  performing  those  two  evolutions 
under  the  devastating  fire  of  artillery,  before  the  unflinching 
heroism  of  that  veteran  infantry  whose  glories  had  been  reaped 
upon  the  blood-stained  fields  of  Austerlitz,  Marengo,  and 
Wagram,  or  opposing  an  unbroken  front  to  the  whirlwind  swoop 
of  infuriated  cavalry.  Such  were  the  enduring  and  devoted 
services  demanded  from  the  English  troops,  and  such  they 
failed  not  to  render.  Once  or  twice  had  temper  nearly  failed 
them,  and  the  cry  ran  through  the  ranks,  "  Are  we  never  to 
move  forward  ?  Only  let  us  at  them  !  "  But  the  word  was  not 
yet  spoken  which  was  to  undam  the  pent-up  torrent,  and  bear 
down  with  unrelenting  vengeance  upon  the  now  exulting 
columns  of  the  enemy. 

It  was  six  o'clock  :  the  battle  had  continued  with  unchanged 
fortune  for  three  hours.  The  French,  masters  of  La  Haye 
Sainte,  could  never  advance  further  into  our  position.  They 
had  gained  the  orchard  of  Hougoumont,  but  the  chateau  was 
still  held  by  the  British  Guards,  although  its  blazing  roof  and 
crumbling  walls  made  its  occupation  rather  the  desperate  stand 
of  unflinching  valor  than  the  maintenance  of  an  important 
position.  The  smoke  which  hung  upon  the  field  rolled  in  slow 
and  heavy  masses  back  upon  the  French  lines,  and  gradually 
discovered  to  our  view  the  entire  of  the  army.  We  quickly 
perceived  that  a  change  was  taking  place  in  their  position.  The 
troops,  which  on  their  left  stretched  far  beyond  Hougoumont, 
were  now  moved  nearer  to  the  centre.  The  attack  upon  the 
chateau  seemed  less  vigorously  supported,  while  the  oblique 
direction  of  their  right  wing,  which,  pivoting  upon  Planchenoit, 
opposed  a  face  to  the  Prussians,  all  denoted  a  change  in  their 
order  of  battle.  It  was  now  the  hour  when  Napoleon,  at  last 
convinced  that  nothing  but  the  carnage  he  could  no  longer 
support  could  destroy  the  unyielding  ranks  of  British  infantry; 
that  although  Hougoumont  had  been  partially.  La  Haye  Sainte 
completely  won  ;  that  upon  the  right  of  the  road  the  farm- 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  985 

houses  Papelotte  and  La  Haye  were  nearly  surrounded  by  his 
troops,  which  with  any  other  army  must  prove  the  forerunner 
of  defeat,  yet  still  the  victory  was  beyond  his  grasp.  The  bold 
stratagems,  whose  success  the  experience  of  a  life  had  proved, 
were  here  to  be  found  powerless.  The  decisive  manoeuvre  of 
carrying  one  important  point  of  the  enemy's  lines,  of  turning 
him  upon  the  flank,  or  piercing  him  through  the  centre,  were 
here  found  impracticable.  He  might  launch  his  avalanche  of 
grape-shot,  he  might  pour  down  his  crashing  columns  of 
cavalry,  he  might  send  forth  the  iron  storm  of  his  brave  infantry  ; 
but,  though  death  in  every  shape  heralded  their  approach,  still 
were  others  found  to  fill  the  fallen  ranks,  and  feed  with  their 
heart's  blood  the  unslaked  thirst  for  slaughter.  Well  might 
the  gallant  leader  of  his  gallant  host,  as  he  watched  the  reck- 
less onslaught  of  the  untiring  enemy,  and  looked  upon  the  un- 
flinching few  who,  bearing  the  proud  badge  of  Britain,  alone 
sustained  the  fight,  well  might  he  exclaim,  "  Night  or 
lilucher  !  " 

It  was  now  seven  o'clock,  when  a  dark  mass  was  seen  to 
form  upon  the  heights  above  the  French  centre,  and  divide 
into  three  gigantic  columns,  of  which  the  right  occupied  the 
I'.russels  road.  These  were  the  reserves,  consisting  of  the  Old 
and  Young  Guards,  and  amounting  to  twelve  thousand — the 
elite  of  the  French  army — reserved  by  the  Finpcror  for  a  great 
coup  tie  main.  These  veterans  of  a  hundred  battles  had  been 
stationed,  from  the  beginning  of  the  day,  inactive  spectators  of 
the  fight ;  their  hour  was  now  come,  and,  with  a  shout  of  "  F/Vr 
r Empcreur  r''  which  rose  triumphantly  over  the  din  and  crash 
of  battle,  they  began  their  march.  Meanwhile,  aides-decamp 
galloped  along  the  lines,  announcing  the  arrival  of  Grouchy,  to 
reanimate  tiie  drooping  spirits  of  the  men  ;  for,  at  last,  a 
doubt  of  victory  was  breaking  upon  the  minds  of  tiiose  who 
never  before,  in  the  most  adverse  hour  of  fortune,  deemed  his 
star  could  be  set  that  led  them  on  to  glory. 

"  They  are  coming  ;  the  attack  will  be  made  on  the  centre, 


06  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

my  Lord,"  said  Lord  Fitzroy  Somerset,  as  he  directed  his  glass 
upon  the  column.  Scarcely  had  he  spoken,  when  the  telescope 
fell  from  his  hand,  as  his  arm,  shattered  by  a  French  bullet, 
fell  motionless  to  his  side. 

"  I  see  it,"  was  the  cool  reply  of  the  Duke,  as  he  ordered  the 
Guards  to  deploy  into  line,  and  lie  down  behind  the  ridge, 
which  now  the  French  artillery  had  found  the  range  of,  and 
were  laboring  at  their  guns.  In  front  of  them  the  Fifty-second, 
Seventy-first,  and  Ninety-fifth  were  formed ;  the  artillery 
stationed  above  and  partly  upon  the  road,  loaded  with  grape, 
and  waited  but  the  word  to  open. 

It  was  an  awful,  a  dreadful  moment :  the  Prussian  cannon 
thundered  on  our  left ;  but  so  desperate  was  the  French  resist- 
ance, they  made  but  little  progress  :  the  dark  columns  of  the 
Guard  had  now  commenced  the  ascent,  and  the  artillery  ceased 
their  fire  as  the  bayonets  of  the  grenadiers  showed  themselves 
upon  the  slope.  Then  began  that  tremendous  cheer  from  right 
to  left  of  our  line,  which  those  who  heard  never  can  forget. 
It  was  the  impatient,  long-restrained  burst  of  unslaked  ven- 
geance. With  the  instinct  which  valor  teaches,  they  knew  the 
hour  of  trial  was  come  ;  and  that  wild  cry  flew  from  rank  to 
rank,  echoing  from  the  blood-stained  walls  of  Hougoumont  to 
the  far-off  valley  of  La  Papelotte.  "  They  come  !  they  come  !  " 
was  the  cry;  and  the  shout  of  "  Vive  r  Empereur  P'  mingled 
with  the  outburst  of  the  British  line. 

Under  an  overwhelming  shower  of  grape,  to  which  suc- 
ceeded a  charge  of  cavalry  of  the  Imperial  Guard,  the  head  of 
Ney's  column  fired  its  volley  and  advanced  with  the  bayonet. 
The  British  artillery  now  opened  at  half  range,  and,  although 
the  plunging  fire  scathed  and  devastated  the  dark  ranks  of  the 
Guard,  on  they  came,  Ney  himself,  on  foot,  at  their  head. 
Twice  the  leading  division  of  that  gallant  column  turned  com- 
pletely round,  as  the  withering  fire  wasted  and  consumed 
them  ;  but  they  were  resolved    to  win. 

Already  they  gained  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  the  first  line  of 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  987 

the  British  were  falling  back  before  them.     The  artillery  closes 
up  ;  the  flanking  fire  from  the  guns  upon  the  road  opens  upon 
them  ;  the  head  of  their  column  breaks  like  a  shell ;  the  Duke 
seizes  the  moment,  and  advances  on  foot  towards  the  ridge. 
"  Up,  Guards,  and  at  them  !  "  he  cried. 

The  hour  of  triumph  and  vengeance  had  arrived.  In  a 
moment  the  Guards  were  on  their  feet ;  one  volley  was  poured 
m ;  the  bayonets  were  brought  to  the  charge ;  they  closed 
upon  the  enemy ;  then  was  seen  the  most  dreadful  struggle 
that  the  history  of  all  war  can  present.  Furious  with  long- 
restrained  passion,  the  Guards  rushed  upon  the  leading 
divisions  ;  the  Seventy-first,  and  Ninety-fifth,  and  Twenty-sixth 
overlapped  them  on  the  flanks.  Their  generals  fell  thickly  on 
every  side  ;  Michel,  Jamier,  and  Mallet  are  killed ;  Friant  lies 
wounded  upon  the  ground  ;  Ney,  his  dress  pierced  and  ragged 
with  balls,  shouts  still  to  advance  ;  but  the  leading  files  waver  ; 
they  fall  back  ;  the  supporting  divisions  thicken  ;  confusion, 
panic  succeeds ;  the  British  press  down  ;  the  cavalry  come 
galloping  up  to  their  assistance  ;  and  at  last,  pell-mell,  over- 
whelmed and  beaten,  the  French  fell  back  upon  the  Old  Guard. 
This  was  the  decisive  moment  of  the  day — the  Duke  closed 
his  glass,  as  he  said, — 

"  The  field  is  won.     Order  the  whole  line  to  advance." 
On  they  came,  four  deep,  and  poured  like  a  torrent  from  the 
height. 

"  Let  the  Life  Guards  charge  them,"  said  the  Duke ;  but 
every  aide-de-camp  on  his  staff  was  wounded,  and  I  myself 
brought  the  order  to  Lord  Uxbridge. 

Lord  Uxbridge  had  already  anticipated  his  orders,  and  bore 
down  with  four  regiments  of  heavy  cavalry  upon  tlie  I'"rench 
centre.  The  Prussian  artillery  thundered  upon  their  ll.vnk, 
and  at  their  rear.  'I'he  J5ritish  bayonet  was  in  their  front ; 
while  a  panic  fear  spread  through  tlieir  ranks,  and  the  cry  of 
'■'■  Saui'c  qui  pent !''  resounded  on  all  sides.  In  vain  Ney,  the 
bravest  of  the  brave  ;  in  vain  Soult,  Bertrand,  Gourgaud,  and 


988  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

Labedoyere,  burst  from  the  broken,  disorganized  mass,  and 
called  on  them  to  stand  fast.  A  battalion  of  the  Old  Guard, 
with  Cambronne  at  their  head,  alone  obeyed  the  summons ; 
forming  into  square,  they  stood  between  the  pursuers  and  their 
prey,  offering  themselves  a  sacrifice  to  the  tarnished  honor  of 
their  arms  :  to  the  order  to  surrender  they  answered  with  a  cry 
of  defiance  ;  and  as  our  cavalry,  flushed  and  elated  with  victory, 
rode  round  their  bristling  ranks,  no  quailing  look,  no  craven 
spirit  was  there.  The  Emperor  himself  endeavored  to  repair 
the  disaster  ;  he  rode  with  lightning  speed  hither  and  thither, 
commanding,  ordering,  nay  imploring,  too;  but  already  the 
night  was  falling,  the  confusion  became  each  moment  more 
inextricable,  and  the  effort  was  a  fruitless  one.  A  regiment 
of  the  Guards,  and  two  batteries  were  in  reserve  behind 
Planchenoit  :  he  threw  them  rapidly  into  position ;  but  the 
overwhelming  impulse  of  flight  drove  the  mass  upon  them, 
and  they  were  carried  away  upon  the  torrent  of  the  beaten 
army.  No  sooner  did  the  Emperor  see  this  his  last  hope  desert 
him,  than  he  dismounted  from  his  horse,  and,  drawing  his 
sword,  threw  himself  into  a  square,  which  the  first  regiment 
of  Chasseurs  of  the  Old  Guard  had  formed  with  a  remnant  of 
the  battalion.     Jerome  followed  him,  as  he  called  out, — 

"  You  are  right,  brother  :  here  should  perish  all  who  bear 
the  name  of  Bonaparte." 

The  same  moment  the  Prussian  light  artillery  rend  the  ranks 
asunder,  and  the  cavalry  charge  down  upon  the  scattered  frag- 
ments. A  few  of  his  staff,  who  never  left  him,  place  the  Em- 
peror upon  a  horse  and  fly  through  the  death-dealing  artillery 
and  musketry.  A  squadron  of  the  Life  Guards,  to  which  I 
had  attached  myself,  came  up  at  the  moment,  and  as  Blucher's 
hussars  rode  madly  here  and  there,  where  so  lately  the  crowd 
of  staff  officers  had  denoted  the  presence  of  Napoleon,  expressed 
their  rage  and  disappointment  in  curses  and  cries  of  ven- 
geance. 

Cambronne's  battalion  stood  yet  unbroken,  and  seemed   to 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON'.  989 

defy  every  attack  that  was  brought  against  them.  To  the 
second  summons  to  surrender  they  repUed  as  indignantly  as  at 
first ;  and  Vivian's  brigade  was  ordered  to  charge  them.  A 
cloud  of  British  horse  bore  down  on  every  face  of  the  devoted 
square ;  but  firm  as  in  their  hour  of  victory,  the  heroes  of 
Marengo  never  quailed  ;  and  twice  the  bravest  blood  of  Britain 
recoiled,  baffled  and  dismayed.  There  was  a  pause  for  some 
minutes,  and  even  then,  as  we  surveyed  our  broken  and  blood- 
stained squadrons,  a  cry  of  admiration  burst  from  our  ranks 
at  the  gallant  bearing  of  that  glorious  infantry.  Suddenly  the 
tramp  of  approaching  cavalry  was  heard  ;  I  turned  my  head 
and  saw  two  squadrons  of  the  Second  Life  Guards.  The  offi- 
cer who  led  them  on  was  bare-headed;  his  long  dark  hair 
streaming  wildly  behind  him  and  upon  his  pale  features,  to 
which  not  even  the  headlong  enthusiasm  of  battle  had  lent  one 
touch  of  color.  He  rode  straight  to  where  I  was  standing,  his 
dark  eyes  fixed  upon  me  with  a  look  so  fierce,  so  penetrating, 
that  I  could  not  look  away  :  the  features,  save  in  this  respect, 
had  almost  a  look  of  idiocy.     It  was  Hammersley. 

"  Ha  !  "  he  cried  at  last,  "  I  have  sought  you  out  the  entire 
day,  but  in  vain.  It  is  not  yet  too  late.  Give  me  your  hand, 
boy.  You  once  called  on  me  to  io\\o\N  you,  and  I  did  not  re- 
fuse ;   I  trust  you'll  do  the  like  by  inc.     Is  it  not  so  ?  " 

A  terrible  perception  of  his  meaning  shot  through  my  mind 
as  I  clasped  his  clay-cold  hand  in  mine,  and  for  a  moment  I 
did  not  speak. 

"  I  hoped  for  better  than  this,"  said  he,  bitterly,  and  as  a 
glance  of  withering  scorn  flashed  from  his  eye.  "  I  did  trust 
that  he  who  was  preferred  before  me  was  at  least  not  a 
coward." 

As  the  word  fell  from  his  lips  I  nearly  leaped  from  my  saddle 
and  mechanically  raised  my  sabre  to  cleave  iiim  on  the  spot. 

"Then  follow  me  !  "  shouted  he,  pointing  with  his  sword  to 
the  glistening  ranks  before  us. 

"Come  on  !  "  said  I,  with  a  voice  hoarse  with  passion,  while, 


990  CHARLES  aiM ALLEY, 

burying  my  spurs  in  my  horse's  flanks,  I  sprang  on  a  full  length 
before  him,  and  bore  down  upon  the  enemy,  A  loud  shout,  a 
deafening  volley,  the  agonizing  cry  of  the  wounded  and  the 
dying,  were  all  I  heard,  as  my  horse,  rearing  madly  upwards, 
plunged  twice  into  the  air,  and  then  fell  dead  upon  the  earth, 
crushing  me  beneath  his  cumbrous  weight,  lifeless  and  insen- 
sible. 


The  day  was  breaking  ;  the  cold,  gray  light  of  morning  was 
struggling  through  the  misty  darkness,  when  I  once  more  re- 
covered my  consciousness.  There  are  moments  in  life  when 
memory  can  so  suddenly  conjure  up  the  whole  past  before  us, 
that  there  is  scarcely  time  for  a  doubt  ere  the  disputed  reality 
is  palpable  to  our  senses.  Such  was  this  to  me.  One  hurried 
glance  upon  the  wide,  bleak  plain  before  me,  and  every  cir- 
cumstance of  the  battle-field  was  present  to  my  recollection. 
The  dismounted  guns,  the  broken  wagons,  the  heaps  of  dead 
or  dying,  the  straggling  parties  who  on  foot  or  horseback 
traversed  the  field,  and  the  dark  litters  which  carried  the 
wounded,  all  betokened  the  sad  evidences  of  the  preceding 
day's  battle. 

Close  around  me  where  I  lay  the  ground  was  marked  with 
the  bodies  of  our  cavalry,  intermixed  with  the  soldiers  of  the 
Old  Guard.  The  broad  brow  and  stalwart  chest  of  the  Saxon 
lay  bleaching  beside  the  bronzed  and  bearded  warrior  of  Gaul, 
while  the  torn-up  ground  attested  the  desperation  of  that 
struggle  which  closed  the  day. 

As  my  eye  ranged  over  this  harrowing  spectacle,  a  dreadful 
anxiety  shot  through  me  as  I  asked  myself  whose  had  been  the 
victory.  A  certain  confused  impression  of  flight  and  of  pursuit 
remained  in  my  mind ;  but,  at  the  moment,  the  circumstances 
of  my  own  position  in  the  early  part  of  the  day  increased  the 
difficulty  of  reflection,  and  left  me  in  a  state  of  intense  and 
agonizing  uncertainty.     Althouojh  not  wouncledj  I  had  been  sq 


ThE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  991 

crushed  by  my  fall  that  it  was  not  without  pain  I  got  upon  my 
legs.  I  soon  perceived  that  the  spot  around  me  had  not  yet 
been  visited  by  those  vultures  of  the  battle-field  who  strip  alike 
the  dead  and  dying.  The  distance  of  the  place  from  where 
the  great  conflict  of  the  battle  had  occurred  was  probably  the 
reason  ;  and  now,  as  the  straggling  sunbeams  fell  upon  the 
earth,  I  could  trace  the  helmet  of  the  Enniskilleners,  or  the 
tall  bearskin  of  the  Scotch  Greys,  lying  in  thick  confusion 
where  the  steel  cuirass  and  long  sword  of  the  French  dragoons 
showed  the  fight  had  been  hottest.  As  I  turned  my  eyes  hither 
and  thither  I  could  see  no  living  thing  near  me.  In  every  at- 
titude of  struggling  agony  they  lay  around  ;  some  buried  be- 
neath their  horses,  some  bathed  in  blood,  some,  with  clenched 
hands  and  darting  eyeballs,  seemed  struggling  even  in  death  : 
but  all  was  still— not  a  word,  not  a  sigh,  not  groan  was  there. 
I  was  turning  to  leave  the  spot,  and,  uncertain  which  way  to 
direct  my  steps,  looked  once  more  around,  when  my  glance  rested 
upon  the  pale  and  marble  features  of  one  who,  even  in  that 
moment  of  doubt  and  difficulty,  there  was  no  mistaking.  His 
coat,  torn  widely  open,  was  grasped  in  either  hand,  while  his 
breast  was  shattered  with  balls,  and  bathed  in  gore.  Gashed 
and  mutilated  as  he  lay,  still  the  features  wore  no  trace  of 
suffering  ;  cold,  pale,  motionless,  but  with  the  tranquil  look 
of  sleep,  his  eyelids  were  closed,  and  his  half-parted  lips  seemed 
still  to  quiver  in  life.  I  knelt  down  beside  him  ;  I  took  his 
hand  in  mine;  I  bent  over  and  whispered  his  name;  I  placed 
my  hand  upon  his  heart,  where  even  still  the  life  blood  was 
warm — but  he  was  dead.  Poor  Hammersley!  His  was  a 
gallant  soul ;  and  as  I  looked  upon  his  blood-stained  corpse, 
my  tears  fell  fast  and  hot  upon  his  brow  to  think  how  far  I  had 
myself  been  the  cause  of  a  life  bliglUed  in  its  hope,  and  a 
death  like  his. 


992  '  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 


CHAPTER  CXXI. 

BRUSSELS. 

Once  more  I  would  entreat  my  reader's  indulgence  for  the 
prolixity  of  a  narrative  which  has  grown  beneath  my  hands  to 
a  length  I  had  never  intended.  This  shall,  however,  be  the 
last  time  for  either  the  offence  or  the  apology.  My  story  is 
now  soon  concluded. 

After  wandering  about  for  some  time,  uncertain  which  way 
to  take,  I  at  length  reached  the  Charleroi  road,  now  blocked  by 
carriages  and  wagons  conveying  the  wounded  towards  Brussels. 
Here  I  learnt,  for  the  first  time,  that  we  had  gained  the  battle, 
and  heard  of  the  total  annihilation  of  the  French  army,  and  the 
downfall  of  the  Emperor.  On  arriving  at  the  farm-house  of 
Mont  St.  Jean,  I  found  a  number  of  officers,  whose  wounds  pre- 
vented their  accompanying  the  army  in  its  forward  movement. 
One  of  them,  with  whom  I  was  slightly  acquainted,  informed 
me  that  General  Dashwood  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  the 
night  upon  the  field  in  search  of  me,  and  that  my  servant,  Mike, 
was  in  a  state  of  distraction  at  my  absence  that  bordered  on 
insanity.  While  he  was  speaking,  a  burst  of  laughter  and  the 
tones  of  a  well-remembered  voice  behind  attracted  my  atten- 
tion. 

"  Made  a  very  good  thing  of  it,  upon  my  life.  A  dressing- 
case — not  gold,  you  know,  but  silver-gilt — a  dozen  knives  with 
blood-stone  handles,  and  a  little  coffee-pot,  with  the  imperial 
arms — not  to  speak  of  three  hundred  Naps  in  a  green  silk 
purse— Lord  !  it  reminds  me  of  the  Peninsula.  Do  you  know, 
those  Prussians  are  mere  barbarians — haven't  a  notion  of 
civilized  war.     Bless  your   heart,   my  fellows  in  the  Legion 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  993 

would  have  ransacked  the  whole  coach,  from  the  boot  to  the 
sword-case,  in  half  the  time  they  took  to  cut  down  the  coach- 
man." 

"  The  Major !  as  I  live,"  said  I.     "  How  goes  it,  Major  ?  " 

"  Eh,  Charley  !  when  did  you  turn  up  ?  Delighted  to  see  you. 
They  told  me  you  were  badly  wounded,  or  killed,  or  something 
of  that  kind ;  but  I  should  have  paid  the  little  debt  to  your  ex- 
ecutors all  the  same." 

"All  the  same,  no  doubt,  Major;  but  where,  in  Heaven's 
name,  did  you  fall  upon  that  mine  of  pillage  you  have  just  been 
talking  of  ? " 

"In  the  Emperor's  carriage,  to  be  sure,  boy.  While  the 
Duke  was  watching  all  day  the  advance  of  Ney's  columns,  and 
keeping  an  anxious  look-out  for  the  Prussians,  I  sat  in  a  window 
in  this  old  farm-house,  and  never  took  my  eye  off  the  garden  at 
Planchenoit.  I  saw  the  imperial  carriage  there  in  the  morning 
— it  was  there  also  at  noon — and  they  never  put  the  horses  to 
it  till  past  seven  in  the  evening.  The  roads  were  very  heavy, 
and  the  crowd  was  great.  I  judged  the  pace  couldn't  be  a 
fast  one  ;  and  with  four  of  the  Enniskilleners  I  charged  it 
like  a  man.  The  Prussians,  however,  had  the  start  of  us ;  and 
if  they  hadn't  thought,  from  my  seat  on  horseback  and  my 
general  appearance,  that  I  was  Lord  Uxbridge,  I  should  have 
got  but  a  younger  son's  portion.  However,  I  got  in  first,  filled 
my  pockets  with  a  few  little  souvenirs  of  the  Emperor,  and  then 
laying  my  hands  upon  what  was  readiest,  got  out  in  time  to 
escape  being  shot ;  for  two  of  Blucher's  hussars,  thinking  I 
must  be  the  Emperor,  fired  at  me  through  the  window." 

"  What  an  escape  you  had  !  " 

"  Hadn't  I,  though  ?  Fortunate,  too,  my  iMiiiiskilleners  saw 
the  whole  thing  ;  for  I  intend  to  make  the  circumstance  the 
ground  of  an  application  for  a  pension.  Hark  ye,  Charley, 
don't  say  anything  about  the  coffee-pot  and  the  knives.  The 
Duke,  you  know,  has  strange  notions  of  his  own  on  these 
matters.  But  isn't  that  your  fellow  fighting  his  way  yonder  ? " 
63 


994  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

"  Tear  and  ages  !  don't  howld  me — that's  himself — devil  a 
one  else." 

This  exclamation  came  from  Mickey  Free,  who,  with  his  dress 
torn  and  dishevelled,  his  eyes  bloodshot  and  strained,  was  up- 
setting and  elbowing  all  before  him,  as  he  made  his  way  to- 
wards me  through  the  crowd. 

"Take  that  fellow  to  the  guard-house!  Lay  hold  of  him, 
sergeant !  Knock  him  down  !     Who  is  the  scoundrel  "i " 

Such  were  the  greetings  he  met  with  on  every  side.  Regard- 
less of  everything  and  everybody,  he  burst  his  way  through 
the  dense  mass. 

"  Oh,  murther  !  oh,  Mary !  oh,  Moses!  Is  he  safe  here 
after  all  ? " 

The  poor  fellow  could  say  no  more,  but  burst  into  a  torrent 
of  tears.  A  roar  of  laughter  around  him  soon,  however,  turned 
the  current  of  his  emotions  ;  when,  dashing  the  scalding  drops 
from  his  eyelids,  he  glared  fiercely  like  a  tiger  on  every  side. 

"  Ye're  laughing  at  me,  are  ye  ?  "  cried  he,  "  bekase  I  love 
the  hand  that  fed  me,  and  the  master  that  stood  to  me.  But 
let  us  see  now  which  of  us  two  has  the  stoutest  heart ;  you  with 
your  grin  on  you,  or  myself  with  the  salt  tears  on  my  face." 

As  he  spoke,  he  sprang  upon  them  like  a  madman,  striking 
right  and  left  at  everything  before  him.  Down  they  went 
beneath  his  blows,  levelled  with  the  united  strength  of  energy 
and  passion,  till  at  length,  rushing  upon  him  in  numbers,  he 
was  overpowered  and  thrown  to  the  ground.  It  was  with 
some  difficulty  I  accomplished  his  rescue  ;  for  his  enemies  felt 
by  no  means  assured  how  far  his  amicable  propensities  for  the 
future  could  be  relied  upon ;  and,  indeed,  Mike  himself  had  a 
most  constitutional  antipathy  to  binding  himself  by  any  pledge. 
With  some  persuasion,  however,  I  reconciled  all  parties  ;  and 
having,  by  the  kindness  of  a  brother  officer,  provided  myself 
with  a  couple  of  troop  horses,  I  mounted,  and  set  out  for 
Brussels,  followed  by  Mickey,  who  had  effectually  cured  his 
auditory  of  any  tendency  to  laughter  at  his  cost. 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  995 

As  I  rode  up  to  the  Belle  Vue,  I  saw  Sir  George  Dashwood 
in  the  window.  He  was  speaking  to  the  Ambassador,  Lord  Clan- 
carty  ;  but  the  moment  he  caught  my  eye,  he  hurried  down  to 
meet  me. 

"  Charley,  safe — safe,  my  boy  !  Now  am  I  really  happy. 
The  glorious  day  had  been  one  of  sorrow  to  me  for  the  rest  of 
my  life  had  anything  happened  to  you.  Come  up  with  me  at 
once  ;  I  have  more  than  one  friend  here  who  longs  to  thank 
you." 

So  saying,  he  hurried  me  along ;  and  before  I  could  well 
remember  where  I  was,  introduced  me  to  a  number  of  persons 
in  the  saloon. 

"  Ah  !  very  happy  to  know  you,  sir,"  said  Lord  Clancarty  ; 
"perhaps  we  had  better  walk  this  way.  My  friend  Dashwood 
has  explained  to  me  the  very  pressing  reasons  there  are  for 
this  step ;  and  I,  for  my  part,  see  no  objection." 

"  What,  in  Heaven's  name,  can  he  mean  ! "  thought  I,  as  he 
stopped  short,  expecting  me  to  say  something,  while,  in  utter 
confusion,  I  smiled,  simpered,  and  muttered  some  common- 
places. 

"Love  and  war,  sir,"  resumed  the  Ambassador,  "very  admi- 
rable associates,  and  you  certainly  have  contrived  to  couple 
them  most  closely  together.     A  long  attachment,  I  believe  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,  a  very  long  attachment,"  stammered  I,  not  know- 
ing which  of  us  was  about  to  become  insane. 

"  A  very  charming  person,  indeed ;  I  have  seen  the  lady," 
replied  his  lordship,  as  he  opened  the  door  of  a  small  room, 
and  beckoned  me  to  follow.  The  table  was  covered  with 
paper  and  materials  for  writing;  but,  before  I  had  lime  to  ask 
for  any  explanation  of  tiiis  uiiaccount.ihlc  mystery,  he  added, 
"Oh,  I  was  forgetting;  this  must  be  witnessed:  wait  one 
moment." 

With  these  words  he  left  the  room,  while  I,  ama?ed  and 
thunderstruck,  vacillating  between  fear  and  hope,  trembling 
lest  the  delusive  glimmering  of  happiness  should  give  way  at 


996  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

every  moment,  and  yet  totally  unable  to  explain  by  any 
possible  supposition  how  fortune  could  so  far  have  favored 
me. 

While  yet  I  stood  hesitating  and  uncertain,  the  door  opened, 
and  the  Senhora  entered.  She  looked  a  little  pale,  though  not 
less  beautiful  than  ever  ;  and  her  features  wore  a  slight  trace 
of  seriousness,  which  rather  heightened  than  took  from  the 
character  of  her  loveliness. 

"  I  heard  you  had  come,  Chevalier,"  said  she,  "  and  so  I  ran 
down  to  shake  hands  with  you.  We  may  not  meet  again  for 
some  time." 

"  How  so,  Senhora  ?  You  are  not  going  to  leave  us,  I 
trust  ? " 

"  Then  you  have  not  seen  Fred.  Oh,  I  forgot,  you  know 
nothing  of  our  plans." 

"  Here  we  are  at  last,"  said  the  Ambassador,  as  he  came  in, 
followed  by  Sir  George,  Power,  and  two  other  officers.  Ah, 
ma  belle,  how  fortunate  to  find  you  here  !  I  assure  you  it  is  a 
matter  of  no  small  difficulty  to  get  people  together  at  such  a 
time  as  this." 

"  Charley,  my  dear  friend,"  cried  Power,  "  I  scarcely  hoped 
to  have  had  a  shake  hands  with  you  ere  I  left." 

"  Do,  Fred,  tell  me  what  all  this  means  ?  I  am  in  a  perfect 
maze  of  doubt  and  difficulty,  and  cannot  comprehend  a  word 
I  hear  about  me." 

"  Faith,  my  boy,  I  have  little  time  for  explanation.  The 
man  who  was  at  Waterloo  yesterday,  is  to  be  married  to- 
morrow, and  to  sail  for  India  in  a  week,  has  quite  enough  upon 
his  hands." 

"  Colonel  Power,  3'ou  will  please  to  put  your  signature 
here,"  said  Lord  Clancarty,  addressing  himself  to  me. 

"  If  you  will  allow  me,"  said  Fred,  "  I  had  rather  represent 
myself." 

"  Is  not  this  the  Colonel,  then  ?  Why,  confound  it,  I  have 
been  wishing  him  joy  the  last  quarter-of-an-hour." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  997 

A  burst  of  laughter  from  the  whole  party,  in  which  it 
was  pretty  evident  I  took  no  part,  followed  this  announce- 
ment. 

"  And  so  you  are  not  Colonel  Power  ?  Nor  going  to  be 
married,  either  ? " 

I  stammered  out  something,  while,  overwhelmed  with  con- 
fusion, I  stooped  down  to  sign  the  paper.  Scarcely  had  I 
done  so,  when  a  renewed  burst  of  laughter  broke  from  the 
party. 

"Nothing  but  blunders,  upon  my  soul,"  said  the  Ambas- 
sador, as  he  handed  the  paper  from  one  to  another. 

What  was  my  confusion  to  discover  that,  instead  of  Charles 
O'Malley,  I  had  written  the  name  Lucy  Dashwood.  I  could 
bear  no  more.  The  laughing  and  raillery  of  my  friends  came 
upon  my  wounded  and  irritated  feelings  like  the  most  poignant 
sarcasm.  I  seized  my  cap,  and  rushed  from  the  room.  Desir- 
ous of  escaping  from  all  that  knew  me,  anxious  to  bury  my 
agitated  and  distracted  thoughts  in  solitude  and  quiet,  I 
opened  the  first  door  before  me,  and,  seeing  it  an  empty  and 
unoccupied  room,  threw  myself  upon  a  sofa,  and  buried  my 
head  within  my  hands.  Oh,  how  often  had  the  phantom  of 
happiness  passed  within  my  reach,  but  still  glided  from  my 
grasp !  How  often  had  I  beheld  the  goal  I  aimed  at,  as  it 
were  before  me,  and  the  next  moment  all  the  bleak  reality  of 
my  evil  fortune  was  louring  around  me  ! 

"  Oh,  Lucy,  Lucy  !  "  I  exclaimed  aloud,  "  but  for  you  and  a 
few  words  carelessly  spoken,  I  had  never  trod  that  path  of 
ambition,  whose  end  has  been  the  wreck  of  all  my  happiness. 
But  for  you,  I  had  never  loved  so  fondly  ;  I  had  never  filled 
my  mind  with  one  image  which,  excluding  every  other  thought, 
leaves  no  pleasure  but  in  it  alone.  Yes,  Lucy,  but  for  you  I 
should  liave  gone  tranquilly  down  the  stream  of  life  with 
naught  of  grief  or  care,  save  sucii  as  are  inseparable  from  the 
passing  chances  of  mortality ;  loved,  perhaps,  and  cared  for  by 
some    one   who  would  have  deemed  it   no  discrace  to  have 


998  CHARLES  O'MALLeV, 

linked  her  fortune  to  my  own.  But  for  you,  and  I  had  never 
been " 

"  A  soldier,  you  would  say,"  whispered  a  soft  voice,  as  a 
light  hand  gently  touched  my  shoulder.  "  I  had  come,"  con- 
tinued she,  "to  thank  you  for  a  gift  no  gratitude  can  repay, — 
my  father's  life  ;  but,  truly,  I  did  not  think  to  hear  the  words 
you  have  spoken  ;  nor,  having  heard  them,  can  I  feel  their 
justice.  No,  Mr.  O'Malley,  deeply  grateful  as  I  am  to  you  for 
the  service  you  once  rendered  myself,  bound  as  I  am,  by  every 
tie  of  thankfulness,  by  the  greater  one  to  my  father,  yet  do  I 
feel  that  in  the  impulse  I  had  given  to  your  life,  if  so  be  that 
to  me  you  owe  it,  I  have  done  more  to  repay  my  debt  to  you, 
than  by  all  the  friendship,  all  the  esteem  I  owe  you  ;  if,  indeed, 
by  my  means,  you  became  a  soldier,  if  my  few  and  random 
words  raised  within  your  breast  that  fire  of  ambition  which  has 
been  your  beacon-light  to  honor  and  to  glory,  then  am  I  indeed 
proud." 

"  Alas,  alas  !  Lucy — Miss  Dashw^ood,  I  would  say — forgive 
me  if  I  know  not  the  very  words  I  utter.  How  has  my  career 
fulfilled  the  promise  that  gave  it  birth  ?  For  you,  and  you 
only,  to  gain  your  affection,  to  win  your  heart,  I  became  a 
soldier  ;  hardship,  danger,  even  death  itself  were  courted  by 
me,  supported  by  the  one  thought  that  you  had  cared  for,  or 
had  pitied  me  ;  and  now,  and  now " 

"And  now,"  said  she,  while  her  eyes  beamed  upon  me  with 
a  very  flood  of  tenderness,  "  is  it  nothing  that  in  my  woman's 
heart  I  have  glowed  with  pride  at  triumphs  I  could  read  of, 
but  dared  not  share  in  .^  Is  it  nothing  that  you  have  lent  to  my 
hours  of  solitude  and  of  musing  the  fervor  of  that  career,  the 
maddening  enthusiasm  of  that  glorious  path  my  sex  denied 
me?  I  have  followed  you  in  my  thoughts  across  the  burning 
plains  of  the  Peninsula,  through  the  long  hours  of  the  march  in 
the  dreary  nights,  even  to  the  battlefield.  I  have  thought  of 
you  ;   I  have  dreamed  of  you  ;  I  have  prayed  for  you." 

"  Alas  !  Lucy,  but  not  loved  me." 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  999 

The  very  words,  as  I  spoke  them,  sank  with  a  despairing 
cadence  upon  my  heart.  Her  hand,  which  had  fallen  upon 
mine,  trembled  violently  ;  I  pressed  my  lips  upon  it,  but  she 
moved  it  not.  I  dared  to  look  up  ;  her  head  was  turned  away, 
but  her  heaving  bosom  betrayed  her  emotion. 

"  No,  no,  Lucy,"  cried  I,  passionately.  "  I  will  not  deceive 
myself ;  I  ask  for  more  than  you  can  give  me.     Farewell  !" 

Now,  and  for  the  last  time,  I  pressed  her  hand  once  more  to 
my  lips ;  my  hot  tears  fell  fast  upon  it.  I  turned  to  go,  and 
threw  one  last  look  upon  her.  Our  eyes  met — I  cannot  say 
what  it  was — but  in  a  moment  the  whole  current  of  my  thoughts 
was  changed  ;  her  look  was  bent  upon  me  beaming  with  soft' 
ness  and  affection,  her  hand  gently  pressed  my  own,  and  her 
lips  murmured  my  name. 

The  door  burst  open  at  this  moment,  and  Sir  George  Dash- 
wood  appeared.  Lucy  turned  one  fleeting  look  upon  her  father, 
and  fell  fainting  into  my  arms. 

"  God  bless  you,  my  boy  !  "  said  the  old  General,  as  he 
hurriedly  wiped  a  tear  from  his  eye  ;  "  I  am  now,  indeed,  a 
happy  father." 


CHAPTER  CXXn. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  sun  had  set  about  half  an  hour.  Already  were  the 
dusky  shadows  blending  witii  the  faint  twiliglit,  as  on  a  lovely 
July  evening  we  entered  tlic  liitle  vill.^ge  of  Portumna  : — wc,  I 
say;  for  Lucy  was  beside  me.  I'"or  the  last  few  miles  of  ihc 
way  I  had  spoken  little  ;  tliouglits  of  the  niany  times  1  iiacl 
travelled  that  same  road,  in  how  many  moods,  occupied  my 
mind;  and  although,  as  we  flew  rapidly  along,  some  well- 
known  face  would  every  now  and  then  present  itself,  I  had  but 


looo  CHARLES  O'M ALLEY, 

time  for  the  recognition  ere  we  were  past.  Arousing  myself 
from  my  reverie,  I  was  pointing  out  to  Lucy  certain  well-known 
spots  in  the  landscape,  and  directing  her  attention  to  places 
with  the  names  of  which  she  had  been  for  some  time  familiar, 
when  suddenly  a  loud  shout  rent  the  air,  and  the  next  moment 
the  carriage  was  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  country  people, 
some  of  whom  brandished  blazing  pine  torches  ;  others  carried 
rude  banners  in  their  hands  :  but  all  testified  the  most  fervent 
joy  as  they  bade  us  welcome.  The  horses  were  speedily  un- 
harnessed, and  their  places  occupied  by  a  crowd  of  every  age 
and  sex,  who  hurried  us  along  through  the  straggling  street  of 
the  village,  now  a  perfect  blaze  of  bonfires. 

Mounds  of  turf,  bog-fir,  and  tar-barrels  sent  up  their  ruddy 
blaze,  while  hundreds  of  wild,  but  happy  faces,  flitted  around 
and  through  them — now  dancing  merrily  in  chorus  ;  now 
plunging  madly  into  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  scattering  the 
red  embers  on  every  side.  Pipers  were  there  too,  mounted 
upon  cars  or  turf-kishes  ;  even  the  very  roof-tops  rang  out  their 
merry  notes  ;  the  ensigns  of  the  little  fishing-craft  waved  in  the 
breeze,  and  seemed  to  feel  the  general  joy  around  them;  while 
over  the  door  of  the  village  inn  stood  a  brilliantly  lighted 
transparency,  representing  the  head  of  the  O'Malleys  holding 
a  very  scantily-robed  young  lady  by  the  tips  of  the  fingers ; 
but  whether  this  damsel  was  intended  to  represent  the  genius 
of  the  west,  or  my  wife,  I  did  not  venture  to  inquire. 

If  the  welcome  were  rude,  assuredly  it  was  a  hearty  one. 
Kind  wishes  and  blessings  poured  in  on  every  side,  and  even 
our  own  happiness  took  a  brighter  coloring  from  the  beaming 
looks  around  us.  The  scene  was  wild  ;  the  lurid  glare  of  the 
red  torchlight,  the  frantic  gestures,  the  maddening  shouts,  the 
forked  flames  rising  amidst  the  dark  shadows  of  the  little  ham- 
let, had  something  strange  and  almost  unearthly  in  their  effect ; 
but  Lucy  showed  no  touch  of  fear :  it  is  true  she  grasped  my 
hand  a  little  closer,  but  her  fair  cheek  glowed  with  pleasure, 
and  her  eye  brightened  as  she  looked  ;  and,  as  the  rich  light 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  lOOl 

fell  upon  her  beauteous  features,  how  many  a  blessing,  heart- 
felt and  deep,  how  many  a  word  of  fervent  praise  was  spoken. 

"  Ah  I  then,  the  Lord  be  good  to  you  ;  it's  yourself  has  the 
darling  blue  eyes.  Look  at  them,  Mary ;  ain't  they  like  the 
blossoms  on  a  peacock's  tail  ? — Musha,  may  sorrow  never  put 
a  crease  in  that  beautiful  cheek  !  The  saints  watch  over  you  ! 
for  your  mouth  is  like  a  moss-rose.  Be  good  to  her,  yer  honor, 
for  she's  a  raal  gem  :  devil  fear  you,  Mr.  Charles,  but  you'd 
have  a  beauty." 

We  wended  our  way  slowly,  the  crowd  ever  thickening 
around  us,  until  we  reached  the  market-place.  Here  the  pro- 
cession came  to  a  stand,  and  I  could  perceive,  by  certain  efforts 
around  me,  that  some  endeavor  was  making  to  enforce 
silence. 

"  Whisht  there  ;  hould  your  prate  ;  be  still,  Paddy.  Tear 
an  ages,  Molly  Blake,  don't  be  holding  me  that  way  ;  let  us 
hear  his  reverence  :  put  him  up  on  the  barrel :  haven't  you  got  a 
chair  for  the  priest  ?  Run,  and  bring  a  table  out  of  Mat  Haley's. 
Here,  father — here,  your  reverence ; — take  care,  will  you  t 
— you'll  have  the  holy  man  in  the  blaze  !  " 

By  this  time  I  could  perceive  that  my  worthy  old  friend. 
Father  Rush,  was  in  the  midst  of  the  mob,  with  what  appeared 
to  be  a  written  oration,  as  long  as  the  tail  of  a  kite,  between 
his  hands. 

"  Be  aisy,  there,  ye  savages — who's  tearing  the  back  of  my 
neck? — howld  me  up  straight — steady,  now — hem  !  " 

"Take  the  laste  taste  in  life  to  wet  your  lips,  your  river- 
ence,"  said  a  kind  voice,  while  at  the  same  moment  a  smoking 
tumbler  of  what  seemed  to  be  punch  appeared  on  the  heads 
of  the  crowd. 

"Thank  ye,  Judy,"  said  the  father,  as  he  drained  the  cup. 
"  Howld  the  light  up  higher;  I  can't  read  my  speech;  there 
now  ;  be  quiet,  will  ye  ?  Here  goes.  Peter,  stand  to  me  now 
and  give  me  the  word." 

This  admonition  was  addressed  to  a  figure  on  a  barrel   be- 


I002  CHARLES  O'MALLEV, 

hind  the  priest,  who,  as  well  as  the  imperfect  light  would  per- 
mit me  to  descry,  was  the  coadjutor  of  the  parish,  Peter  Nolan. 
Silence  being  perfectly  established,  Father  Rush  began  : — 

"  When  Mars,  the  god  of  war,  on  high. 
Of  battles  first  did  think, 
He  girt  his  sword  upon  his  thigh. 
And 

And— what  is't,  Peter  ? " 

"  And  mixed  a  drop  of  drink." 

*'  And  mixed  a  drop  of  drink,"  quoth  Father  Rush,  with 
great  emphasis ;  when  scarcely  were  the  words  spoken  than  a 
loud  shout  of  laughter  showed  him  his  mistake,  and  he  over, 
turned  upon  the  luckless  curate  the  full  vial  of  his  wrath. 

"What  is  it  you  mean,  Father  Peter  ?  I'm  ashamed  of  ye  ; 
faith,  it's  maybe  yourself,  not  Mars,  you  are  speaking  of." 

The  roar  of  merriment  around  prevented  me  hearing  what 
passed  ;  but  I  could  see  by  Peter's  gestures — for  it  was  too 
dark  to  see  his  face — that  he  was  expressing  deep  sorrow  for 
the  mistake.  After  a  little  time,  order  was  again  established, 
and  Father  Rush  resumed  : — 

"  But  love  drove  battles  from  his  head 

And  sick  of  wounds  and  scars. 

To  Venus  bright  he  knelt,  and  said 

And  said — and  said ;  what  the  blazes  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  I'll  make  you  Mrs.  Mars." 

shouted  Peter,  loud  enough  to  be  heard. 

"  Bad  luck  to  you,  Peter  Nolan,  it's  yourself's  the  ruin  of 
me  this  blessed  night.  Here  have  I  come  four  miles  with  my 
speech  in  my  pocket,  ^per  imbres  et  ig?ies.'  "  Here  the  crowd 
crossed  themselves  devoutly.  "  Ay,  just  so  ;  and  he  spoilt  it 
for  me  entirely."  At  the  earnest  entreaty,  however,  of  the 
crowd,  Father  Rush,  with  renewed  caution  to  his  unhappy 
prompter  again  returned  to  the  charge : — 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  1003 

'  Thus  love  compelled  the  god  to  yield 
And  seek  for  purer  joys  ; 
He  laid  aside  his  helm  and  shield. 
And  took 


Took — took- 


"  And  took  to  corduroys," 

cried  Father  Nolan. 

This  time,  however,  the  good  priest's  patience  could  endure 
no  more,  and  he  levelled  a  blow  at  his  luckless  colleague, 
which,  missing  his  aim,  lost  him  his  own  balance,  and  brought 
him  down  from  his  eminence  upon  the  heads  of  the  mob. 

Scarcely  had  I  recovered  the  perfect  convulsion  of  laughter 
into  which  this  scene  had  thrown  me,  when  the  broad  brim 
of  Father  Nolan's  hat  appeared  at  the  window  of  the  carriage. 
Before  I  had  time  to  address  him,  he  took  it  reverently  from 
his  head,  disclosing  in  the  act  the  ever-memorable  features  of 
Master  Frank  Webber  ! 

"  What !     Eh  !— can  it  be  ?  "  said  I. 

"  It  is  surely  not "  said  Lucy,  hesitating  at  the  name. 

"Your  aunt.  Miss  Judy  Macan,  no  more  than  the  Rev.  Peter 
Nolan,  I  assure  you  ;  though,  I  confess,  it  has  cost  me  much 
more  to  personate  the  latter  character  than  the  former,  and  the 
reward  by  no  means  so  tempting." 

Here  poor  Lucy  blushed  deeply  at  the  remembrance  of 
the  scene  alluded  to ;  and,  anxious  to  turn  the  conversation,  I 
asked  by  what  stratagem  he  had  succeeded  to  the  functions  of 
the  worthy  Peter  ? 

"  At  the  cost  of  twelve  tumblers  of  the  strongest  punch  ever 
brewed  at  the  O'Malley  Arms.  The  good  father  gave  in  only 
ten  minutes  before  the  oration  began,  and  I  had  barely  time 
to  change  my  dress  and  mount  the  barrel,  without  a  moment's 
preparation." 

The  procession  once  more  resumed  lis  march,  and  hurried 
along  through  the  town  ;  we  soon  reached  tlie  avenue.  Here 
fresh  preparations  for  welcoming  us  had  also  been  made ;  but. 


1004  CHARLES   VM ALLEY, 

regardless  of  blazing  tar-barrels  and  burning  logs,  the  reckless 
crowd  pressed  madly  on,  their  wild  cheers  waking  the  echoes 
as  they  went.  We  soon  reached  the  house,  but  with  a  court- 
esy which  even  the  humblest  and  poorest  native  of  this  country 
is  never  devoid  of,  the  preparations  of  noise  and  festivity  had 
not  extended  to  the  precincts  of  the  dwelling.  With  a  tact 
which  those  of  higher  birth  and  older  blood  might  be  proud  of, 
they  limited  the  excesses  of  their  reckless  and  careless  merri- 
ment to  their  own  village  :  so  that,  as  we  approached  the  ter- 
race, all  was  peaceful,  still,  and  quiet. 

I  lifted  Lucy  from  the  carriage,  and,  passing  my  arm  around 
her,  was  assisting  her  to  mount  the  steps,  when  a  bright  gleam 
of  moonlight  burst  forth,  and  lit  up  the  whole  scene.  It  was, 
indeed,  an  impressive  one.  Among  the  assembled  hundreds 
there  who  stood  bare-headed,  beneath  the  cold  moonlight,  not 
a  word  was  now  spoken — not  a  whisper  heard.  I  turned  from 
the  lawn,  where  the  tall  beech-trees  were  throwing  their  gigantic 
shadows,  to  where  the  river,  peering  at  intervals  through  the 
foliage,  was  flowing  on  its  silvery  track,  plashing  amid  the  tall 
flaggers  that  lined  its  banks — all  were  familiar,  all  were  dear  to 
me  from  childhood.  How  doubly  were  they  so  now  !  I  lifted 
up  my  eyes  towards  the  door,  and  what  was  my  surprise  at  the 
object  before  them  !  Seated  in  a  large  chair  was  an  old  man, 
whose  white  hair,  flowing  in  straggling  masses  upon  his  neck  and 
shoulders,  stirred  with  the  night  air  ;  his  hands  rested  upon  his 
knees,  and  his  eyes,  turned  slightly  upwards,  seemed  to  seek 
for  some  one  he  found  it  difficult  to  recognize.  Changed  as  he 
was  by  time,  heavily  as  years  had  done  their  work  upon  him, 
the  stern  features  were  not  to  be  mistaken  ;  but,  as  I  looked, 
he  called  out,  in  a  voice  whose  unshaken  firmness  seemed  to 
defy  the  touch  of  time, — 

"  Charley  O'Malley  !  come  here,  my  boy.  Bring  her  to  me, 
till  I  bless  you  both.  Come  here,  Lucy :  I  may  call  you  so. 
Come  here,  my  children.  I  have  tried  to  live  on  to  see  this 
day,  when  the  head  of  an  old  house  comes  back  with  honor, 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON.  IO05 

with  fame,  and  with  fortune,  to  dwell  amidst  his  own  people  in 
the  old  home  of  his  fathers." 

The  old  man  bent  above  us,  his  white  hair  falling  upon  the 
fair  locks  of  her  who  knelt  beside  him,  and  pressed  his  cold 
and  quivering  hand  within  her  own. 

"  Yes,  Lucy,"  said  I,  as  I  led  her  within  the  house,  "  this  is 
home." 

Here  now  ends  my  story.  The  patient  reader  who  has  fol- 
lowed me  so  far,  deserves  at  my  hands  that  I  should  not  tres- 
pass upon  his  kindness  one  moment  beyond  the  necessity  ;  if, 
however,  any  lurking  interest  may  remain  for  some  of  those  who 
have  accompanied  me  through  this  my  history,  it  may  be  as 
well  that  I  should  say  a  few  words  further,  ere  they  disappear 
forever. 

Power  went  to  India  immediately  after  his  marriage,  distin- 
guished himself  repeatedly  in  the  Burmese  war,  and  finally 
rose  to  a  high  command  that  he  this  moment  holds,  with  honor 
to  himself  and  advantage  to  his  country. 

O'Shaughnessy,  on  half-pay,  wanders  about  the  Continent; 
passing  his  summers  on  the  Rhine,  his  winters  at  P'lorence  or 
Geneva.  Known  to  and  by  everybody,  his  interest  in  the  serv- 
ice keeps  him  an  couraut  to  every  change  and  regulation, 
rendering  him  an  invaluable  companion  to  all  to  whom  an  army 
list  is  inaccessible.  lie  is  the  same  good  fellow  he  ever  was, 
and  adds  to  his  many  excellent  qualities  the  additional  one  of 
being  the  only  man  who  can  make  a  bull  in  French  ! 

Monsoon,  the  Major,  when  last  I  saw  him,  was  standing  on 
the  pier  at  Calais,  endeavoring,  witii  a  cheap  telescope,  to 
make  out  the  Dover  cliffs,  from  a  nearer  prospect  of  which 
certain  little  family  circumstances  miglit  possibly  debar  him. 
He  recognized  me  in  a  moment,  and  held  out  his  hand,  while 
liis  eye  twinkled  with  its  ancient  drollery. 

"(Charley,  my  son,  how  goes  it?  delighted  to  see  you. 
What  a  pity  I  did  not  meet  you  yesterday  !     Had  a  little  din- 


ioo6  CHARLES  CM  ALLEY, 

ner  at  Crillon's.  Harding,  Vivian,  and  a  few  others.  They 
all  wished  for  you  ;  '  pen  my  life  they  did." 

"  Civil,  certainly,"  thought  I,  "  as  I  have  not  the  honor  of 
being  known  to  them." 

"  You  are  at  Meurice's,"  resumed  he  ;  "  a  very  good  house, 
but  give  you  bad  wine,  if  they  don't  know  you.  They  know 
me,"  added  he,  in  a  whisper ;  "  never  try  any  tricks  upon  me. 
I'll  just  drop  in  upon  you  at  six." 

"  It  is  most  unfortunate.  Major;  I  can't  have  the  pleasure 
you  speak  of;  we  start  in  half-an-hour." 

"  Never  mind,  Charley,  never  mind  ;  another  time.  By-the- 
bye,  now  I  think  of  it,  don't  you  remember  something  of  a  ten- 
pound  note  you  owe  me  ?  " 

"As  well  as  I  remember.  Major,  the  circumstance  was  re- 
versed :  you  are  the  debtor." 

"  Upon  my  life,  you  are  right ;  how  droll.  No  matter,  let  me 
have  the  ten,  and  I'll  give  you  a  cheque  for  the  whole." 

The  Major  thrust  his  tongue  into  his  cheek  as  he  spoke, 
gave  another  leer,  pocketed  the  note,  and  sauntered  down  the 
pier,  muttering  something  to  himself  about  King  David  and 
greenhorns  ;  but  how  they  were  connected  I  could  not  precisely 
overhear. 

Baby  Blake,  or  Mrs.  Sparks,  to  call  her  by  her  more  fitting 
appellation,  is  as  handsome  as  ever,  and  not  less  good-humored 
and  light-hearted,  her  severest  trials  being  her  ineffectual 
efforts  to  convert  Sparks  into  something  like  a  man  for  Gal- 
way. 

Last  of  all,  INIickey  Free.  Mike  remains  attached  to  our 
fortune  firmly,  as  at  first  he  opened  his  career ;  the  same  gay, 
rollicksome  Irishman,  making  songs,  making  love,  and  oc- 
casionally making  punch,  he  spends  his  days  and  his  nights 
pretty  much  as  he  was  wont  to  do  some  thirty  years  ago.  He 
obtains  an  occasional  leave  of  absence  for  a  week  or  so,  but 
for  what  precise  purpose,  or  with  what  exact  object,  I  have 
never  been  completely  able  to  ascertain.     I  have  heard  it  as 


THE  IRISH  DRAGOON,  1007 

true,  that  a  very  fascinating  companion  and  a  most  agreeable 
gentleman  frequents  a  certain  oyster-house  in  Dublin,  called 
Burton  Bindon's.  I  have  also  been  told  of  a  distinguished 
foreigner,  whose  black  moustache  and  broken  English  were 
the  admiration  of  Cheltenham  for  the  last  two  winters,  I 
greatly  fear  from  the  high  tone  of  the  conversation  in  the  former, 
and  for  the  taste  in  continental  characters  in  the  latter  resort, 
that  I  could  fix  upon  the  individual  whose  convivial  and  social 
gifts  have  won  so  much  of  their  esteem  and  admiration  ;  but 
were  I  to  run  on  thus,  I  should  recur  to  every  character  of  my 
story,  with  each  and  all  of  whom  you  have,  doubtless,  grown  well 
wearied  :  so  here  for  the  last  time,  and  with  every  kind  wish, 
I  say — adieu  1 


THE   END. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS 

For  Young  People 

BY  POPULAR  WRITERS, 

97-99-101  Reade  Street,  New  York. 

Bonnie  Prince  Charlie  :  A  Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Culloden.     By 

(jr.   A.   IIiiXTY.     With   12   full-page   Illustrations   by  GOKDON 

Browne.     13mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  adventures  of  the  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  French  service. 
The  boy,  brought  up  by  a  Glasgow  bailie,  is  a  rested  for  aiding  a 
Jacobite  agent,  escapes,  is  wrecked  on  the  French  coast,  reaches 
Paris,  and  serves  with  the  French  army  at  Dettingen.  He  kills 
his  father's  foe  in  a  duel,  and  escaping  to  the  coast,  shares  the 
adventures  of  Prince  Charlie,  but  finally  settles  happily  in  Scot- 
land. 

"Ronald,  the  hero,  is  very  Uke  the  hero  of  '  Quentin  Durward.'  The  lad's 
journey  across  France,  and  his  hairbreadth  escapes,  mal^e  up  as  good  a  nar- 
rative of  the  liind  as  we  have  ever  read.  For  f  resliness  of  treatment  and 
variety  of  incident  Mr.  Ilenty  has  suri^assed  hiim^M.""— Spectator. 

With  Clive  in   India  ;  or,  the   Beginnings  of  an  Empire.      By 

G.  A.  Henty.     With   12    full-page   Illustrations   by  Gordon 

Browne.     12iuo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  period  between  the  landing  of  Clive  as  a  young  writer  in 
India  and  the  close  of  his  career  was  critical  and  eventful  in  the 
extreme.  At  its  commencement  the  English  were  traders  existing 
on  sufferance  of  tlie  native  princes.  At  its  close  they  were  masters 
of  Bengal  and  .f  the  greater  part  of  Southern  India.  The  author 
has  given  a  full  and  accurate  account  of  the  events  of  that  stirring 
time,  and  Ijattles  and  sieges  follow  each  other  in  ray)id  succession, 
wliile  he  combines  with  his  narrative  a  tale  of  daring  and  adven- 
ture, which  gives  a  lifolike  interest  to  the  volume. 

"  He  ha.s  taken  a  periixl  of  Indian  history  of  the  most  vital  importance, 
and  he  has  embroiilered  on  tlie  liistorical  facts  astory  wliich  of  itself  is  deeply 
inU'restint?.  Younj?  people  assuredly  will  lie  deliKhtad  with  the  volinue.  '— 
Scotsman. 

The  Lion  of  the  North  :  A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  and  the 
Wars  of  Religion.     By  (}.   A.  IIenty.     With   full-page   Illus- 
trations by  John  Schonreuo.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
In  this  story  Mr.  IIen;y  gives  the  history  of  tlie  first  imrt  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War.     Tlie  issue  had  its  importance,  which  has  ex- 
tended   to   tlie  pre.sont  day,  as   it   established  religious    freedom 
in  Germany.     The  army  of  the  chivalrous    king    of   Sweden  was 
largely  composed  of  Scotchmen,  and  among  these  was  the  hero  of 
the  story. 

"The  tale  is  a  clever  and  instnictive  piece  of  history,  and  !us  boys  may  lie 
trusted  to  read  it  conscientiously,  they  can  hardly  fail  to  be  profited."— rtm««. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS, 


The  Dragon  and  the  Raven ;  or,  The  Days  of  King  Alfred.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  Stani- 
LAND,  R.I.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

In  this  story  the  author  gives  an  account  of  the  fierce  struggle 
between  Saxon  and  Dane  for  supremacy  in  England,  and  presents 
a  vivid  picture  of  tlie  misery  and  ruin  to  which  the  country  was 
reduced  by  the  ravages  of  the  sea-wolves.  The  hero,  a  young 
Saxon  thane,  takes  part  in  all  the  battles  fought  by  King  Alfred. 
He  is  driven  from  his  home,  takes  to  the  sea  and  resists  the  Danes 
on  their  own  element,  and  being  pursued  by  them  up  the  Seine, 
is  present  at  the  long  and  desperate  siege  of  Paris. 

"  Treated  in  a  mauner  most  attractive  to  the  boyish  reader." — Athenaeum. 

The  Young  Carthaginian  :  A  Story  of  the  Times  of  Hanniiml. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  Stani- 
LAND,  R.I.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Boys  reading  the  history  of  the  Puiiic  Wars  have  seldom  a  keen 
appreciation  of  the  merits  of  the  contest.  That  it  was  at  first  a 
struggle  for  empire,  and  afterward  for  existence  on  the  part  of 
Carthage,  that  Hannibal  was  a  great  and  skillful  general,  that  he 
defeated  the  Romans  at  Trebia,  Lake  Trasimenus,  and  Cannae, 
and  all  but  took  Rimie,  represents  pretty  nearly  the  sura  total  of 
their  knowledge.  To  let  them  know  more  about  this  momentous 
struggle  for  the  empire  of  the  world  Mr.  Henty  has  written  this 
story,  which  not  only  gives  in  graphic  style  a  brilliant  descrip- 
tion of  a  most  interesting  period  of  history,  but  is  a  tale  of  ex- 
citing adventure  sure  to  secure  the  interest  of  the  reader. 

"  Well  constructed  and  vividly  told.  From  first  to  last  nothing  stays  the 
interest  of  the  narrative.  It  bears  us  along  as  on  a  |stream  whose  current 
varies  in  direction,  but  never  loses  its  force."— Saturday  Revietv. 

In  Freedom's  Cause  :  A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce.  ByG.  A. 
Henty.  With  full  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
13mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

In  this  story  the  author  relates  the  stirring  tale  of  the  Scottish 
War  of  Independence.  The  extraordinary  valor  and  personal 
prowess  of  Wallace  and  Bruce  rival  the  deeds  of  the  mythical 
heroes  of  chivalry,  and  indeed  at  one  time  Wallace  was  ranked 
with  these  legendary  personages.  The  researches  of  modern 
historians  have  shown,  however,  that  he  was  a  living,  breathing 
man — and  a  valiant  champion.  The  hero  of  the  tale  fought  under 
both  Wallace  and  Bruce,  and  while  the  strictest  historical  accuracy 
has  been  maintained  with  respect  to  public  events,  the  work  is 
full  of  "hairbreadth  'scapes"  and  wild  adventure. 

"  It  IS  written  m  the  author's  best  style.  Full  of  the  wildest  and  most  re- 
markable achievements,  it  is  a  tale  of  great  interest,  which  a  boy,  once  he  has 
begun  it,  will  not  willingly  put  on  one  side."— 37ie  Schoolmaster. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBTJCATIONS. 


With  Lee  in  Virginia:  A  Story  of  1  ^  American  Civil  War.  By 
Q.  A.  Henty.  Witli  full-page  i.  ustrations  by  OOKDON 
Browne.     12ino,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  story  of  a  young  Virginian  planter,  who,  aftt  r  bravely 
proving  his  .sympathy  with  the  slaves  of  brutal  ma.sters,  serves 
with  n)  less  courage  and  enthusiasm  under  Lee  and  Jackson 
through  the  most  exciting  events  of  the  struggle.  He  has  many 
hairbreadth  escapes,  is  seve  al  times  wounded  and  twice  taken 
prisoner;  but  his  courage  and  readiness  and,  in  two  cases,  the 
devotion  of  a  black  servant  and  of  a  runaway  slave  whom  he  had 
assisted,  bring  him  safely  through  all  difficulties. 

"  One  of  the  best  stories  for  lads  which  Mi-.  Henty  has  yet  written.  The 
picture  is  full  of  hfe  and  color,  and  the  stirring  and  rotnantic  incidents  are 
skillfully  blended  with  the  pei-aonal  interest  and  charm  of  the  story." — 
Standard. 

By  England's  Aid  ;  or,  The  Freeing  of  the  Netherlands   (1585- 
1604).     By   G.    A.    Henty.     With   full-page   Illustrations   by 
Alfred  Pearse,  and  Maps.     12mo,  cloth,  price  |1.00. 
The  story  of  two  English  lads  v  ho  go  to  Holland  as  pages  in 
the  service  of  one  of  "  the  figl'.ting  Veres."     After   many  adven- 
tures by  sea  and  land,  one  of  the  lads  finds  himself  on  board  a 
Spanish  ship  at  the  time  of  the  defeat  of  the  Armada,  and  escapes 
only  to  fall  in;o  the  hands  of  the  Corsairs.     He  is  successful  in 
getting  back  to  Spain  under  the  protection  of  a  wealthy  merchant, 
and  regains  his  native  country  after  the  capture  of  Cadiz. 

"  It  is  an  admirable  book  for  younsrstcrs.  It  overflows  with  stirrinj^  inci- 
dent and  I'xcitiiitj  adventure,  and  the  color  of  the  era  and  of  the  scene  are 
flni'lv   n-pjiiLhii'iMl.    The    illustrations  add  to  its   attractiveness."— Ifos^on 

(^(iz'cttr. 

By  Right  of  Conquest  ;  or,  With  Cortez  in  Mexico.      By  G.  A. 

Henty.      With  full-jiage   Illustrations  by  W.  S.   Stacey,  and 

Two  Maps.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.50. 

The  conquest  of  Mexico  by  a  small  band  of  resolute  men  under 
tlie  magniiicent  leadership  of  Cortez  is  always  rightly  ranked 
among  the  most  romantic  and  daring  exploits  in  iiistory.  With 
this  as  the  ground  v\ork  of  his  story  .Sir.  Iliiity  has  interwoven  the 
advt-ntures  of  an  English  youtii,  lioger  Hawl^>li«w,  the  sole  sur- 
vivor of  the  good  ship  Swan,  which  liad  sailed  from  a  Devon  port 
to  challenge  ihe  nuTcuntili-  sui)rcn!acy  o  the  Spaniards  in  the 
New  World,  lie  is  beset  by  many  ]>i-rils  among  the  natives,  but 
is  saved  i)y  liis  own  judgment  and  strengfii,  and  by  the  devotion 
of  an  \7.U'C,  ])rit)ces  .  At  last  1)V  a  ruse  he  obtains  the  protection 
of  the  Siianiards,  and  after  the  fall  of  Mexico  Ir*  succeeds  in  re- 
gaining his  nativi' shore,  with  a  fitrtuuf  un.l  a  charming  Aztec 
bride. 

"  '  Ry  Rik'ht  of  Conquest '  ia  the  nearest  apimiieh  to  a  perfectly  successfuJ 
Vuatorical  tale  tliat  Mr.  Heuty  has  yet  published."— .4cadtmj/. 


A.  L.  BtTHT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


In  the  Reign  of  Terror  :  The  Adventures  of  a  Westminster  Boy 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  Schon- 
BERG.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Harry  Sandwith,  a  Westminster  boy,  becomes  a  resident  at  the 
chateau  of  a  French  marquis,  and  aft^r  various  adventures  accom- 
panies the  family  to  Paris  at  the  crisis  of  the  Kevolution.  Im- 
prisonment and  death  leduce  their  number,  and  the  hero  finds 
himself  beset  by  perils  w\ih  the  three  young  daughters  of  the 
louse  in  his  charge.  After  hairbreadth  escapes  they  reach  Nan- 
tes. There  the  <;irls  are  condemned  to  death  in  the  cofBn-ships, 
but  are  saved  by  the  unfailing  courage  of  their  boy  protector. 

"  Harry  Sandwith,  the  Westminster  boy,  may  fairly  be  said  to  beat  Mr. 
Henty's  record.  His  adventures  will  delight  boys  by  the  audacity  and  peril 
they  depict.  .  .  .  The  story  is  one  of  Mr.  Henty's  best."— .Sa^!trda^/ 
Beviciv. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada  ;  or,  The  Winning  of  a  Continent.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gordon 
Browne.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

In  the  present  volume  Mr.  Henty  gives  an  account  of  the  strug- 
gle between  Britain  and  France  for  supremacy  in  the  North 
American  continent.  On  the  issue  of  this  war  depended  not  only 
the  destinies  of  North  America,  but  to  a  large  extent  those  of  the 
mother  countries  themselves.  The  fall  of  Quebec  decided  that 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race  should  predominate  in  the  New  World; 
that  Britain,  and  not  France,  should  take  the  lead  among  the 
nations  of  Europe;  and  that  English  and  American  commerce,  the 
English  language,  and  English  literature,  should  spread  right 
round  the  globe. 

"  It  is  not  only  a  lesson  in  history  as  instructively  as  it  is  graphically  told, 
but  also  a  deeply  interesting  and  often  thrilling  tale  of  adventure  and  peril  by 
flood  and  field." — Illustrated  London  Neivs. 

True  to  the  Old   Flag:  A  Tale  of  the  American  War  of  Inde- 
pendence.    By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by 
Gordon  Browne.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
In  this  story  the  author  has  gone  to  the  accounts  of  officers  who 
took  part  in  the  conflict,  and  lads  will  find  that  in  no  war  in  which 
American  and  British  soldiers  have  been  engaged  did  they  behave 
with  greater  courage  and  good  conduct.     The  historical  portion  of 
the  book  being  accompanied  with  numerous  thrilling  adventures 
with  the  redskins  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Huron,  a  story  of  exciting 
interest  is  interwoven  with   the   general   narrative   and   carried 
through  the  book. 

"  Dorr  justice  to  the  pluck  and  determination  of  the  British  soldiers  during 
the  unfortunate  struggle  against  American  emancipation.  The  son  of  an 
American  loyalist,  who  remains  true  to  our  flag,  falls  among  the  hostile  red- 
skins in  that  very  Huron  country  which  has  been  endeared  to  us  by  the  ex- 
ploits of  Hawkeye  and  Chingachgook."— ZTie  Times. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


The  Lion  of  St.  Mark :  A  Tale   of   Venice   in   the   Fourteenth 

Century.     By  G.  A.  Hentt.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by 

Gordon  Browne.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  story  of  Venice  at  a  period  when  her  strength  and  splendor 
were  put  to  the  .severest  tests.  Tlie  hero  displays  a  fine  sense  and 
manliness  wliich  carry  him  safely  tlirough  an  atmosphere  of  ii- 
trigue,  crime,  and  bloodshed.  He  contributes  largely  to  the  vic- 
tories of  the  Venetians  at  Porto  d'Auzo  and  Chioggia,  and  finally 
wins  the  liand  of  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  chief  men  of  Venice. 

"  Every  boy  should  read  '  The  Lion  of  St.  Mark.'    Mr.  Henry  has  never  pro- 
duced a  story  more  delightful,  more  wholesome,  or  more  vivacious."— Satur- 
day Review. 
A  Final  Reckoning:  A  Tale  of  Bush  Life  in  Australia.  By  G.  A. 

Hbnty.      With   full-page   Illustrations   by   W.    B.    Wollen. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00, 

The  hero,  a  young  English  lad.  after  rather  a  stormy  boyhood, 
emigrates  to  Australia,  and  gets  e.nployment  as  an  officer  in  the 
mounted  police.  A  few  years  of  ai  tive  work  on  the  frontier, 
where  ho  has  many  a  brush  with  bitli  natives  and  bushrangers, 
gain  him  promotion  to  a  cajjtaincy,  and  he  eventually  settles 
dos"n  to  the  peaceful  life  of  a  squatter. 

"  Mr.  Henty  has  nover  published  a  more  readable,  a  more  carefully  con- 
structL'(l,  or  a  better  written  story  than  this."— .S'pec<a<or. 
Under  Drake's  Flag  :  A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main.     By  (J.  A 

Hknty.     With    full-page   Illustrations  by   Gordon  Browne. 

12mo,  clotli,  price  $1.00. 

A  story  of  the  days  when  England  and  Spain  struggled  for  the 
supremacy  of  the  sea.  The  hemes  sail  as  lads  with  Drake  in  the 
Pacific  expedition,  and  in  his  great  voyage  of  circumnavigation. 
Thi^  historical  portion  of  the  story  is  aljsolutely  to  be  relied  upon, 
but  this  will  perhaps  l)e  less  attractive  than  the  great  variety  of 
exciting  adventure  through  which  the  young  heroes  pass  in  the 
course  of  their  voyages. 

"  A  \>'>nV  of  advent  urn,  where  the  horo  meets  with  experience  enough,  one 
WDiiM  ihiiik,  to  turn  his  hair  gray."— //arpt'r'.s  MoniMy  Mnf/azine. 

By  Sheer  Pluck  :  A  Tale  of  the  Ashauti  War.     By  (}.  A.  Henty. 

With    full-page    Illustrations    by    (ioKUON    Browne.     12mo, 

cloth,  price  ^1.00. 

The  autlior  liiis  woven,  in  a  tale  of  thrilling  interest,  all  the  de- 
tails of  the  .\shanti  campaign,  of  whidi  he  was  liimself  a  witness. 
His  hero,  afti-r  many  exciting  adventures  in  the  interior,  is  de- 
tained a  prisoner  by  the  king  just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war, 
but  ps(rapes,  and  accumpanii-s  the  English  expedition  on  tlu-ir 
march  to  Coomassie. 

"  Mr.  HfMty  k<H'ps  up  his  reputation  a.s  a  writer  of  boys'  stories.  '  By  Sheer 
Pluck  '  will  bo  eagerly  read."- /KAenceuM. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS, 


By  Pike  and  Dyke  :  A  Tale  of  the  Rise  of  tlie  Dutch  Republic. 
By  (>.  A.  Henty.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  Maynard 
Brown,  and  4  Maps.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
In  this  story  Mr.  Henty  traces  the  adventures  and  brave  deeds 
of  an  Englisli  boy  in  the  household  of  the  ;i blest  man  of  his  age — 
William  the  Silent.     Edward  Martin,  the  .son  of  an  English  sea- 
captain,  enters  the  service  of  the  Prince  as  a  volunteer,  and  is  em- 
ployed by  him  in  many  dangerous  and  responsible  missions,  in  the 
discharge  of  which  he  passes  through  the  great  sieges  of  the  time. 
He  u  timately  settles  down  as  Sir  Edward  Martin. 

"  Boys  with  a  turn  for  historical  research  will  be  enchanted  with  the  book, 
while  the  rest  who  only  care  for  adventure  will  be  students  iu  spite  of  them- 
selves."—S<.  James'  Gazette. 

St.  George  for  England  :  A  Tale  of  Cressy  and  Poitiers.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gordon 
Browne.     12uio,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

No  portion  of  English  history  is  more  crowded  with  great  events 
than  that  of  tlje  reign  of  Edward  III.  Cressy  and  Poitiers;  the 
destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet;  the  plague  of  the  Black  Death; 
tie  Jacquerie  rising;  these  are  treated  by  the  author  in  "  St. 
George  for  England."  The  hero  of  the  story,  although  of  good 
family,  begins  life  as  a  London  apprentice,  Ijut  after  countless  ad. 
ventur.  s  and  perils  becomes  by  valor  and  good  conduct  the  squire, 
and  at  la.st  the  tru-ted  friend  of  the  Black  Prince. 

"Mr.  Henty  has  developed  for  himself  a  type  of  historical  novel  for  bo^S 
which  Ijids  fair  to  supplement,  on  their  behalf,  the  historical  labors  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott  in  the  laud  of  fiction."— r/te  Standard. 

Captain's  Kidd's  Gold:  The  True  Story  of  an  Adventurous  Sailor 
Boy.  By  James  Franklin  FiTTS.  12mo,  clot  i,  price  $1,00. 
There  is  something  fascinating  to  the  average  youth  in  tiie  very 
idea  of  buried  treasure.  A  vision  arises  before  his  eyes  of  swarthy 
Portuguese  and  Spanish  rascals,  with  black  beards  and  gleaming 
eyes — sinister-looking  fellows  who  once  on  a  time  hnunted  the 
Spanisli  Main,  sneaking  out  from  some  hidden  creek  in  their  long, 
low  .schooner,  of  picaroonisli  rake  and  sheer,  to  attack  an  unsus- 
pecting trading  craft.  Toere  were  many  famous  sea  rovers  in 
their  day,  but  none  more  celebrated  tban  ('apt.  Kidd.  Perhaps 
the  most  fascinating  tale  of  all  is  Mr.  Fitts'  true  story  of  an  adven 
turous  American  boy,  who  receives  from  his  dying  father  an 
ancient  bit  of  vellum,  wliich  the  latter  obtained  in  a  curious  way. 
The  document  bears  obscure  directions  purporting  to  locate  a  cer- 
tain island  in  the  Bahama  group,  and  a  considerable  treasure 
buried  there  by  two  of  Kidd's  crev/.  The  hero  of  this  book, 
Paul  Jones  Garry,  is  an  ambitious,  persevering  lad,  of  salt-water 
New  England  ancestry,  and  bis  efforts  to  reach  the  island  and 
ser-ure  the  money  form  one  of  the  most  absorbing  tales  for  our 
youth  that  has  conae  from  the  press. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Captain  Bayley's  Heir  :  A  Tale  of  the  Gold  Fields  of  California. 

liy   G.    A.    Henty.     With   full-page   Illustrations   by   H.   M. 

Paget.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  frank,  manly  lad  and  his  cousin  are  rivals  in  the  heirship  of  a 
CO  siderable  property.  The  former  falls  into  a  trap  laid  by  the 
latter,  and  while  und(;r  a  false  accusatinn  of  theft  foolishly  leaves 
England  for  America.  He  works  his  passage  before  the  niasr, 
joins  a  .small  band  of  hunters,  crosses  a  tract  of  country  infested 
with  Indians  to  the  Californian  gold  diggings,  and  is  successful 
both  as  digger  and  trader. 

"Mr.  Henty  is  careful  to  mingle  instruction  with  entertainment;  an<l  the 
humorous  touches,  especially  in  tlie  sketch  of  .lohn  HdH.  the  Westminster 
dustman,  Dickens  himself  could  hardly  have  excaWnd.^'— Christian  Leader. 

For  Name  and  Fame  ;  or,  Through  Afghan  Passes.      By  G.   A. 

Henty.     With  full-page   Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 

12u)0,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

An  interesting  .story  of  the  last  war  in  Afghanistan.  The  hero, 
after  being  wrecked  and  going  through  many  stirrinir  adventures 
am<mg  the  Malays,  finds  his  way  to  Calcutta  and  enlists  in  a  regi- 
me t  proceeding  to  join  the  army  at  the  Afghan  passes.  He  ac- 
companies the  force  under  (Jeneral  Roberts  to  the  Peiwar  Kotal, 
is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  carried  to  Calml,  whence  he  is  trans- 
ferred to  ("iindahar,  and  takes  part  in  the  final  defeat  of  the  army 
of  Ayoub  Khan. 

"The  best  feature  of  the  book— apart  from  the  interest  of  its  scenes  of  ad- 
venture—is its  honest  effort  to  do  justice  to  the  patriotism  of  the  Afghan 

]>eople."' — Da  ill/  Xl'WS. 

Captured  by  Apes  :  The  Wonderful  Adventures  of  a  Young 
Animal  Trainer.  By  Hauky  PUENTICE.  12mo,  cloth,  $1.00. 
The  scene  of  this  tale  is  laid  on  an  island  in  the  Malay  Archi- 
pelago. Philip  Garland,  a  young  animal  collector  and  trainer,  of 
Ni'w  York,  sets  sail  for  Eastern  .seas  in  (piest  of  a  new  stock  of 
living  curiosities.  'I"he  V(;ssel  is  wrecked  off  the  coast  of  Borneo 
ami  young  (iiirland,  the  sole  survivor  of  the  disaster,  is  cast  ashore 
on  a  small  island,  and  CHpture<l  by  the  apes  that  ovcrrnn  the 
jilace.  'l"he  lad  di'.covers  tiiat  the  ruling  spirit  of  tin-  monkey 
tribe  is  a  gigantic  and  vicious  l)al)oon,  whom  he  identities  as 
(ioliah,  an  animal  at  one  time  in  his  possession  and  with  whose 
instruction  he  had  been  esjiecially  diligent.  Tlu' brute  recognizes 
him,  and  with  a  l<ind  of  malignant  satisfnetion  )iuts  his  former 
master  throutrli  tl'e  same  course  of  trainiuir  he  had  himself  ex- 
perii'uced  witli  a  faithfulness  of  detail  which  s'ir)vvs  how  astonish- 
ing is  monkey  recollection.  Very  nov«d  indeed  is  the  way  by 
wiiieh  the  young  man  es(;apes  death.  Mr.  I'reniice  has  certainly 
Worked  a  new  vein  <>n  juvenile  ficiion,  and  the  ability  with  \^hich 
he  handles  a  ditlicult  subject  stamps  him  as  a  writer  of  uudoubliid 
Bkill. 


8  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Bravest  of  the  Brave  ;  or,  With  Peterborough  in  Spam, 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  il. 
Paget.    12m'>,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

There  are  few  great  leaders  whose  lives  and  actions  have  so 
completely  fallen  into  oblivion  as  those  of  the  Earl  of  Peter- 
borouirh.  This  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  they  were  over 
shadowed  by  the  glory  and  successes  of  Marlborough.  His  career 
as  general  e'xtended  over  little  more  than  a  year,  and  yet,  in  that 
time,  he  showed  a  genius  for  warfare  which  has  never  been  sur- 
passed. 

"  Mr.  Henty  never  loses  si|?ht  of  the  moral  purpose  of  his  vrork— to  enforce 
the  doctrine  of  courage  and  truth.  Lads  will  read  '  The  Bravest  of  the  Brave  ' 
with  pleasure  and  profit;  of  that  we  are  quite  sure."— X>ai72/  Telegraph. 

The  Cat  of  Bubastes  :  A  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt.     By  G.  A. 

Henty.   With  full-page  Illustrations.   12rao,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  story  which  will  give  young  readers  an  unsurpassed  insight 
into  the  customs  of  the  Egyptian  people.  Amuba,  a  prince  of  the 
Rebu  nation,  is  carried  with  his  charioteer  Jethro  into  slavery. 
They  become  inmates  of  the  house  of  Ameres,  the  Egyptian  high- 
p.iest,  and  are  happy  in  his  service  until  the  priest's  son  acci- 
dentally kills  the  sacred  cat  of  Bubastes.  In  an  outburst  of  popular 
fury  Ameres  is  killed,  and  it  rests  with  Jethro  and  Amuba  to 
secure  the  escape  of  the  high-priest's  sou  and  daughter. 

"  The  story,  from  the  critical  moment  of  the  killing  of  the  sacred  cat  to  the 
perilous  exodus  into  Asia  with  which  ic  closes,  is  very  skillfully  constructed 
and  full  of  exciting  adventures.  It  is  admirably  illustrated."— Sa^wrt^a^/ 
Review. 

With  Washington  at  Monmouth  :  A  Story  of  Three  Phila- 
delphia Boys.  By  James  Otis.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
Three  Philadelphia  boys,  Seth  Graydon  "whose  mother  con- 
ducted a  boarding-house^vhich  was  patronized  by  the  British 
officers;"  Enoch  "Ball,  "son  of  that  Mrs.  Ball  whose  dancing 
school  was  situated  on  Letitia  Street,"  and  little  Jacob,  son  of 
•'Chris,  the  Baker,"  serve  as  the  principal  characters.  The 
story  is  laid  during  the  winter  when  Lord  Howe  held  possession 
of  the  city,  and  the  lads  aid  the  cause  by  a-^sisting  the  American 
spies  who  make  r.gular  and  frequent  visits  from  Valley  Forge. 
One  reads  here  of  hoinelife  in  thi- captive  city  when  bread  was 
scarce  among  the  people  of  the  lower  classes,  and  a  reckless  prodi- 
gality shown  by  the  British  officers,  who  pas.sed  the  winter  in 
feasting  and  merry-making  while  the  members  of  the  patriot  army 
but  a  few  miles  away  were  suffering  from  both  cold  and  hunger. 
The  story  abounds'  with  pictures  of  Colonial  life  skillfully 
drawn,  and  the  glimpses  of  Washington's  soldiers  which  are  given 
show  that  the  work  has  not  been  hastily  done,  or  without  con- 
siderable study. 


A.  L.  KURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


For  the  Temple:  A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem.     By  G.  A. 

Henty.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  S.  J.  Solomon.  12mo, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Mr.  Henty  here  weaves  into  the  record  of  Josephus  an  admirable 
and  attracti\'e  story.  The  troubles  in  the  dibitrict  of  Tiberias,  the 
inarch  of  the  legions,  the  sieges  of  Jotapata,  of  Gamala,  and  of 
Jerusalem,  form  the  impressive  and  carefully  studied  historic 
setting  to  the  figure  of  the  lad  who  passes  from  the  vineyard  to 
the  service  of  Josephus,  becomes  the  leader  of  a  guerrilla  band  of 
patriots,  fights  bravely  for  the  Temple,  and  after  a  brief  term  of 
slavery  at  Alexandria,  returns  to  his  Galilean  home  with  the  favor 
of  Titus. 

"  Mr.  Henty 's  graphic  prose  pictures  of  the  hopeless  Jewish  resistance  to 
Roman  sway  add  another  leaf  to  his  record  of  the  famous  wars  of  the  world." 
— Graphic. 

Facing  Death  ;  or,  The  Hero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.     A  Tale  of 
the  (  oal  Mines.     By  G.    A.   Henty.     With  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Gordon  Browne.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
"  Facing  Death  "  is  a  story  with  a  purpose.     It  is  intended  to 
show  that  a  lad  who  makes  up  his  mind  firmly  and  resolutely  that 
he  will  rise  in  life,  and  who  is  prepared  to  face  toil  and  ridicule 
and  hardship  to  carry  out  his  determination,  is  sure  to  succeed. 
The  hero  of  the  story  is  a  typical    British    boy,  dogged,  earnest, 
generous,  and  though  "  shauiefaced"  to  a  degree,  is  ready  to  face 
death  in  the  discharge  of  duty. 

"The  tale  is  well  written  and  well  illustrated,  and  there  is  much  reality  in 
the  characters.  If  any  f.ither,  clergymau,  or  schoolmaster  is  on  the  lookout 
for  a  frof)d  liook  to  pivt^  as  a  present  to  a  boy  who  is  worth  his  salt,  this  is  the 
hook  we  would  reeomnn'Md." — Standard. 

Tom   Temple's   Career.     By   Horatio    Alger.     12mo,    cloth, 

price  $1.00. 

Tom  Temple,  a  bright,  self-reliant  lad,  by  the  death  of  his 
fatlier  becomes  a  boarder  at  the  home  of  Nathan  Midil'eton,  a 
penurious  insurance  aj^ent.  Though  well  paid  for  keej)ing  the 
boy,  Nathan  and  his  wife  endisavor  to  bring  Master  Tom  in  line 
with  their  i)arsimonious  hai>its.  The  lad  ingeniously  tivades  their 
efforts  and  revolutionizes  the  household.  As  Tom  is  heir  to 
$40,000,  he  is  regarded  as  a  person  of  .some  importance  until  by 
an  unfortunate  combination  of  circumstances  his  fortune  shrinks 
to  a  few  hundreds.  He  leaves  I^lympton  village  to  seek  work  in 
New  York,  whence  he  uiuU^rtakes  an  important  mission  to  ("ali- 
fornia,  around  which  center  the  most  exciting  incidents  of  his 
yountr  career.  Somi!  cif  his  ailventures  in  the  fur  west  are  so 
startling  that  the  reader  will  scarcely  close  the  book  until  the  last 
page  shall  have  been  reached.  The  tale  is  written  in  .Mr.  Alger'.s 
most  fascinating  style,  ami  is  hoiunl  to  pleasi^  th(^  very  large  class 
of  boys  who  regard  this  p(jpular  author  as  a  prime  favorite. 


10  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

Maori  and  Settler:  A  Story  of  tbe  New  Zealand  War.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  full-pagelllustrationsby  Alfred  Peakse* 
12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  Kenshavvs  emigrate  to  New  Zealand  during  the  period  of 
the  war  witli  the  native-.  Wilfrid,  a  sirong,  self-reliant,  coura- 
geous lad,  i.sthe  mainstay  of  the  household.  He  has  for  his  friend 
Mr.  Atherton,  a  botanist  and  naturalist  of  herculean  strength  and 
unfailing  nerve  and  huninr.  In  the;. ilventures  among  tLe  Maoris, 
there  are  many  breathless  moments  in  which  the  odds  seeiu  hope- 
lessly against  the  party,  but  they  succeed  in  establishing  them- 
selves happily  in  one  of  the  pleasant  New  Zealand  valleys. 

"Brimful  of  adventure,  of  humorous  and  interesting  couversation,  aud 
vivid  pictures  of  colonial  life." — Schoolmaster. 

Julian  Mortimer}:  A  Brave  Boy's  Struggle  for  Home  and  Fortune. 

By  Harry  Castlemon.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Here  is  a  story  that  will  warm  every  boy's  heart.  There  is 
mystery  enough  to  keep  any  lad's  imagination  wound  up  to  the 
highest  pitch.  The  scene  of  the  story  lies  west  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  in  the  days  when  emigrants  made  their  jjf.rilous  way  across 
the  great  plains  to  theiand  of  gold  One  of  the  startling  features 
of  the  book  is  the  attack  upon  the  wagon  train  by  a  large  party  of 
Indians.  Our  hero  is  a  lad  of  uncommon  nerve  and  pluck,  a  brave 
young  Americau  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  He  enlists  and  holds 
the  reader's  sympathy  from  the  outset.  Surrounded  by  an  un- 
Icnown  and  constant  peril,  aud  assisted  by  the  unswerving  fidelity 
of  a  stalwart  trapper,  a  real  rough  diamond,  our  hero  achh  ves  the 
most  happy  results.  Harry  Castlemon  has  written  many  enter- 
taining stories  for  boys,  and  it  would  seem  almost  superfluous  to 
say  anything  in  his  praise,  for  the  youth  of  America  regard  him 
as  a  favorite  author. 

"Carrots:"  Just  a  Little  Boy.     By  Mrs.  Molesvvorth.     With 
Illustrations  by  Walter  Crane.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 
"  One  of  the  cleverest  and  most  pleasing  stories  it  has  been  our  good  for- 
tune to  meet  with  for  some  time.    Carrots  and  his  sister  ar^  delightful  little 
beings,  whom  to  read  about  is  at  once  to  become  very  fond  of." — Examiner. 
"A  genuine  children's  book;  we've  seen  'em  seize  it,  and  read  it  greedily. 
Children  are  first-rate  critics,  and  thoroughly  appreciate  Walter  Crane's 
illustrations."— Pm7ic/i. 

Mopsa   the   Fairy.      By   Jean   Ingelow.      With   Eight   page 

Illustrations.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  Mrs.  Ingelow  is,  to  our  mind,  the  most  charming  of  all  living  writers  for 
children,  and  '  Mopsa'  alone  ought  to  give  her  a  kind  of  pre-emptive  right  to 
the  love  and  gratitude  of  our  young  folks.  It  requires  genius  to  conceive  a 
purely  imaginary  work  which  must  of  necessity  deal  with  the  supernatural, 
without  rutming  into  a  mere  riot  of  fantastic  absurdity;  but  genius  Miss  In- 
gelow lias  and  tlie  story  of  'Jack  '  is  as  careless  and  joyous,  but  as  delicate, 
as  a  picture  of  childhood."— i'deciic. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  U 

^  Jaunt  Through  Java :  The  Story  of  a  Journey  to  the  P:u;xd 
Mountain,  By  Edwakd  S.  Eixis.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
The  central  interest  of  this  story  is  found  in  the  thrilliny-  ad- 
voutures  of  two  cousins,  Hermon  and  Eustace  liadley,  on  their 
irip  across  the  island  of  Java,  from  Saiuarangto  the  Sacred  r.ionn- 
tai'n.  In  a  land  where  the  Royal  Bengal  tiger  runs  at  lar:-e; 
where  the  rhinoceros  and  other  fierce  heasts  are  to  he  met  with 
at  unes[;octed  moments;  it  is  hut  natural  that  the  heroes  of  this 
book  should  liave  a  lively  experience.  Hermon  not  only  dis- 
tinguishes himself  by  killing  a  full  grown  tiger  at  short  range, 
but  meets  with  the  most  startling  adventure  of  the  journey. 
There  is  much  in  this  narrative  to  instruct  as  well  a-  entertain  the 
reader,  and  so  deftly  has  Mr.  Ellis  used  his  material  that  the  e  is 
i.ot  a  dull  page  in  the  hook.  The  two  heroes  are  brave,  manly 
young  fellows,  bubbling  over  with  l)nyish  independence.  They 
cope  with  the  many  difficulties  that  arise  during  the  trip  in  a  fear- 
less way  that  is  bound  to  win  the  admiration  of  every  lad  who  is 
so  fortunate  as  to  read  their  adventures. 

Wrecked  on  Spider  Island;  or,  How  Ned  Rogers  Found  the 
Treasure.  By  Jamks  Otis.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
A  "  down-east"  plucky  lad  who  ships  as  cabin  boy,  not  from 
love  of  adventure,  but  because  it  is  the  only  course  remaining  by 
which  he  can  gain  a  livelihood.  While  in  his  bunk,  seasick, 
Ned  Rogers  hears  the  captain  and  mate  discussing  their  plans  for 
the  willful  wreck  of  the  brig  in  order  to  gain  the  insurance.  Once 
it  is  known  he  is  in  possession  of  the  secret  the  captain  ma.oons 
him  on  Spider  Island,  explaining  to  the  crew  that  the  hoy  is 
afflicted  with  leprosy.  While  thus  involuntarily  jjlaying  the  part 
of  a  Crusoe,  Ned  di.scovers  a  wreck  submerged  in  the  sand,  and 
overliauling  the  timliers  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  material 
with  which  to  l)uild  a  hut  finds  a  considerable  amount  of  treasure. 
Raising  the  wreck;  a  voyag<^  to  Havana  under  sail;  shipping  then; 
a  crew  and  running  fur  Savannah;  the  attemjit  of  the  crew  to 
seize  the  little  craft  after  learning  of  the  treasure  on  board,  and, 
a.s  a  matter  of  cour.se,  the  successful  ending  of  the  journey,  all 
serve  to  make  as  entertaining  a  story  of  sea-life  as  the  most 
captious  boy  could  dcwire. 

Geoff  and  Jim:  A  Story  of  School  Life.     By  Ismav  Tiiokn.     Il- 
lustrated by  A.  (}.  Walkeu.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  This  is  a  prctHly  told  story  of  the  life  sjient  V)y  two  inolhiTlcss  bairns  at 
a  small  |irf)iar.il<iry  fichodl.  Hotli  fJi-off  iitid  .Tim  nre  vi^rj'  l()vnl)li'  chiiractcrs, 
only  .liiii  Im  tliii  iiii)i<' .so;  unci  thu  s<'ra|)»'s  lii^  j^ets  iiiUi  and  tlic!  trials  lie  cii- 
flnres  will,  no  doubt,  intt-rcst  a  lafKe  circle  of  yoiinp  rcailcrs. "- f/ii/rr/i 
Timt'ii. 

"This  i.s  a  ra|>it.'il  cliiMri'ii's  story,  the  characters  wiMl  portrayed,  and  tho 
bonk  ta.st4>riilly  bimnd  am)  wi-ll  illiislrat4'd."     .Schonliittislir. 

"The  story  cun  be  heartily  rec'oninieiidt'd  us  u  jircscnt  for  boys." — 
Staiulard. 


is  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


The  Castaways  ;  or,  On  the  Florida  Reefs.     By  James  Otis. 

12mo,  clotb,  price  $1.00. 

This  tale  smacks  of  tlie  salt  sea.  It  is  just  the  kind  of  story 
that  ihe  majority  of  boys  yearn  for.  From  the  moment  that  the 
Sea  Queen  dispenses  with  the  services  of  the  tug  in  lower  New 
York  bay  till  the  breeze  leaves  her  becalmed  off  the  coast  of 
Florida,  one  can  almost  hear  the  whistle  of  the  wind  through  her 
riy:ging,  the  creak  of  her  straining  cordage  as  she  heels  to  the 
leeward,  and  feel  her  rise  to  the  snow-capped  waves  which  her 
sharp  bow  cuts  into  twin  streaks  of  foam.  OK  Marquesas  Keys 
she  floats  in  a  dead  calm.  Ben  Clark,  the  hero  of  the  story,  and 
Jake,  the  cook,  spy  a  turtle  asleep  upon  the  glassy  surface  of  the 
water.  They  determine  to  capture  him,  and  take  a  boat  for  that 
purpose,  and  just  as  they  succeed  in  catching  him  a  thick  fog 
cuts  them  oft  from  the  vessel,  and  then  their  troubles  beijin. 
They  take  refuge  on  board  a  drifting  hulk,  a  storm  arises  and  they 
are  cast  ashore  upon  a  lov/  sandy  key.  Their  adventures  from 
this  point  cannot  fail  to  charm  the  reader.  As  a  writer  for  young 
people  Mr.  Otis  is  a  prime  favorite.  His  style  is  captivating,  and 
never  for  a  moment  does  he  allow  the  interest  to  flag.  In  "  The 
Castaways  "  he  is  at  his  best. 

Tom  Thatcher's  Fortune.     By  Hokatio  Alger,  Jk.     12mo, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Like  all  of  Mr.  Alger's  heroes,  Tom  Thatcher  is  a  brave,  am- 
bitious, unselfish  boy.  He  supports  his  mother  and  sister  on 
meager  wages  earned  as  a  shoe-pegger  in  John  Simpson's  factory. 
Tlie  story  begins  with  Tom's  discharge  from  the  factory,  because 
Mr.  Simpson  felt  annoyed  with  the  lad  for  interrogating  him  too 
closely  about  his  missing  father.  A  few  days  afterward  Tom 
learns  that  which  induces  him  to  start  overlandfor  California  with 
the  view  of  probing  the  family  mystery.  He  meets  with  many  ad- 
ventures. Ultimately  he  returns  to  his  native  village,  bringing  con- 
sternation to  the  soul  of  John  Simpson,  who  only  escapes  the  con- 
sequences of  his  villainy  by  making  full  restitution  to  the  man 
whose  friendship  he  liad  betrayed.  The  story  is  told  in  that  en- 
tertaining way  which  has  made  Mr,  Alger's  name  a  household 
word  in  so  many  homes. 

Birdie  :  A  Tale  of  Child  lafe.     By  H.  L.  Ciiilde-PembertON. 

Illustrated  by  H.  W.  Rainey.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  The  story  is  quaint  and  simple,  but  there  is  a  freshness  about  it  that 
makes  one  hear  again  the  i-inging  laugh  and  the  cheery  shout  of  children  at 
play  wliieh  charmed  his  earlier  years.  "—iV<??<;  York  Exijress. 

Popular  Fairy  Tales.     By  the  Brothers  Grimm.     Profusely 

Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  From  first  to  last,  almost  without  exception,  these  stories  are  delightful." 
—Athenceum. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  13 

With  Lafayette  at  Yorktown :  A  Story  of  How  Two  Boys 
Joined  the  Coutiuental  Army.  By  James  Otis.  12mo,  cloth, 
price  $1.00. 

The  two  boys  are  from  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  and  are  introduced 
in  August,  1781,  when  on  the  point  of  leaving  home  to  enlist  in 
Col.  Scammell's  regiment,  then  stationed  near  New  York  City. 
Their  method  of  traveling  is  on  horseback,  and  the  author  has 
given  an  interesting  account  of  what  was  expected  from  boys  in 
the  Colonial  days.  The  lads,  after  no  slight  amount  of  adventure, 
are  sent  as  messengers — not  soldiers — into  the  south  to  find  the 
troops  under  Lafayette.  Once  with  that  youthful  general  they 
are  given  employment  as  spies,  and  enter  the  British  camp, 
bringing  away  valuable  information.  The  pictures  of  c:imp-life 
are  carefully  drawn,  and  the  portrayal  of  Lafayette's  character  is 
thoroughly  well  done.  The  story  is  wholesome  in  tone,  as  are  all 
of  Mr.  Otis'  works.  There  is  no  lack  of  exciting  incident  which 
the  youthful  reader  craves,  but  it  is  healthful  excitement  brim- 
ming with  facts  which  every  boy  should  be  familiar  with,  and 
while  the  reader  is  following  the  adventures  of  Ben  Jaffreys  and 
Ned  Allen  he  is  acquiring  a  fund  of  historical,  lore  which  will 
remain  in  his  memory  long  after  that  which  he  has  memorized 
from  text-books  has  been  forgotten. 

Lost  in  the  Canon  :  Sam  Willett's  Adventures  on  the  Groat 
Colorado.  By  Ar.FRED  R.  C.vlhoux.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
This  story  hinges  on  a  fortune  left  to  Sam  Willett,  the  hero, 
and  the  fact  tliat  it  will  pass  to  a  disreputable  relative  if  the  iad 
dies  before  he  shall  have  reached  his  majority.  The  Vigihmco 
Committee  of  Hurley's  Gulch  arrest  Sam's  father  and  an  associate 
for  the  crime  of  murder.  Tlicir  lives  depend  on  the  production 
of  the  receipt  given  for  money  paid,  'i'iiis  is  in  Sam's  po  -session 
at  the  camp  on  the  otlier  side  of  the  canon.  A  messenger  is  di.s- 
patclied  to  get  it.  He  reaches  the  lad  in  the  midst  of  a  fearful 
storm  wliich  Hoods  the  canon.  His  father's  peril  urges  Sam  to 
action.  A  raft  is  built  on  wliich  the  boy  and  iiis  friends  essay  to 
cross  the  torn-nt.  They  fail  to  do  so,  and  a  d(^s|)eriite  trip  down 
the  stream  ensui'S.  How  tin;  i)arty  finally  escajK!  from  the  hor- 
rors of  their  situation  and  Sam  reaches  Hurley's  (Julch  in  the  very 
nick  of  time,  is  described  in  a  graphic  style  that  stamps  Mr.  Cai- 
lioun  as  a  master  of  his  art. 

Jack:  A    'i'opsy   Turvy   Story.      By   C.    M.   Ckawi.ey-Bokvev. 

Witli    upward   of   Thirty    Illustrations    i)y    H.    J.    A.    Miles. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"The  illustrations  deserve  parficiilnr  iiieiitir)n,  ns  tlioy  add  lartrelv  to  tlio 
intei-'-st  i)f  this  nimisint:  vnluiii.-  fon.-liililn-n.  .lack  fallsasleep  wllli  Ills  mind 
full  of  the  suhji'ct  of  tht^  fishpiiiid,  anri  is  very  iimch  surprised  prcsi'nily  to 
find  himself  mi  inliiihitant  ol  Wnteruorld,  where  he  poes  though  wonilcVt'iil 
and  edifyinff  adventure. s.  A  liandsoiue an<i  pleasant  book.'"— Literary  World. 


14  A.  L.  BURTS  PUBLICATIONS. 

Search  for  the  Silver  City  :  A  Tale    of  Adventure  iu  Yucatau. 

By  James  Otis.     12mo,  clotb,  price  $1.00. 

Two  America:^  lads,  Teddy  Wright  and  Neal  Emery,  embark 
on  the  steam  yacht  Day  Dream  for  a  short  summer  cruise  to  the 
tropics.  Homeward  bound  the  yacht  is  destroyed  by  fire.  All 
hands  take  to  the  boats,  but  during  the  night  the  boat  is  cast  upon 
the  coast  of  Yucatan.  They  come  across  a  young  American 
named  Cummings,  who  entertains  them  with  the  story  of  the 
wonderful  Silver  City,  of  the  Chan  Santa  Cruz  Indians.  Cum- 
mings proposes  with  the  aid  of  a  faithful  Indian  ally  to  brave 
the  perils  of  the  swamp  and  carry  off  a  number  of  the  golden 
images  from  the  temples.  Pursued  with  relentless  vigor  for  days 
their  situation  is  desperate.  At  last  their  escai)e  is  effected  in  an 
astonishing  manner.  Mr.  Otis  has  built  his  story  on  an  historical 
foundation.  It  is  so  full  of  exciting  incidents  that  the  reader  is 
quite  carried  away  with  the  novelty  and  realism  of  the  narrative. 

Frank  Fowler,  the  Cash  Boy.  By  Hokatio  Algeu,  Jr.   12mo, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Thrown  upon  his  own  resources  Frank  Fowler,  a  poor  boy, 
bravely  determines  to  make  a  living  for  himself  and  his  foster- 
sister  Grace.  Going  to  New  York  he  obtains  a  situation  as  cash 
boy  in  a  dry  goods  store.  He  renders  a  service  to  a  wealthy  old 
gentleman  named  Wharton,  who  takes  a  fancy  to  the  lad.  Frank, 
after  losing  his  place  as  cash  boy,  is  enticed  by  an  enemy  to  a 
lonesome  part  of  New  Jersey  and  held  a  prisoner.  This  move  re- 
coils upon  the  plotter,  for  it  leads  to  a  clue  that  enables  the  lad  to 
establish  his  real  identity.  Mr.  Alger's  stories  are  not  only  un- 
usually interesting,  but  they  convey  a  useful  lesson  of  pluck  and 
manly  independence. 

Budd  Boyd's  Triumph;  or,  the  Boy  Firm  of  Fox  Island.  By 
WiLiJAM  P.  Chipman.  12mo,  cloth,  price  fl.OO. 
The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  on  the  upper  part  of  Narragansett 
Bay,  and  the  leading  incidents  have  a  strong  salt  water  flavor. 
Owing  to  the  conviction  of  his  father  for  forgery  and  theft,  Budd 
Boyd  is  compelled  to  leave  his  home  and  strike  out  for  himself. 
Chance  brings  Budd  in  contact  with  Judd  Floyd,  The  two  boys, 
being  ambitious  and  clear  sighted,  form  a  partnersliip  to  catch 
and  sell  fish.  The  scheme  is  succes.sfuUy  launched,  but  the  un- 
expected a])pearance  on  the  scene  of  Thomas  Bagsl^y,  the  man 
whom  Budd  believes  guilty  of  the  crimes  attributed  to  his  father, 
leads  to  several  disagreeable  complications  that  nearly  caused  the 
lad's  ruin.  His  pluck  and  good  sense,  however,  carry  him  through 
his  troubles.  In  following  the  career  of  the  boy  firm  of  Boyd  & 
Floyd,  the  youthful  reader  will  find  a  useful  lesson — that  industry 
and  perseverance  are  bound  to  lead  to  ultimate  success. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  15 

The  Errand  Boy ;  or,  How  Phil  Erent  Won  Success.  By 
Horatio  Alger,  Jk.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
Tlie  career  cf  "  The  Errand  Boy"  embraces  the  city  adventures 
of  a  smart  country  lad  who  at  an  early  age  was  abandoned  by  bis 
fatber.  Philip  was  brought  up  by  a  kind-hearted  innkeeper 
named  Brent.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Brent  paved  the  way  for  the 
hero's  subsequent  troubles.  Accident  introduces  him  to  the 
notice  of  a  retired  merchant  in  New  York,  who  not  only  secures 
bim  the  situation  of  errand  boy  but  thereafter  stands  as  his 
friend.  An  unexpected  turn  of  fortune's  wheel,  however,  brings 
Philip  and  his  father  togetiier.  In  "The  Errand  Boy"  Philip 
Brent  is  possessed  of  the  same  sterling  qualities  so  conspicuous  in 
all  of  the  previous  creations  of  this  delightful  writer  for  our  youth. 

The  Slate  Picker  :  The  Story  of  a  Boy's  Life  in  the  Coal  Mines. 

By  Haruy  Prentice.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $L00. 

This  is  a  story  of  a  boy's  life  in  the  coal  mines  of  Pennsylvania. 
There  are  many  thrilling  situations,  notably  that  of  Ben  Burton's 
leap  into  the  "  lion's  mouth  " — the  yawning  shute  in  the  lireakers 
— to  escape  a  beating  at  the  hands  of  the  savage  S[)ilkins,  the 
overseer.  Gracie  Gordon  is  a  little  angel  in  rags,  Terence  O'Dowd 
is  a  manly,  sympathetic  lad,  and  Enoch  Evans,  the  miner-poet,  is 
a  big-hearted,  honest  fellow,  a  true  friend  to  all  whose  bur- 
dens seem  too  heavy  for  them  to  bear.  Ben  Burton,  the  hero,  had 
a  hard  road  to  travel,  liut  by  grit  and  energy  he  advanced  step  by 
step  until  he  found  iiiuist-lf  called  upon  to  till  the  position  of 
chief  engineer  of  the  Kohiuoor  Coal  Company. 

A   Runaway  Brig  ;  or,  An  Accidental  Cruise.     By  James  Otis. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  A  Runaway  Brig"  is  a  sea  tale,  pure  and  simi>le,  and  that's 
where  it  strikes  a  boy'.s  fancy.  The  reader  can  look  out  upon 
lilt;  wide  .'shimmering  st-a  as  it  Hashes  buck  the  sunlight,  and 
imagine  himself  afloat  with  Harry  Vandyne,  Walter  M<irse,  Jim 
Libl)y  and  tliat  old  shell-back.  Hob  Brace,  on  the  brig  Bonita, 
vvbich  lands  on  one  of  the  Hahama  keys.  I'^inally  three  strangers 
Pteal  the  craft,  leaving  the  rightful  owners  to  shift  for  themselves 
aboard  a  broken-down  tug.  'J'he  boys  discf)ver  a  mysterious 
document  which  enables  them  to  find  a  buried  tieasure,  then  a 
Storm  comes  on  and  tlie  tug  is  stranded.  At  last  a  yacht  cf>mesin 
sight  and  the  party  with  the  treasure  is  taken  off  tlie  lonely  key. 
The  most  exacting  youth  is  sure  to  be  fascinated  with  this  enter- 
taining story. 

Fairy  Tales   and    Stories.     By   Hans   Cuktstian   Axdersen. 

Profusely  Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"If  I  wrrea.'^ked  to  select  jieliild'slilirnry  I  slionlil  name  tlie,««>  tlirco  volumes 
'English,'  ■  Celtic,"  uiid  '  Indian  Fairy  Talcs,'  with  Uriumi  and  liuus  Ander- 
sen's Fairy  tales.'''— Jndeijetuicnt. 


16  A.  L.  BURT'B  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Island  Treasure  ;  or,  Harry  Barrel's  Fortune.     By  Fkank 

H.  CONVEHSE.     12ino,  clotb,  price  $1.00. 

Harry  Barrel,  an  orphan,  having  received  a  nautical  training  on 
a  school-ship,  is  bent  on  going  to  sea  with  a  boyish  acquaintance 
named  Dan  Plunket.  A  runaway  horse  changes  his  prospects. 
Harry  saves  Dr.  Gregg  from  drowning  and  the  doctor  presents  his 
preserver  with  a  bit  of  property  known  as  Gregg's  Island,  and 
makes  the  lad  sailing-master  of  his  sloop  yacht.  A  piratical  hoard 
is  supposed  to  be  hidden  somewhere  on  the  island.  After  much 
search  and  many  thsvarted  plans,  at  last  Dan  discovers  the 
treasure  and  is  the  means  of  finding  Harry's  father.  Mr.  Con- 
verse's stories  possess  a  charm  of  their  own  which  is  appreciated 
by  lads  who  delight  in  good  healthy  tales  that  smack  of  salt 
water. 

The  Boy  Explorers:  The  Adventures   of  Two  Boys  in  Alaska. 

By  IlARHY  Prentice.     l2mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Two  boys,  Raymond  and  Spencer  Planning,  travel  from  San 
Francisco  to  Alaska  to  join  their  father  in  search  of  their  uncle, 
who,  it  is  believed,  was  captured  and  detained  by  the  inhabitants 
of  a  place  called  the  "  Heart  of  Alaska."  On  their  arrival  at 
Bitka  the  boys  with  an  Indian  guide  set  off  across  the  mountains. 
The  trip  is  fraught  with  perils  that  test  the  lads'  courage  to  the 
utmost.  Reaching  the  Yukon  River  they  build  a  raft  and  float 
down  the  stream,  entering  the  Mysterious  River,  from  which  they 
barely  escape  with  their  lives,  only  to  be  captured  by  natives  of 
the  Heart  of  Alaska.  All  through  their  exciting  adventures  the 
lads  demonstrate  what  can  be  accomplished  by  pluck  and  resolu- 
tion, and  their  experience  makes  one  of  the  most  interesting  tales 
ever  written. 

The  Treasure  Finders  :  A  Boy's  Adventures  in  Nicaragua.     By 

James  Otis.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Roy  and  Dean  Coloney,  with  their  guide  Tongla,  leave  their 
father's  indigo  plantation  to  visit  the  wonderful  ruins  of  an  ancient 
city.  The  boys  eagerly  explore  the  dismantled  temples  of  an  ex- 
tinct race  and  discover  three  golden  images  cunningly  hidden 
away.  They  escape  with  the  greate.st  difficulty;  by  taking  advan- 
tage of  a  festive  gathering  they  seize  a  canoe  and  fly  down  the 
river.  Eventually  they  reach  'safety  with  their  golden  prizes. 
Mr.  Otis  is  the  prince  of  story  tellers,  for  he  handles  his  material 
with  consummate  skill.  We  doubt  if  he  has  ever  written  a  more 
entertaining  story  than  "  The  Treasure  Finders." 

Household  Fairy  Tales.     By  the  Bkothers  Grimm.     Profusely 

Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  As  a  collection  of  fairy  tales  to  delight  children  of  all  ages  this  work 
ranks  second  to  none." — Daily  Graphic. 


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